Gambatese and Kready Set to Lead Industry Reading of ONE NIGHT

 

A by-invitation-only industry reading of the new musical comedy One Night will be held on March 2, 3 and 6 at Nola Studios. One Night has book and lyrics by Kleban Award winners Laurence Holzman & Felicia Needleman and a pop jazz score by David Shenton.

Directed by Don Stephenson, the reading will be feature the talents of Jenn Gambatese (School of Rock, Tarzan, All Shook Up), Jeff Kready (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Billy Elliot), Julie Reiber (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Wicked, Newsies) and Bret Carr (Wallenberg, BALLS!).

The composer, David Shenton, serves as music director.

One Night tells the story of Julie & Nathan and Danny & Vivian, two couples who are the best of friends. They are enjoying a weekend away together when it comes out that years earlier Julie and Danny had a one-night stand. This original musical comedy-drama explores whether the marriages and friendships can survive this shocking revelation.

Laurence Holzman and Felicia Needleman's other collaborations include the musical drama Wallenberg (with director Martin Charnin), the holiday musical That Time of the Year (York Theatre Company, original cast recording on JAY Records); The Jerusalem Syndrome (NYMF, winner of the Theater for the American Musical Prize); Suddenly Hope, (Denver Civic Theatre, Stamford Center for the Arts); and a musical version of the 1942 film I Married a Witch, for which they earned ASCAP's Sammy Cahn Award for Outstanding Lyricists.

In addition to One Night, David Shenton composed the ballet, Ascension (commissioned by The Pendulum Aerial Dance Company in Portland) and the score for the Franc Reyes film, Beauty. Other recent works include an oratorio, Hymns of the Urban Prairie, a double jazz violin concerto, and several song cycles. With director Martin Charnin, David has co-created more than a dozen reviews, which have been performed by such Broadway stars Shelly Burch, John Treacy Egan and Alton Fitzgerald White. A pianist, he is one third of the popular musical group O Sole Trio, which tours extensively in the US, Canada and Europe.

Don Stephenson developed and directed a highly acclaimed scaled-down eversion of the musical Titanic (The Hangar Theatre, Westchester Broadway Theatre), as well as the 2014 staged concert of that show at Lincoln Center. Other recent productions include Guys and Dolls and The Roar of the Greasepaint... (Goodspeed Musicals), and Lend Me a Tenor and A Comedy of Tenors (Paper Mill Playhouse). As a performer, Don's Broadway credits include Titanic, Parade, By Jeeves, Dracula, The Producers (as Leo Bloom), Private Lives, Rock of Ages, and A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder.

For more information see www.onenightmusical.com or contact Brierpatch Productions at 646-688-5715.

Bret Carr, Julie Reiber, Jeff Kready & Jenn Gambatese in rehearsal

(Photo credit: L. Holzman)

 

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