Gina Naomi Baez’s ABRIL to Have Industry Presentation in July

Gina Naomi Baez’s musical Abril will get an invite-only industry presentation on Friday, July 18th in Manhattan.  The reading will be directed by Jonathan Cerullo. 

Abril follows a resilient Latinx woman as she reflects on her teenage years after surviving childhood cancer. Hoping for a fresh start, young Abril (who goes by April) returns to high school only to face new battles, bullying, bureaucratic red tape, and a bond with a beloved drama teacher hiding a painful secret. Told through memory, music, and raw emotion, Abril is a coming-of-age story about identity, survivorship, and the strength it takes to rise. In a world that’s trying to keep her down, will she rise above it all or be swallowed by the chaos?

The presentation cast will include Gina Naomi Baez (Only Murders in the Building, Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have it), Rodd Cyrus (Lincoln Center's Ragtime, Encores! NY City Center The Light in the Piazza), Donna English (Nice Work if You Can Get It, Lend Me A Tenor), Jaedynn Latter (Idaho Shakespeare Festival), Francisca Muñoz (The Gardens of Anuncia), Angel Reda (Schmigadoon!, Chicago, Wicked), Eliseo Román (In The Heights, On Your Feet), Analise Scarpaci (Matilda, Mrs. Doubtfire, Empire Records) with Howard Albert, Lauren Gobes (Drat! The Cat!), Kiana Kabeary (Empire: the musical), Julia Macchio (Cobra Kai, City on a Hill), Mikey Marmann (Pretty Woman) and Belle the Dog (Saturday Night Live, @TinkerbelleTheDog).

The reading will feature music direction, orchestration, and arrangements by Benjamin Doyle, Jacob Carll (Assistant MD/Pianist), Julia Macchio (Movement Director/Choreographer), Emily Maltby (Dramaturg), with Kyle Conn (Stage Manager), Stephanie Rhodes (Assistant Stage Manager), Sam Carrell (General Manager) and Mark Falconer (Production Assistant), Scarlett Thompson (Sensitivity Specialist). This private industry presentation is produced by Three of Us Studios. Abril was developed at Royal Family Theatrical Productions.