(© Joseph Marzullo/WENN)
The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) has announced final casting for the previously reported eight musicals that have been selected to be part of the 23rd Annual Festival of New Musicals on Thursday, October 27 and Friday, October 28 at New World Stages. Limited seating will be available to the public.
Kate Wetherhead, Brynn O’Malley, Will Reynolds, Courtney Stokes, Derrick Trumbly, Steven Booth, Josh Breckenridge, Olli Haaskivi, Olivia Oguma, Casey Tuma, and Demi Fragale will be featured in Bernice Bobs Her Hair, based on the classic short story of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The work is written by Julia Jordan and Adam Gwon. Joe Calarco directs and Andy Einhorn is music director.
John Treacy Egan and Ryan Duncan complete the cast of WATT?!?, with book and lyrics by David Javerbaum and music by Brendan Millburn. The show revisits the heroic true story of James Watt, Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of the Interior and his policies, which included opening millions of acres of federal land for exploitation. Steve Cosson will direct the presentation, which also features Liz Callaway, Ken Marks, Trent Armand Kendall, Emily Rossell, and Pearl Sun. Zachary Deitz serves as Music Director.
Megan Lawrence completes the cast of notes to MariAnne, an original pop/rock musical that explores the consequences of leaving someone you love, and features book, music and lyrics by David Rossmer & Dan Lipton. Jeremy Dobrish directs and Chris Fenwick is music director. The cast also features Stephen Bogardus, Santino Fontana, Rachel Stern, Will Erat, Vasthy Mompoint, Haley Bond, Charlie Brady and Ken Triwush.
Shannon Antalon, Kerry Butler, Alex Brightman, Erin Davie, Chris Hoch, Gwen Hollander, Eliseo Roman, William Ryall, and Kate Shindle will comprise the cast of The Dogs of Pripyat, which has music by Aron Accurso, lyrics by Jill Abramovitz, and a book by Abramovitz and Leah Napolin. The show is based on the true story of the dogs left behind in Pripyat after the Chernobyl meltdown in Russia in 1986. Peter Flynn directs with music direction by Brad Haak.
Joe Iconis’ Bloodsong of Love will be directed by John Simpkins and have music direction by Brian Usifer. It will feature Heath Calvert, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Carrie Cimma, Jeremy Morse, Lance Rubin, and Jason ‘Sweet Tooth’ Williams.
Kate Shindle, Chris Hoch, Rozi Baker, and River Alexander are featured in Dani Girl, about a young girl’s battle with a life-threatening illness. It features music by Michael Kooman and book and lyrics by Christopher Dimond, with direction by Scott Schwartz and music direction by Vadim Feichtner.
Kyle Dean Massey, Anika Larsen, Joanna Glushak, Ken Cavett, Spencer Moses, and Dan Sharkey are featured in Peter Mills and Cara Reichel’s Golden Boy of the Blue Ridge. The show transplants J.M. Synge’s classic Irish comedy The Playboy of the Western World to 1930s Appalachia. It will be directed by Gordon Greenberg, with music direction by Eli Zoller. The show also features musician/actors from the original production – Matthew Dure, Michael Rosengarten, Dennis Michael Keefe, and Melody Berger.
Stephanie Umoh, Phoebe Strole, Emma Hunton, Emily Walton, Robi Hager, Krystina Alabado, and Ally Bonino will be featured in Pregnancy Pact, a pop-rock musical inspired by the 2008 Time magazine article about a group of teens who made a pact to become single mothers together. The show is written by Gordon Leary and Julia Meinwald. Mark Brokaw directs the production, and Rich Silverstein is music director.
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