According to press notes, the new musical conceived and directed by Julio A. Matos Jr. "is a humorous and compelling look at the lives of successful Broadway performers trying to sing and dance their way out of 'the Line' and into featured roles."
John Franceschina composed the original score for the musical, which was created through interviews with Broadway gypsies, who discussed their hopes, fears, personal lives, career pressures, ins-and-outs of the industry, all the while trying to escape the chorus.
The cast is comprised of Broadway talent, including Julio Agustin (Never Gonna Dance, Bells Are Ringing, Fosse), Roxane Barlow (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Never Gonna Dance), Rosa Curry (Steel Pier, Chicago), Nancy Hess (Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Goodbye Girl, Jerome Robbins' Broadway), Diane Veronica Phelan (Bernarda Alba) and Glenn Turner (High Society, Five Guys Named Moe, Grand Hotel).
Franceschina's songs for Out of Line include "Broadway Gypsy Robe," "Better Than," "I’m So Happy I Could Dance," "The Understudy Chorale" and "Out of Line."
Students of the Penn State School of Theatre will design the physical production. Out of Line will run July 24–Aug. 11 at Penn State's Citizen's Bank Theatre, located at 146 S. Allen St., State College, PA. Ticket information is available at www.pacentrestage.psu.edu.
Pennsylvania Center Stage is the professional arm of the Penn State School of Theatre.