Carolan, Huffman Lead Irish Rep Reading Of BERNICE BOBS HER HAIR 5/21

The Irish Repertory Theatre continues its New Works Reading Series with a free reading of BERNICE BOBS HER HAIR, a new musical featuring music by Adam Gwon and book and lyrics by Julia Jordan on Friday, May 21 at 2:00pm at the Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street) in Manhattan. Joe Calarco to direct.

The cast of BERNICE BOBS HER HAIR includes Kevin Carolan (THE RITZ, CHICAGO), Cady Huffman (THE PRODUCERS, SURFACE TO AIR), Erin Mackey (SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM, WICKED), A.J. Shively (LA CAGE AUX FOLLES) and Phoebe Strole (THE METAL CHILDREN, SPRING AWAKENING), with an ensemble of Carey Anderson, Lindsay Nicole Chambers, Demi Fragale, Olli Haaskivi, Morgan Karr, Zachary Prince, Casey Tuma, and Blake Whyte. Zak Sandler (Signature Theatre's SWEENEY TODD) is Musical Director.

BERNICE BOBS HER HAIR is a musical adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's early short story of the same title, and is also based on letters he wrote to his sister. It is set in Fitzgerald's hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota and concerns "the drama, the semi-cruel world of adolescence." Back in that time, a girl's hair was worn down until adolescence, at which point her hair was put up -- only to be released again in front of a man on her wedding night. In the story, Bernice is the awkward country cousin who has come to the big city to visit her audacious and popular cousin Marjorie. She doesn't fit in and she makes every social mistake. Marjorie, frustrated by this human
millstone around her social neck, decides to make Bernice over, personality and all. What she doesn't count on is her overwhelming success.

Composer Adam Gwon was named one of "50 to Watch" by The Dramatist magazine, and won the Fred Ebb Award for excellence in musical theater songwriting. His musical ORDINARY DAYS made its NYC premiere this season with a sold-out run at the Roundabout Theatre Company. Other projects include the upcoming THE BOY DETECTIVE FAILS (book by Joe Meno). His work has been seen at Roundabout, Primary Stages, York Theatre, South Coast Repertory, Signature Theatre (Arlington), the Kennedy Center, Ars Nova, New Dramatists, NAMT, NYMF, SPF/Public Theater, Adirondack Theatre Festival, Pennsylvania Centre Stage, Finborough Theatre (London), the ASCAP/Disney workshop, and many others. His other honors include the ASCAP Harold Adamson award, the MAC John Wallowitch award and a MAC Award nomination for best song, as well as commissions from South Coast Rep, Signature Theatre (Arlington), Broadway Across America, and the EST/Sloan Project. Adam has been a fellow at the MacDowell Colony and the Dramatists Guild, an artist-in-residence at Weston Playhouse, and is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Visit www.adamgwon.com.

Playwright and lyricist Julia Jordan's plays include SMOKING LESSON, TATJANA IN COLOR, ST. SCARLET, BOY, DARK YELLOW, and JONES. Musicals include SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL and THE MICE, which was part of Harold Prince's 3HREE, both composed by Larry O'Keefe, lyrics Nell Benjamin;
Guitar, composed by Duncan Sheik; the upcoming MURDER BALLAD composed by Juliana Nash, co-lyrics with Nash; and the upcoming STORYVILLE, lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and composed by Lisa DeSpain. A film version of her play DARK YELLOW is currently in development under the
title "Tell Me Something I Don't Know" with Glen Luchford slated to direct. A short film version won Best Short at the Telluride Film Festival. Another short film, "The Hat," that she wrote and directed,
premiered at Sundance and was the most often shown short on Bravo and IFC in 2001. Her work has been produced at theaters around the country including Actors Theater of Louisville, Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater, The American Theater in Chicago, Salt Lake Acting Company, La
Jolla Playhouse, The Prince Theater, The Ahmanson in L.A., Primary Stages, Soho Rep and Studio Dante. She is the recipient of the Kleban Award, Francesca Primus Prize, Lucille Lortel Playwriting Fellowship, Manhattan Theater Club Fellowship, Jonathan Larson Award, Heideman Award and LeComte Nouy Award. Her work has been developed at The O'Neill Theater Center, Ojai Playwrights Conference, South Coast Rep, The Intiman Theater, Manhattan Theater Club and the Sundance
Playwrights Conference. She is Juilliard playwriting fellow, a Manhattan Theater Club Fellow, a member of New Dramatists, a Usual Suspect at New York Theater Workshop and is on the Council of the Dramatists Guild. She currently teaches playwriting at Barnard College, Columbia University.

Director Joe Calarco's credits include: Playwrights Horizons: THE BURNT PART BOYS and CLEA UNDER THE WESTERN SKY; Primary Stages: BOY; Second Stage: IN THE ABSENCE OF SPRING (writer/director); The Transport Group: THE AUDIENCE (contributing book writer) and BURY THE
DEAD; Dream Light Theater Company: FUGITIVE SONGS; The Lucille Lortel: SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL and THE SUMMER OF THE SWANS; and SHAKESPEARE'S R&J (adaptor/director). National tour credits include RING OF FIRE, in addition to many regional theater credits. Awards: The Lucille Lortel Award and 4 Helen Hayes Awards. Upcoming projects include: IN TRANSIT (Primary Stages), THE MEMORY SHOW (Barrington Stage Company), and Walter Cronkite IS DEAD (playwright/director, Signature Theater).

Kara Manning, Literary Manager, hopes that the reading series will "give playwrights, both emerging and more established, the invaluable opportunity to develop their new work in a supportive, safe
environment and will also introduce some Irish playwrights, especially those who might not yet have the New York recognition they merit, to an American audience." The Irish Repertory Theatre's 2007 production of Stuart Carolan's Defender of the Faith was an alumnus of the 2006 New Works Reading Series.

Founded by Producing Director Ciarán O'Reilly and Artistic Director Charlotte Moore, The Irish Repertory Theatre opened its doors in September 1988 with Sean O'Casey's "The Plough and the Stars" and is currently celebrating its 22nd Season. The Irish Rep is presently the only year-round theatre company in New York City devoted to bringing Irish and Irish-American works to the stage. Recognized with the Jujamcyn Theatres Award, a special Drama Desk Award for "Excellence in
Presenting Distinguished Irish Drama," and the Lucille Lortel Award for "Outstanding Body of Work," The Irish Rep has celebrated the very best in Irish theatre for over two decades, from the masters to the new generation of Irish and Irish American writers who are transforming the stage. Nearly 38,000 audience members annually attend productions at their theatre located in the heart of New York's Off-Broadway community. Once here, theatergoers witness The Irish Rep's engaging perspective on the Irish and their unique contributions to the world of drama. The company's current production, Sebastian Barry's WHITE WOMAN STREET, directed by Ms. Moore, runs through June 27; and its annual benefit gala, a rare concert performance of BRIGADOON, will be held Monday, June 14 at Broadway's Shubert Theatre.

As part of its mission statement, The Irish Repertory Theatre "encourages the development of new works focusing on the Irish and Irish-American experience, as well as a range of other cultures."

The reading of BERNICE BOBS HER HAIR on Friday, May 21 at 2:00pm is FREE and open to the public at The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street). Seating is limited. RSVP by calling The Irish Repertory Theatre box office at 212-727-2737. For additional information about
The New Works Reading Series and Irish Repertory, visit www.irishrep.org.

Photo Credit: BWW-Staff