Derek Klena, Liz Callaway & More to Lead Industry Reading of New Musical THE DANCE

Northwest Inkwell has announced the reading of a new WWII musical, The Dance. This production was conceived and written by James Langston Drake and will be held in New York City this August with music written by a yet to be announce double Grammy Award winner.

James Langston Drake has written and conceived this musical in an effort to honor a generation of heroes who have lived for years in silence about the struggles they faced in the 1940s. This amazing generation moved forward after the hardships of a world war and never looked back. Drake's hope is " ..to honor these veterans, factory workers, farmers and families with a musical that follows the struggles of 4-friends in the events that unfolded after Pearl Harbor".

This industry reading is full of a stellar cast of Broadway veterans headlined by the Tony nominated Liz Callaway (Merrily We Roll Along, Baby, Miss Saigon, Cats), Derek Klena (The Bridges of Madison County, Wicked) and Marissa McGowan (A Little Night Music, Les Miserables, Bonnie and Clyde). The Dance also features actors Jim Newman (Hands on a Hardbody, Curtains, Minnelli on Minnelli, Steel Pier, Sunset Boulevard), Brian Charles Johnson (Spring Awakening, American Idiot) and Caitlin Kinnunen (The Bridges of Madison County, Spring Awakening). Bryan Hunt, Trent Mills, Marissa Neitling (TNT's The Last Ship), Kelly Sheehan (White Christmas, 42nd Street) and Kent Zimmerman (Annie Get Your Gun) round out this outstanding ensemble. The New York reading will be directed by Robert Hunt (Les Miserables) with music direction by Brad Simmons (Lysistrata Jones).

For more information about The Dance, please go to www.thedancethemusical.com or email your contact information to info@thedancethemusical.com.