AFLOAT Musical to Receive Developmental Reading at New Next Now

Casting is set for NEW NEXT NOW series musical AFLOAT, including Gianna Harris (Hells Kitchen, Gigi), Alysia Velez (Into the Woods), Liam Pearce (& Juliet) and more for an invitation-only presentation on June 23rd at Open Jar Studios.

Written by Zoe Sarnak (Galileo), Emily Kaczmarek (Soft Target), AFLOAT's score combines influences across pop, rock, and hip-hop to tell a story set in the year 2100, when climate change has rendered the coastal United States uninhabitable. One day, in what remains of New York City, an unlikely trio of teenagers -- Blue, Nico, and Casey -- steal a boat and embark on a harrowing, seafaring journey exploring the power of friendship, community, and courage to chart a new course for us all.

Under direction of Schele Williams (The Notebook, The Wiz), music direction by Bryan Perri, and casting by The TRC Company: Xavier Rubiano (CSA) the show also features Caitlin Houlihan (Waitress, Not Ready For Primetime), Alyse Alan Louis (Amelie, Disaster!), Noah J. Ricketts (The Great Gatsby, Fellow Travelers), Wren Rivera (Jagged Little Pill), Trevor McGhie (Awake and Sing!), David Rowen (Swept Away), Nicole Kyoung-Mi Lambert (Six), Deandre Sevon (Ragtime, Scottsboro Boys), Max Sheldon (Petri Dish), and Caro Reyes Rivera (Hamlet).

'Our mission is to provide emerging writers and creative teams the support and opportunity to focus on the creative process of new and original work at key stages in their development,' said Jesse Kissel, New Next Now Co-Founder. 'We are thrilled to feature this dynamic and powerful new musical in the pipeline of new original works,' said Jeff Whiting, Co-Founder of the initiative,'and we're so excited to see the project taking its next critical step in the show's development.'

The Advisory Board for New Next Now includes Lynn Ahrens, John Kander, Michael Starobin, Sergio Trujillo, Susan Stroman, Christopher Gattelli, Michael John LaChiusa and more, working to shape the NEW NEXT NOW series to help transform the creative industry. The series is made possible, in part, with support from the Fred Ebb Foundation.

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