Tony Yazbeck Will Direct Reading of STAGE FRIGHT Starring Debra Messing, Betsy Wolfe, and More!

 Tony Yazbeck (Tony Nominee for On the Town) will direct the industry presentation of Stage Fright, a new comedy by Jed Seidel (“Ghost Whisperer,” “Veronica Mars”), on October 6, 2023.

Stage Fright follows a television actress whose debut in a Broadway thriller is jeopardized by her debilitating stage fright. But the backstage antics of the cast and crew take center stage after a shocking murder leaves the whole company on edge.

The cast will feature Debra Messing (Broadway:  Birthday Candles TV: “Will & Grace”), Betsy Wolfe (Broadway:  & Juliet, Falsettos), David Pittu (Broadway:  The Front Page), Jayne Houdyshell (Broadway:  The Musical Man. TV: “Only Murders in the Building”), Gloria Reuben (TV: “ER”), Jay Armstrong Johnson (Broadway: Parade), Lauren Patten (Broadway: Jagged Little Pill), Alex Boniello (Broadway:  Dear Evan Hansen),  Joel Perez (Broadway: Fun Home), Alexandra Silber (Broadway: Fiddler on the Roof). Casting by Geoff Josselson.  Foresight Theatrical serves as General Manager.  

Biographies

JED SEIDEL (Playwright) is a veteran television writer/producer whose many credits include “Ghost Whisperer,” “Veronica Mars,” “Gilmore Girls,” and “Nash Bridges.” Stage Fright is his second play. He is a native New Yorker who resides in Los Angeles.

Tony Yazbeck  (Director) is a Tony Award-nominated actor and director who has directed many collaborative theatrical concerts for the YoungArts Foundation, most recently at The Kennedy Center.  He will be directing Stephen Schwartz’s  Children of Eden at David Geffen Hall (Lincoln Center) on February 18, 2024.  He has been an associate of Bill T. Jones, Tina Landau, and has collaborated with many other award-winning directors.  As an actor, he most recently starred as Cary Grant in the new musical  Flying Over Sunset on Broadway at Lincoln Center Theatre.  He began his career at the age of 11 on Broadway in Gypsy with Tyne Daly.  For the 2014 Broadway revival of  On the Town, he won the Astaire Award. He was nominated for the Tony, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle awards for his virtuosic performance. He also starred in the Susan Stroman/Harold Prince–helmed Japan and Broadway productions of  Prince of Broadway, for which he received the Chita Rivera Award as well as Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations. 

His other Broadway credits include  Finding Neverland (J.M. Barrie),  Chicago  (Billy Flynn), Irving Berlin’s  White Christmas  (Phil Davis),  Gypsy with  Patti LuPone (Tulsa; Outer Critics Circle nomination),  A Chorus   Line  (Al),  Oklahoma!, and  Never Gonna Dance. Off-Broadway credits include  A Chorus Line  (City Center),  The Cradle Will Rock  (Classic Stage),  The Beast in the Jungle  (Vineyard Theatre),  The Scarlet Pimpernel and   Crazy For You  (both at David Geffen Hall),  Fanny Hill  (York Theatre), and for New York City Center Encores! he has appeared in  Little Me,  On the Town,  Gypsy,  The Apple   Tree,  A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and  Pardon My English. 

His television and film credits include “The Good Fight,” “Billions,” “Smash,” and the feature documentary  Every Little Step. In concert, he has appeared with the San Francisco Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas; Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops under the baton of Steven Reineke; with National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap with Michael Barrett; he was featured on the PBS Great Performances special  The Bernstein Centennial Celebration at Tanglewood with the Boston Symphony Orchestra; and he was most recently featured on PBS with  The Kennedy Center at 50.  Mr. Yazbeck starred internationally in  Kiss Me, Kate at the Royal Albert Hall in London under the baton of John Wilson. Mr. Yazbeck also stars in his own solo show. He recently premiered his solo concert at Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series. His debut album,  The Floor Above Me, has been released digitally and on CD by PS Classics. 

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