Butz, Kennedy and Mann Take Part in 'Honeymoon' Reading

A recent New York reading of Jason Robert Brown's upcoming musical comedy Honeymoon in Vegas featured a starry cast, according to the Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist's newsletter.

Taking part in the reading were Tony Award-winner Norbert Leo Butz (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), Lauren Kennedy (Spamalot) and Terrence Mann (Les Miserables).

"Based on the classic 1982 film comedy, Honeymoon In Vegas tells the story of commitment-phobe Jack Singer, his not-so-patient girlfriend Betsy, and a professional gambler named Tommy Korman who hasn't gotten over his wife's death. It's also the story of a Hawaiian show-tune queen, a Las Vegas icon, a guy named Foccaccia and a team of flying Elvises. Book by Andrew Bergman (who wrote and directed the original film), music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, this is a musical comedy in the Golden Age tradition, with gags, gams and great tunes," states Brown's website.  Although nothing has been announced or confirmed, it is "currently planned for Broadway in autumn 2007."

Brown is the composer and lyricist of the musical, The Last Five Years, which was cited as one of Time Magazine's 10 Best of 2001 and won Drama Desk Awards for Best Music and Best Lyrics.  He won a 1999 Tony Award for his score to Parade, a musical written with Alfred Uhry and directed by Harold Prince, which premiered at Lincoln Center Theatre in December 1998, and subsequently won both the Drama Desk and New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards for Best New Musical.  Parade was also presented on a national tour in 2000, which Jason conducted. He also contributed to the Tony-nominated score of Urban Cowboy.  Brown is the winner of the 2002 Kleban Award for Outstanding Lyrics and the 1996 Gilman and Gonzalez-Falla Foundation Award for Musical Theatre.  Brown's first solo album, "Wearing Someone Else's Clothes," featuring his band The Caucasian Rhythm Kings, is available from Sh-K-Boom Records.  13, a musical comedy written with Dan Elish, recently played the Mark Taper Forum in L.A. and is Broadway-bound.  Parade will soon be presented by London's Donmar Warehouse.

Visit www.jasonrobertbrown.com for more information.