Keegan Theatre Adds National Pastime To 2010-11 Season

The Keegan Theatre announces a new addition to its previously released 2010-2011 season, the company's fourteenth season and second year as full-time residents at Church Street Theater in Dupont Circle.

National Pastime: World Premiere Musical

In April-May 2011, Keegan will present the world premiere of a new musical, National Pastime, written by Tony Sportiello (book) and Al Tapper (music and lyrics). A reading of National Pastime, took place at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in New York in May 2010, and the show is headed to New York in 2012. Keegan's production will be the first full staging of National Pastime, which tells the story of WZBQ, a radio station in 1933 Iowa that is on the verge of bankruptcy. To spark ratings, the station invents a fictional, unbeatable baseball team and begins to broadcast phony baseball games as though real. All works to perfection until the media begins to pay attention.
"I felt an immediate connection to the script when I read it," says Rhea. "I am a baseball fan, and I believe a musical about baseball will be very appealing to audiences in this city. I found the book charming and accessible, almost nostalgic in its structure and approach to the storytelling. I am excited that Keegan has the opportunity to introduce this musical to the world." Mark A. Rhea will direct; Susan Marie Rhea will be Assistant Director. Learn more at www.keegantheatre.com.

Tony Sportiello (Book) is the author of several plays, including LOL, The Bet, Tickets, Please!, The Valley of Fear, The Grandfather Paradox, Second Chance, Love On Trial, Star Power and The Summer of Katya. Tony's plays National Pastime and Contract Time are in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame Library in Cooperstown, NY. Tony is the Artistic Director of Algonquin Theater Productions and the producer of the hit shows Sessions, An Evening at The Carlyle and Shel Silverstein's The Devil and Billy Markham.

Al Tapper (Music and Lyrics) wrote the book, music and lyrics for the Off-Broadway show Sessions, which ran for fourteen months in New York and is currently playing in Guadalajara, Mexico. Sessions is the first Off-Broadway show ever to play in Guadalajara, a city of five million people. He is also the creator of the Off-Broadway shows An Evening at The Carlyle and Imperfect Chemistry. His plays include Bettinger's Luggage and Conversations with Max.

2010-2011 SEASON

*2010 Ireland Tour Production*
FOOL FOR LOVE
by Sam Shepard
October-November 2010

GOLDEN BOY
by Clifford Odets
November-December 2010

*World Premiere*
A SHADOW OF HONOR
by Peter Coy
January 2011

THE WEIR
by Conor McPherson
February-March 2011

*World Premiere*
BASRA BOY
by RoseMary Jenkinson
February-March 2011

*World Premiere Musical*
NATIONAL PASTIME
by Tony Sportiello & Al Tapper
April-May 2011

25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
by Rachel Sheinkin & William Finn
June-July 2011

STEEL MAGNOLIAS
by Robert Harling
July-August 2011

 

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