Directed by David Alpert (If/Then, The Trip to Bountiful), the readings will take place Jan. 8, 2015, at 1 PM and 4:30 PM. Tate Theatrics and Rope Swing Entertainment are developing the project.

In addition to Ripley (Next to Normal) and Lazar (The Last Ship), the cast will include Caroline Rosenblum (Impressionism, "30 Rock") and Sebastian Hedges Thomas (Kinky Boots).

Here's how it's billed: "The play tells the story of Ellie and Patrick McDowell, a pair of restless siblings who occupy themselves by navigating their mother's insecurities, her latest boyfriend's shifting moods, and the doldrums of their small Louisiana town. All hope of escaping the reality of their situation seems lost until an after-school job materializes – babysitting for The Wonderful Mr. & Mrs. O'Leary. This darkly comic play reveals the power of imagination in the indefinite space between childhood and adulthood."

O'Brien has also written White Noise, Peter & I and Anne of Green Gables.

Industry members interested in attending should email [email protected].