The Artists Theatre Group is presenting an invitation-only stage reading of a new musical, Republic, by Dylan Glatthorn, who wrote both music and lyrics for the score and co-authored the book on Monday, April 13, at the Acorn Theatre in the Theatre Row Complex (410 West 42nd St.) at 7 PM. The backdrop of the musical is the events that lead up to the revolution that made Ireland a free nation.
The setting of Republic is the turn of the century, 1900, Ireland. Weary of British rule, the Irish patriots have set out on a path to fight for their own independence. That unrest leads to the Easter Rising of 1916, the now historic, week-long revolt in Dublin that created an insurgency that, four years later, ended with the birth of the Irish republic. In Republic, Glatthorn makes this sweeping, panoramic story human-and ultimately deeply moving-by telling it through the lives of two brothers: one with the heart of a rebel, the other with the soul of a poet.
The cast will feature Beth Leavel, whose Broadway credits include Show Boat, Crazy for You, and The Drowsy Chaperone, for which she won the Tony and Drama Desk awards. James Moye is featured as well; among his New York credits are Happiness, The Tale of Two Cities, and The Full Monty. Lauren Worsham starred in the New York City Opera production of Candide; she also appeared in Jerry Springer: The Opera, the stage reading at Carnegie Hall featuring Harvey Keitel, and the national tour of The 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee. Kelli Barrett starred Off-Broadway in Rock of Ages, Michelle Dowdy appeared on Broadway for three years in Hairspray, and Jimmi Kilduff starred as Matthew Shepard in the acclaimed Off-Broadway production of Matthew Passion.
The two brothers in Republic are portrayed by newcomers Preston Truman Boyd, a recent graduate of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and a favorite at The Muny in St. Louis, and John Bambery, who starred in this season's Boston production of Light in the Piazza and who is about to graduate from the Boston Conservatory of Music.
The cast also includes Kevin Ligon, Kevin Brown, Kristen Wyatt, Tessa Faye, Brittney Lee Hamilton, Robert W. Fowler, Mitchell Walker, David Abeles, Michael Padgett, Melissa Oropesa, Erica Aubrey, and Melanie Stringer.
The book for Republic was co-written by Paul Alexander, who will also direct. Edge, his one-woman play about Sylvia Plath that he wrote and directed, has now played over 400 performances in four countries. Its original New York run earned an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination.
For the reading, Glatthorn will serve as musical director. He currently holds the Alan Menken scholarship at the Steinhardt School of Music at New York University. At age 21, Republic is his first major musical.
The Artists Theatre Group Executive Director, Glenn Grieves, will serve as Executive Producer of Republic. Matt Everett will design sound. The show was cast by Barry Moss, of Barry Moss Casting, who was assisted by Bob Kale. General Management is by Alexander Morr.
The Artists Theatre Group is especially indebted to Studio@620, St. Petersburg, Florida, for its assistance in the development of Republic.
