Industry readings of the new musical romp Welcome to Shoofly are presented November 15 in the South Studio at Playwrights Horizons.
Featuring a book and lyrics by Jonathan Lee and Justin Anthony Long with music by Joanna Burns, Amanda Duncan, Lee and Long, readings are held at 1 PM and 4 PM.
Directed by Lee and Long, the reading cast is led by Allison Case (Matilda, Hair), LaVon Fisher-Wilson (Newsies, Chicago), Natalie Charlie Ellis (School of Rock, Les Misérables), Sam Underwood (The Following, Dexter), Lenny Wolpe (Wicked, The Drowsy Chaperone), Jill Abramovitz (Fiddler on the Roof, Cinderella), Christine Pedi (Chicago), Marc de la Cruz (If/Then), Jacey Powers (Our Town, Band Geeks), Diana Limón (City of Dreams), and Tara Tagliaferro (Sister Act).
Rounding out the ensemble are Jelani Remy (The Lion King), Victoria Castle (Daredevil), Sandy Taylor (Mary Poppins, MPAC), Kristian Espiritu (Here Lies Love), Amber Coartney (City of Dreams), Clifton Lewis (Pluto), Gaby Hornig (Found, AMPT), Garrit Guadan (Christmas with the Crawfords), and Michael Liscio, Jr. (Avenue Q).
Here’s how the musical is billed: “Figuring out who you are, where you belong and what you’re supposed to do with your life is hard…especially after being kicked in the head by a horse and losing all your memories. Welcome to Shoofly where the Button M. Britches Annual Shoofly Bakeoff is bigger than Christmas! Virginia Bidder has won the crown and ribbons every year since she’s been eligible to compete. Baking delicious sweets is her life. Or was! Enter Penelope, a mysterious amnesiac. Penelope may have no memories of her past, but she’s got the baking skills of Betty Motherf***ing Crocker and could dethrone Virginia in this year’s Bakeoff. In this original madcap musical comedy, a Bakeoff-gone-bad causes absurd hysteria in a small southern town.”
The creative team also includes Patrick Sulken (musical direction), Burns and Patrick Sulken (vocal arrangements), Liz Ray (stage manager), Corey Chichizola (audience coordinator), and Alexa Francese (production assistant).
Welcome to Shoofly was invited to show at NYMF in 2015; an earlier draft of the show was selected as a 2011 NYMF Next Link Finalist, and 2011 NJ Playwrights Contest Finalist.
Lee, Long, Burns, and Duncan first collaborated on the musical web-series City of Dreams; read more about the series here.
Playwrights Horizons South Studio is located at 416 W. 42nd Street, fifth floor. Industry professionals who would like to attend should inquire with audience coordinator Corey Chichizola at [email protected]. Seating is limited and the readings are closed to the general public. For more information, visit LeeLongAndBurns.com/Invite.
(Updated November 15, 2016)
