Regional NewsCasting Announced for World Premiere of Trevor Musical, Directed by Marc BruniPerformances will begin at the Writers Theatre in Illinois in August.
By
Andrew Gans
June 20, 2017
Eli Tokash and Graydon Peter Yosowitz
Writers Theatre has announced casting for the world premiere of Trevor the Musical, based on the Oscar-winning 1994 short film Trevor. Performances are scheduled for August 9–September 17 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre in Glencoe, Illinois.
Marc Bruni, director of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, will direct a cast led by Eli Tokash and Graydon Peter Yosowitz, who share the title role, as well as Declan Desmond as Pinky, Sophie Grimm as Mom/Mrs. Kerr, Maya Lou Hlava as Frannie, Eloise Lushina as Mary, Jhardon DiShon Milton as Jack, Reilly Oh as Jason, Salisha Thomas as Diana Ross, Matthew Uzarraga as Walter, Tori Whaples as Cathy, and Jarrod Zimmerman as Dad/Father Joe/Others.
The ensemble will feature Nathaniel Braga, Ariana Burks, Timothy Eidman, Isabel Kaegi, Carly Meyer, Justin O’Brien, and Jerome Riley, Jr.
The new musical has book and lyrics by Dan Collins, music by Julianne Wick Davis, music direction by Matt Deitchman, orchestrations by Greg Pliska, and choreography by Josh Prince. It is presented by special arrangement with U Rock Theatricals.
The musical, which is set in 1981, concerns 13-year-old Trevor, whose imagination drives a turbulent journey of self-discovery. As he deals with adolescence, Trevor begins to explore what it means to be himself, influenced by his friends, parents—and Diana Ross.
“Trevor the Musical represents an important step in the evolution of Writers Theatre," said Artistic Director Michael Halberstam in a statement. “This ambitious new musical, which we are producing in association with U Rock Theatricals, takes our literary development initiative into a whole new arena. Director Marc Bruni has assembled a superb team of local and national artists. He brings his sophisticated ability to develop new work to the table, along with his trademark gifts for precision in dramaturgy and creating a nurturing and joyous process. Based on Peggy Rajski's and Randy Stone's Oscar-winning film that had an original screenplay by James Lecesne, book writer Dan Collins and composer Julianne Wick Davis will transport us all back to our adolescence, and into a world of heartache, hilarity and humanism. This is an important story to share and an important time to tell it.”
The 1994 film won the Academy Award for Best Short Film, Live Action. It also won awards at the Berlin International Film Festival, San Francisco International Film Festival, San Francisco International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, and the Sundance Film Festival.
The film was the inspiration for The Trevor Project, the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning young people ages 13-24.
Tickets, priced $35-$80, may be purchased online at WritersTheatre.org, by phone at (847) 242-6000, or in person at the box office, 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe.
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