Jared Mezzocchi to Direct RAIN AND ZOE SAVE THE WORLD Developmental Workshop And Presentation

Rain and Zoe Save the World, written by Crystal Skillman with original music by Bobby Cronin, has attached Jared Mezzocchi as director, who will lead a developmental workshop at the University of Maryland beginning March 16, culminating in an industry presentation on March 26. https://www.rainandzoe.com Instagram: https://cloud.broadwayworld.com/rec/ticketclick.cfm?fromlink=2230801®id=14&articlelink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Frainandzoesavetheworld%2F?utm_source=BWW2022&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=article&utm_content=bottombuybutton1

"We are delighted to bring Jared aboard the creative team of this important and fun show," said Drew Desky and Dane Levens of Drew & Dane Productions. "His vision and sense of collaboration have made the continued evolution of Rain and Zoe Save the World a joy, and we can't wait to continue working with this exciting team so that audiences across the country can embrace this story."

"I couldn't be more thrilled to join such a generous, brilliant and innovative group of thinkers and doers," said Mezzocchi. "The world this group has generated and continues to imagine is jam packed with so much dream and wonder, and I am giddy to get to the work of realizing this incredible journey."

In this impactful story about climate change activism, two teens from Washington State embark on an impulsive motorcycle journey to join a group of protesters on the East Coast. As they follow a route along a major pipeline across the country, what begins as two young activists' longing to belong to something greater than themselves gives way to Rain and Zoe discovering that the true danger in this world might just be growing up as they learn what it truly takes to change the world.

Rain and Zoe Save the World is the winner of the 2018 Earth Matters On Stage Prize. The play was developed at New Harmony Project and at the Blank Theatre (Los Angeles). It was presented at MTC Studios and the 2020 Brave New Works (Brave New World Rep) before receiving its world premiere at the Jermyn Street Theatre in London in February 2022.

Evan Bernardin Productions is acting as General Manager.

Crystal Skillman

is an award-winning playwright, fictional podcast writer, and comic book author. She is author of the acclaimed NY Times' Critics Pick play Open, awarded a grant from Mid Atlantic Arts for the play's first international tour in Italy last fall (OnStage! festival), as well as the book writer of the musical Mary and Max (composer Bobby Cronin). Her new play commission, The Rocket Men, will be performed at Alabama Center for the Arts this April. Upcoming works include her award-winning fictional podcast The Magician's Magician in partnership with audio production company Boom Integrated, a wing of GRAMMY-winning John Marshall Media. Noted on several best-of lists, her four-part audio drama series King Kirby, scored by Cronin and penned with co-writer NY Times bestselling comics writer Fred Van Lente based on their acclaimed play, is available from Broadway Podcast Network. King Kirby opens in Kansas City this spring and will have a new Off-Broadway production in 2024. She and Van Lente also wrote the colorful WebToon series Eat Fighter. She has written for Stories Podcast with Wondery Kids, Girl Tales, Adventure Time comics, Marvel, and WebToon Studios. First discovered out of her internship at Ensemble Studio Theater, she became a formative member of Youngblood and had her work developed at WP, Soho Rep, Atlantic, The Civilians, and MCC, among others. She is the recipient of two EST/Sloan commissions and was recently selected as this year's guest artist for the David Clewell Visiting Writers Series at Webster University. She teaches playwriting at The School of Drama at the New School.

https://www.crystalskillman.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/crystalskillman/

Bobby Cronin

is a multi-disciplinary, multi-award winning composer, lyricist, bookwriter, music producer, arranger, director, and educator. His theatre works include: composer/writer of Mary and Max with bookwriter Crystal Skillman "And it may open a new musical era. Because what is offered here for eyes, ears and heart is indeed a musical, but so atypically different, refreshingly modern - simply authentic." - AU Kurier (World Premiere Theatre Calgary 2018 [BroadwayWorld Award winner], European Premiere at Austria's Theatre Linz 2019 [BroadwayWorld Award winner] currently under a Broadway option; Winner of 2018 MUT Critics Award, Pace New Musicals 2018, SigWorks Finalist 2018); composer/lyricist for 'Til Death Do Us Part (World Premiere 2020 - Covid Canceled, 2018-2020 SDSU New Works Award; 2017 SigWorks Finalist; 2016 Overtures Series) with bookwriter Caroline Prugh; Words & music for Concrete Jungle, currently under a Broadway option, set to play London's Leicester Square Theatre summer 2020 (Covid Canceled) ; Words & music for Welcome to My Life (W2ML) a multi-media concert/theatre hybrid rock piece; music for Till Soon, Anne with Christine Toy Johnson (O'Neill Writing Residency); Daybreak (winner of the New Jersey Playwrights Contest) premiered in Wayne, NJ & London's Tristan Bates Theatre. His TYA commission PSYKIDZ was produced in concert by A Class Act NY and turned into a virtual digital film during Covid. He has composed numerous award-winning scores and songs for musical short films, which have headlined festivals all over the world, and scored the hit audio drama King Kirby on Broadway Podcast Network, now licensed by Uproar Theatrics. Member of ASCAP, Dramatists Guild.

www.bobbycronin.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/croninbobby/

Jared Mezzocchi

is a two-time OBIE Award-winning theatre artist, working as a director, multimedia designer, playwright, and actor. His work has appeared at notable theatres nationwide, including The Kennedy Center, Geffen Playhouse, Arena Stage, Woolly Mammoth (company member), Manhattan Theater Club, Vineyard Theater, En Garde Arts, HERE Arts, Portland Centerstage, Cleveland Playhouse, South Coast Rep, GEVA Theatre, and many more. In 2016, he received his first OBIE, Lucille Lortel and Henry Hewes Award for his work in Qui Nguyen's Vietgone at Manhattan Theatre Club. In 2020, the New York Times spotlighted his multimedia innovations alongside the pandemic work of four other theatre artists, including Andrew Lloyd Webber and Paula Vogel. His directorial work on Sarah Gancher's live-digital production Russian Troll Farm was also celebrated as a New York Times critic pick and praised for being one of the first digitally native successes for virtual theatre. In 2023, this digital production of Russian Troll Farm won him his second OBIE as director and multimedia designer. He is a two-time Macdowell Artist Fellow, a 2012 Princess Grace Award winner, and is an Associate Professor at The University of Maryland, where he created the curriculum for the multimedia track within the MFA Design program. He grew up in New Hampshire and returns every summer to serve as Producing Artistic Director of Andy's Summer Playhouse, an innovative children's theatre producing original work by professional artists from across the country.

https://www.jaredmezzocchi.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaredmezzocchi/

Drew & Dane Productions

is Drew Desky and Dane Levens, who are award-winning producers for theatre and web series. They are producing the upcoming Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors and have produced the award-winning revival of Little Shop of Horrors (Drama Desk Award, Drama League Award and Outer Critics Circle Honor for Outstanding Revival of a Musical), Pageant (Drama Desk nomination), Application Pending (Drama Desk nomination), Who's Holiday! (Lortel nomination), The Other Josh Cohen (Off Broadway Alliance nomination), Unexpected Joy, Bright Colors and Bold Patterns, and R.R.R.E.D. They are currently supporting the upcoming Merrily We Roll Along, Hadestown (including North American Tour), Dear Evan Hansen (North American Tour), Come From Away (Australia/NZ tour), Moulin Rouge! (Australia Tour) and Cambodian Rock Band (US Tour). They have produced and supported developmental presentations of several plays and musicals, including Mr. Holland's Opus at Ogunquit Playhouse, Ei8ht at The Other Palace, and Passing Through at Goodspeed Musicals. They earned the Emmy Award for Best Digital Drama Series as Executive Producers of After Forever on Amazon Prime. Drew is the Founding Co-Chair of the Leadership Council of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Drew and Dane are also members of the Artists Circle of the Bucks County Playhouse, where they have the honor of being the only couple married on its historic stage.

https://www.drewanddane.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drewanddane/