'Sammy & Me' to have industry reading 5/2

Producers Adam Zotovich (Legally Blonde, The Color Purple) and New Vintage Theatricals Ltd. are pleased to announce plans for two industry readings of the Broadway-aimed musical SAMMY & ME on Friday, May 2, 2008 in midtown Manhattan.

Co-written and performed by Eric Jordan Young (Chicago, Ragtime, Dessa Rose), SAMMY & ME is a one-man musical that features 17 songs from the Rat Pack era, 32 characters and a complex exploration of racial responsibility in America.

The story follows Sammy Davis Jr. from his vaudeville childhood to his headlining days on the Las Vegas strip, which he ultimately helped to desegregate. But in the end, SAMMY & ME is also Young's story as he unravels the complexities of being a black American caught between acknowledging racial identity and seeking to transcend race as a performer.

SAMMY & ME is co-written and directed by Wendy Dann, the Associate Artistic Director of the Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, New York. The industry readings on Friday, May 2 will feature choreography by Gerry McIntyre and musical direction by Tommy James.

SAMMY & ME began as a co-production between the Hangar Theatre and Buffalo's MusicalFare Theatre Company. In January 2006, the musical enjoyed a sold-out engagement in Buffalo, and moved to the Hangar Theatre in June 2006 for another critically acclaimed, sold-out engagement. SAMMY & ME was then invited to perform as part of the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, NC in August 2007, where it once again performed to sold-out houses.

Eric Jordan Young has appeared on Broadway in Chicago, Ragtime, Seussical the Musical and The Look of Love. His Off-Broadway, regional and touring credits include his Helen Hayes Award-winning performance as Jake in Sideshow (Signature Theatre, D.C.), the World Premiere of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty's musical Dessa Rose (Lincoln Center), the world premiere of Michael John LaChuisa's Little Fish (Second Stage Theatre Co.), Ain't Misbehavin' directed and choreographed by Gerry McIntyre (Actors Theatre of Louisville), Smokey Joe's Cafe (Sacramento Music Circus) and many others.

For his performance in SAMMY & ME, Young is the recipient of the 2006 Buffalo ARTVOICE Theatre Award for Outstanding Visiting Artist.

For more information on "SAMMY & ME" and the upcoming industry readings, please email info@newvintagetheatricals.com.