Directed by five-time Tony nominee Pat Birch, the readings feature the talents of theatre students from Marymount Manhattan College: Alissa Crea, Maeve Halloran, Austin Boone, Jack Raymond, Quinn Wolfendon, Courtney Simmons, Leann Brunn, Joy Fischer, Lindsey Sconiers, Katie Moyer and James Chandler. Show time for both readings is 7:30 PM.
The Road to Ruin features book, music and lyrics by William Zeffiro. "Welcome to The Road to Ruin ('The 1928 Exploitation Musical')," press notes state, "where sex, bad mommies, worse daddies, bottled water and Christians conspire to bring down Litte Sally Canfield, 'The Nicest Girl at Central High.'"
The readings also feature music direction by Paul Stephan; assistant director is Nick LaMedica. There have also been special musical contributions from arranger Louis St. Louis. The coordinator for Musical Theatre at Marymount Manhattan College is Patricia Hoag Simon.
Birch has earned two Emmy Awards, five Tony nominations, as well as Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Barrymore, Billboard and MTV awards as well as a Directors Guild nomination and the prestigious Fred Astaire Award for her choreography and direction. She was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame. Birch created the musical staging for original Broadway and Off-Broadway shows including Grease, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, The Me Nobody Knows, A Little Night Music, Candide, Over Here, Diamond Studs, The Happy End, Pacific Overtures, They're Playing Our Song, Gilda Radner, Live From New York, Zoot Suit, Rosa, Like Jazz and LoveMusik. She also directed and choreographed the Melissa Manchester musical I Sent a Letter to My Love; the original production of Maurice Sendak and Carole King's Really Rosie; Elvis: A Multi-Media Celebration; Band in Berlin, a multi-media theatre docu-musical about the Comedian Harmonists; the Cy Coleman musical Exactly Like You and more. Birch also choreographed all musical sequences in the film "Grease," and directed and choreographed "Grease 2."
For ticket information visit www.yorktheatre.org.
