Theatre Now To Present Staged Readings Of New Musicals DERAILED! And THE SUSTAIN

This month, Theatre Now is producing staged readings of Derailed! and The Sustain, new musicals developed in their Musical Writers Lab. Derailed!, with book & lyrics by A.J. Freeman and book & music by Jon Hugo Ungar, is scheduled for March 21st at 6:30pm. The Sustain, with book & lyrics by Alice Jankell and Pamela Weiler Grayson and music  by Aaron Drescher, will play March 28th at 6:30pm. They are presented in repertory with Theatre Now's full developmental production of Powerline Road at the Jeffrey & Paula Gural Theatre at the A.R.T./New York Theatres. For more information, email info@tnny.org.

"We've watched Derailed! and The Sustain grow into exciting, tuneful, engaging new shows as part of our Musical Writers Lab. They are a great representation of the breadth and variety of today's musical theatre, and we're thrilled to help them reach the next stage of their development," says Theatre Now Managing Director Colleen Harris.

Derailed!, a fast-paced farce set on the final ride of a once glorious train, will feature cast members Scott Ahearn, Sam Balzac, Laura Cetti, Alexandra Foucard (Les Miserables), Mick Rafalski, Meaghan Sands, and Herman Sebek (Miss Saigon, Cats). The reading is directed by Banji Aborisade (Beetlejuice).

The Sustain is set in an assisted living facility where the residents find new life, new love, and new perspectives. The cast includes Judy Allen, Nili Bassman (Curtains, Chicago), Ted Gibson, Eric Michael Gillett (Kiss Me, Kate, Sweet Smell of Success), Leah Hocking (Billy Elliot, All Shook Up), Rebecca Hoodwin (The Pajama Game), Gayle Samuels (Ohio State Murders, Children of a Lesser God, Dancin'), and Robert Vincent Smith (The Fantasticks). Kimille Howard (Ain't Too Proud) directs, with musical direction by Dave Klodowski.

Both readings will take place at the Jeffrey and Paula Gural Theatre at the A.R.T./New York Theatres (502 West 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019).

Derailed! and The Sustain were developed in part with Theatre Now's Musical Writers Lab, which consists of 20 writing teams across the nation. The Writers Lab meets bi-monthly to present new work at various stages and levels of development. The Lab offers its members a variety of developmental opportunities including readings, developmental workshop productions, and licensing of new shows.

Theatre Now is an artist service organization dedicated to the development, production, publication, and circulation of short and long- form musicals, by providing ongoing support for writers and their work in order to nurture voices and forms that push the boundaries of musical theatre. Theatre Now bridges the gap between early readings and fully produced theatrical runs by offering staged and performed developmental productions to pieces that are ready to live on their feet. They strive for continuity and growth in their production process by collaborating with artists on story development through song and dialogue and focusing on their prospective audience. For more information, visit tnny.org.

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