THE DISAPPEARING MAN: A New Folk Opera Gets Reading at Shetler Studios Today

The Bright Lights and Burning Nights Old Time Circus & Traveling Roadshow presents a developmental reading of THE DISAPPEARING MAN: A New Folk Opera by Jahn Sood, today, March 3rd at 3pm.

THE DISAPPEARING MAN tells the story of magician Jim Plaster, the headliner in a 1936 second-rate circus troupe. When Plaster is offered a job in a St. Louis theater the troupe's revolver-toting ringmaster is faced with losing his star act. Meanwhile the magician's lovely assistant has secrets of her own that threaten to undo this motley circus family. Will our hero get his big chance, or will messy love and a sinister foe stop the Disappearing Man from disappearing?

Jahn Sood was a founding member of Ezra Furman & the Harpoons (Minty Fresh Records). THE DISAPPEARING MAN originated as a collection of folk songs written while on tour with the band. Jahn's musicals and theater songs have been performed all over the East Coast, including the 45th St Theater, The Metropolitan Room, Barrington Stage Company (MA) and Two River Theater Company (NJ).

THE DISAPPEARING MAN received a workshop with director Brendan Shea and a cast from the American Repertory Theater's Institute for Advanced Theater Training in 2009, as well as a reading with the Process Group's Required Reading Series at the Barrow Street Theater in New York, and a festival excerpt production at the Factory Theater in Boston as part of the FeverFest09. This upcoming presentation is being developed in collaboration with director Shakina Nayfack (JUNK: A Rock Opera) and will feature significant revisions, including a new book and several new songs by Mr. Sood, as well as new orchestrations by music director Brian Cavanaugh-Strong (Objects of Affection).

The cast includes David Lutken (Woody Sez, Southern Comfort) as The Disappearing Man, D.C. Anderson (Queen of the Mist, Ballad of Little Jo) as The Ringmaster, Margo Seibert (Pregnancy Pact, In This House) as The Magician's Lovely Assistant, Luke Wygodny (Rent ATC, The Last Goodbye workshop production) as Jumpin' Jack the Acrobat, Lorinda Lisitza (Triumphant Baby!) as Daphne the Lion Tamer, Jeremy Morse and Jason "SweetTooth" Williams (Bloodsong of Love, The Trouble with Doug) as Harvey and Lloyd the Clowns, with Jeremy Yaddaw (35mm, Pregnancy Pact) and Lizzie Hagstedt (Southern Comfort) in the band.

The reading will take place today, March 3rd at 3pm at Shetler Studios, Penthouse 1. To request tickets, RSVP to DaphneTheLionTamer@gmail.com.