Directed by Donald Brenner with musical direction by Doug Katsaros, the 7 PM reading will feature the talents of Josh Grisetti (Enter Laughing), Celina Carvajal (Rooms), Ryan Dietz (Forum – Paper Mill), Erik Liberman (LoveMusik), Liz Larsen (Hairspray), Ashley Fox Linton (Wicked), Stephanie Hepburn (Orphan Train), Robert Kalman (Walenberg), Jason Strong and Martin Van Treuren (Jekyll and Hyde).

Based on the novel by Harry Leon Wilson, which was subsequently adapted into three separate motion pictures, a radio play and a Broadway play, the new musical was penned by Brenner and Katsaros.

Merton of the Movies, according to press notes, "concerns Merton Gill, a naive store clerk from Simsbury, Illinois who arrives in Hollywood in the rollicking era of silent movies, determined to be a serious motion picture actor. But an exuberant starlet together with a conniving director hoodwink the innocent lad into unwittingly becoming the silver screen’s newest comedy sensation."

Doug Katsaros, along with co-composing the recent viral Spidey Project, conducted and arranged Broadway's Footloose, orchestrated The Rocky Horror Show, arranged The Life, co-wrote and orchestrated A...My Name Is Alice, co-wrote Hal Prince's Diamonds and conducted and appeared in Cy Coleman's Exactly Like You.

Donald Brenner directed the New York Musical Theatre Festival production of The Most Ridiculous Thing You Ever Hoid, Sherman Yellen’s December Fools (Abingdon Theatre), A Tale of Two Cities (Mint Theatre) and the world premiere of Beyond Gravity (New Jersey Rep). He also assistant-directed City Center Encores! The Boys From Syracuse.

For more information contact [email protected].