York Theatre announces reading series

6/2/2015 1:58pm


The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Dir; Andrew Levine, Executive Dir), and its Developmental Reading Series will present four new works during the month of June at The York at Saint Peter’s (619 Lexington Ave). First up will be Orville and Wilbur Did It! (Tues June 1 at 3:00 PM), a new play with music, is written by David Zellnik (Yank!) with songs by Mr. Zellnik and Eric Svejcar (Caligula).  Can an acting troupe touring with a children's musical about the Wright Brothers (including a magic singing bird) survive the actors' inappropriate hook-ups, self-medication, rampant drug use, credit card scams, and pipe dreams of bringing the show to New York City? Directed by John Michael DiResta, the cast features Will Brill, Matt Doyle, Daniel Everidge, Colby Minifie, Matthew Saldivar, Stacey Sargeant & Bobby Steggert.  The Stage Manager is William V. Carlton with casting by Will DeCamp. Next will be Juliet and Juliet (Tues June 9 at 2:00 PM), based on a concept by Natalie Tenenbaum and Sean Patterson, with book and lyrics by Mr. Patterson and music by Ms. Tenenbaum, is the story of 17-year old Tommie Morgan, who has her heart set on a big fat lead role in the school production of Romeo and Juliet. Her hopes are dashed, though, when Homecoming Queen Caroline Pelletti is pre-cast as Juliet, as a result of nasty PTA politics. So Tommie settles for the next best thing: she disguises herself as a boy and auditions for Romeo instead. Directed by Ilana Ransom Toeplitz with musical direction by Ms. Tenenbaum, the cast will feature Aisha de Haas, John Arthur Greene, Elana Justin, Brennyn Lark, Charlie Pollock, Daniel Quadrino & Remy Zaken. Juliet and Juliet is produced in conjunction with Three Ways A MongIII LLC.  The Production Stage Manager is Shelley Miles. Next up is Elsie Janis and the Boys, a salute to the ‘female Bob Hope of World War 1 (June 11 3:00 PM) , is a new musical with Book & Lyrics by Carol Crittenden, Music by John T Prestianni with historical consultant Major (Ret.) Stephen C McGeorge.  Decades before the U.S.O. existed, Broadway and West End star Elsie Janis felt a calling to give comfort, cheer and entertain the Boys—the young fighting men of the First World War.  In the final six months of the war, Elsie, armed only with her mother and a piano player, took her show to France, to the front, to field hospitals, to training camps, and to the very edges of combat, becoming the “Female Bob Hope” of WWI.  Utilizing first person narrative and historical facts drawn from Ms. Janis’s memoir, The Big Show, the authors weave a mix of original music crafted expressly for the musical and memorable favorites from the era.  Directed by Alan Fox, the cast will feature Jillian Louis as Elsie Janis, with Jonathan Brody, Sarah Cassell, Georga L Osborne, Michael Scott, Evan Shyer, Lindsay Sutton, Keith Varney & Jason Whitfield. Last up is Grounded for Life: The Musical (Fri June 26 3:00 PM), with Book by Pat HazellBill Habeeb, Lyrics by Lawrence Goldberg and Mr. Hazell, and Music by Mr. Goldberg, is a “staying-of-age” comedy about Mitchell Mulligan, a thirty-something guy serving a life sentence in his childhood bedroom for throwing a snowball at a school bus when he was twelve. Twenty years later, in a literal case of arrested development, he is still doing his time. Secret visits from his best friends via a toy box tunnel have been keeping him going. But that is all about to come to an end.   Mitch will have to face his own worst enemy: Himself.  Directed by Patrick O’Neill and with music direction by Matt Perri, the cast will feature Cameron Adams, Michael Keyloun, Garth Kravits, Liz Larsen, Maxine Linehan & Aaron Ramey.  The Stage Manager is Melanie J. Lisby. Reservations can be made by visiting the website at www.yorktheatre.org. Press contact: O&M CO (212/695-7400)...