The reading at Manhattan Theatre Club's Creative Center will feature the talents of the previously reported Sarah Litzsinger (Amour, Beauty and the Beast) and Nora Mae Lyng (Into the Woods, Cabaret, My Favorite Year). Newly announced for the afternoon are Jenn Colella (High Fidelity, Urban Cowboy), Randy Donaldson (Wonderful Town), Jenny Fellner (Pal Joey, Wicked, Mamma Mia!), Drew Gehling (Jersey Boys), Anne Horak (White Christmas), Rye Mullis (Young Frankenstein) and Max von Essen (Les Miserables, Xanadu). (Fred Berman and Oliver Vaquer have withdrawn due to scheduling conflicts.)
Based on the best-selling novel by Tony Award nominee Max Shulman, the musical has a book by Shulman, music by Sidney Lippman and lyrics by Sylvia Dee. UMC artistic director Ben West will direct the reading.
Barefoot Boy With Cheek, according to press notes, "follows a bright-eyed young freshman at the fictitious University of Minnesota as he navigates a rowdy campus complete with swindling frat boys, dreamy jocks and communist coeds." The reading restores Shulman’s original libretto as well as the originally penned act one finale, "Don’t Spoil the Party," which was cut in 1947 during the musical’s development.
To attend the reading and receive invitations to future UMC readings, visit www.UnsungMusicals.org. UMC’s Archival Project will present a reading of its next restoration in spring 2011.
Manhattan Theatre Club’s Creative Center is located at 311 West 43rd Street.