Heidi Blickenstaff, Paul Alexander Nolan, and More Cast in World Premiere of The Heart

La Jolla Playhouse announced the cast and creative team for its world premiere musical The Heart, running August 19-September 21 in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre.

Based on the novel Réparer les Vivants by Maylis de Kerangal, the musical features book and additional lyrics by Kait Kerrigan (The Great Gatsby), music and lyrics by Anne Eisendrath and Ian Eisendrath, choreography by Mandy Moore (So You Think You Can Dance), and direction by Tony Award winner Christopher Ashley (Come From Away), the Rich Family Artistic Director of La Jolla Playhouse.

The cast features Heidi Blickenstaff (Freaky Friday, Something Rotten!) as Claire, Lincoln Clauss as Thomas Driscoll, Bre Jackson (Six) as Cordelia Owl, Max McKenna as Juliette, Kenita Miller (for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf) as Marianne Lamar, Paul Alexander Nolan (Escape to Margaritaville, Water for Elephants) as Dr. Breva, Zachary Noah Piser (Redwood) as Simon Lamar, Wren Rivera as Marthe, and Jason Tam (A Chorus Line) as Sean Lamar. Understudies are Selena “Lena” Ceja, Cody Ingram, Brandon Keith Rogers, and Joy Yandell-Hall.

The creative team includes scenic designer Robert Brill, costume designer Sarafina Bush, lighting designer Amanda Zieve, sound designer Gareth Owen, projection designer Lucy Mackinnon, hair designer Alberto “Albee” Alvarado, music supervisor and arranger Ian Eisendrath, music director Wendy Cavett, orchestrators and music producers Juan Ariza and Elin Sandberg.

The musical, told through an electronic score, takes place over the course of 24 suspenseful hours in San Diego. When a young surfer’s life is cut short, it means a second chance for a stranger.