Tracee Chimo, Jenn Colella, Michael Esper, Jay O. Sanders, et al. Set for Upcoming Powerhouse Theater Offerings

New York Stage and film has announced complete casting for Piece of My Heart, to run July 29-31 at Powerhouse Theatre. Leigh Silverman will direct the performances, which will feature choreography by Denis Jones and musical direction by Dave Keyes.

The show, which revisits the life of Bert Berns, who wrote such songs as “Twist and Shout,” “Hang On Sloopy,” “Cry To Me,” and “Cry Baby,” as well as the tune that gives the piece its title, uses Berns’ songs and has a book by Daniel Goldfarb, Berns and Cassandra Berns.

The company will feature, as previously announced, de’Adre Aziza as Candy, Linda Hart as Mom and Jarrod Spector as Bert, along with Kelli Barrett as Sloopy, Jenn Colella as Jessie, Ned Eisenberg as Wazzel, Corey Antonio Hawkins as Hoagy, Manuel Herrera as Carlos, and Dominic Nolfi as Young Wazzel, as well as Glenn Fleshler, Rachel Stern, Teresa Gattison, Pilar Millhollen, Michael Millan, and Christian Carter.

In related news, casting has also been announced for the pieces that will be presented as part of Readings Festival 2, also running July 29-31.

The reading of John Patrick Shanley’s Sleeping Demon to be offered on July 29 at 8pm will feature Bob Dishy, Zach Grenier, Ron Cephas Jones, Jessejames Locorriere, LaTanya Richardson, and Jay O. Sanders.

Cameron Folmar, Annie Golden, Melissa Hammans, Ann Harada, Jillian Louis, Susan J Jacks, Andy Kelso, Olivia Mell, Javier Munox, and James Van Treuren will all appear in a concert reading of Marry Harry, which has a book by Jennifer Robbins and music and lyrics by Michael Biello and Dan Martin. Kent Nicholson will direct the performance on July 30 at 2pm, which will have musical direction by Jeff Caldwell.

Ed Hime’s The Public, which will be presented on July 30 at 5pm and be directed by Jim Simpson, will feature Tracee Chimo, Michael Esper, Morgan Lynch, Annie McNamara, Joseph Parks, and Morgan Spector.

Giovannia Sardelli will direct a reading of Mona Mansour’s The House of Feeling, to be offered on July 31 at 2pm. The company will include Janis Dardaris, Jessica Dickey, Ryan King, Ryan McCarthy, Omar Metwally, and Rasha Zamamiri.

The final reading in the series will be Frank Pugliese’s Matty’s Place, to be performed on July 31 at 5pm. Directed Lisa Peterson, the company will include Patrick Breen, Louis Cancelmi, David Eigenberg, Dominic Fumusa, and Saverio Guerra.

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