Heidi Blickenstaff, Zachary Noah Piser and More to Star in THE HEART at La Jolla Playhouse

La Jolla Playhouse has revealed the cast and creative team for its world-premiere musical The Heart, based on "Réparer les Vivants" by Maylis de Kerangal; book and additional lyrics by Kait Kerrigan (Broadway’s The Great Gatsby); music and lyrics by Anne Eisendrath and Ian Eisendrath (Music Supervisor for Come From Away); choreographed by Mandy Moore (La La Land); and directed by Tony Award winner Christopher Ashley, the Rich Family Artistic Director of La Jolla Playhouse (Come From Away); running August 19 – September 21 in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre. 
 
The cast features Heidi Blickenstaff (Playhouse’s Freaky Friday; Broadway’s Something Rotten) as “Claire,” Lincoln Clauss (Playhouse’s Fly) as “Thomas Driscoll,” Bre Jackson as “Cordelia Owl,” Max McKenna as “Juliette,” Kenita Miller as “Marianne Lamar,” Paul Alexander Nolan (Playhouse’s Escape to Margaritaville; Broadway’s Water for Elephants) as “Dr. Breva,” Zachary Noah Piser (Playhouse’s and Broadway’s Redwood) as “Simon Lamar,” Wren Rivera as “Marthe” and Jason Tam as “Sean Lamar,” along with understudies Selena “Lena” Ceja, Cody Ingram, Brandon Keith Rogers and Joy Yandell-Hall.
 
The creative team includes Robert Brill, Scenic Designer; Sarafina Bush, Costume Designer; Amanda Zieve, Lighting Designer; Gareth Owen, Sound Designer; Lucy Mackinnon, Projection Designer; Alberto “Albee” Alvarado, Hair Designer; Ian Eisendrath, Music Supervisor and Arranger; Wendy Cavett, Music Director; Juan Ariza and Elin Sandberg, Orchestrations and Music Production; The TRC Company, Tara Rubin CSA and Hannah Reinert, Casting; Jess Slocum, Stage Manager; and Alexa Burn, Karla Garcia and Amanda Salmons, Assistant Stage Managers.
 
When a young surfer’s life is cut short, it means a second chance for a stranger. Over the course of 24 suspenseful hours in San Diego, audiences follow one precious heart on its vital, life-saving journey and meet the people whose lives are impacted along the way. With a gripping book by Kait Kerrigan, and directed by Tony Award winner Christopher Ashley, The Heart is based on the highly lauded novel by Maylis de Kerangal, Réparer les Vivants, featuring a unique, thrilling electronic score by Anne Eisendrath and Ian Eisendrath. This breathtaking new musical is an enlightening, edge-of-your-seat ride.