Julia Murney Stars in Staged Reading of Keenan and Ross' THE TIMES, 1/15-1/17

Broadway vet Julia Murney is set to star in the staged reading of Joe Keenan and Brad Ross' THE TIMES. The reading will be produced by the York Theatre Company and will take place at the Theatre at St. Peter's. The reading will be directed by Philip William McKinley.

THE TIMES is a bittersweet comedy, charitng the course of a marriage through the good times, bad times and The New York Times. Liz, an actress, and Ted, a writer, begin their New York love story in 1973 and see their relationship evolve over the course of 17 years through the eyes of their friends and the rest of the world -- with the help of a familiar newspaper that brings the stories of their lives together.

Julia Murney last appeared on Broadway as Elphaba in Wicked after playing the role on the national tour for which she received an Acclaim Award. Other New York credits include Lennon, Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party (Drama Desk nomination), The Vagina Monologues, A Class Act, Saved, Crimes of the Heart, First Lady Suite, and Time and Again (Lucille Lortel nomination). Among her television credits are 30 Rock, Sex and the City, Ed, NYPD Blue, all three Law and Orders and "about a gazillion voiceovers." A Syracuse University graduate, her recordings include the original cast albums of The Wild Party and A Class Act, the Grammy nominated Actor's Fund Benefit of Hair and her first solo album, I'm Not Waiting which is available on Sh-K-Boom records.

For more information, visit www.juliamurney.com.

The reading will take place January 15th and 16th at 8:00pm, January 16th and 17th at 2:30pm, and January 17th at 7:30pm. Tickets for the reading range in price from $20 to $37.50 and are available online at www.vendini.com.

The York Theatre Company was nominated for five 2009 Drama Desk Awards, four Lucille Lortel Awards, two Outer Critics Circle Awards and two Drama League Awards for its productions of Enter Laughing, The Musical and My Vaudeville Man! last season. York Theatre Company is one of the only companies in the city committed to developing and producing new Musical Theatre Works and rediscovering musical gems from the past. Winner of a special Drama Desk Award for developing and producing new musical theatre, York's intimate, imaginative style of producing both original and classic musicals has resulted in critical acclaim and recognition from artists and audiences alike for almost four decades. Under the guidance of Artistic Director James Morgan since 1997, the York has focused exclusively on new musicals in its Mainstage Series-most of them world, American or New York premieres-by some of the field's most esteemed creators and has also helped launch the careers of many talented new writers.

Each year, York's Developmental Reading Series presents between 30 to 40 readings and workshops of new musicals by emerging and established authors, all free of charge and open to the public. Reading Series Coordinator Jeff Landsman says, "These readings give writers a unique opportunity to get audience feedback while a show is still in progress and gives audiences an active role in the creative process." York's productions of Souvenir and The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) were first developed in the Developmental Reading Series, where the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit Avenue Q also made early appearances. The Developmental Reading Series is made possible in part by The Dorothy Strelsin Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts and NYC Department of Cultural Affairs.

For more information, visit www.yorktheatre.org or call 212-935-5824 x24.