Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group presented invitation-only readings of the new musical The Turning October 10-11 in Manhattan.

With a book, music, and lyrics by Zack Zadek, the readings featured direction by Sammi Cannold, who also helped develop the musical. Chanel DaSilva choreographed with music direction by Geoffrey Ko. 

The newly revealed cast included Lola Tung (The Summer I Turned Pretty, Hadestown), Jordan Fisher (Hamilton, Hadestown), Khaila Wilcoxon (Redwood, Six: The Musical), and Jane Bruce (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Jagged Little Pill).

Completing the workshop cast were Yazmin DeJesus, Hillary Fisher, Warren Egypt Franklin, Will Hastreiter, Erica Ito, Phoenix Assata Lafreniere, Mark Mauriello, Luli Mitchell, Tyley Ross, Monet Sabel, Carson Stewart, Tory Trowbridge, Keith White, and Bryce Williams. Casting was by Benton Whitley and Peter Dunn of Whitley Theatrical.

In the folk-infused The Turning, best friends Gracie and Nora leave Los Angeles for a secluded wellness retreat in California, where seductive self-help rituals test the limits of their courage, their friendship, and how far we are willing to go to heal.

Writer Zadek said in an earlier statement, “The Turning is a fully original folk musical designed to be a thrill ride from beginning to end. Playing in this kind of genre sandbox—both musically and narratively—is my favorite thing to do, and I couldn’t be more excited to be collaborating with this group of theatre artists at the top of their craft to let this very first audience in on the mystery.”

Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Snehal Desai added, “We are excited to partner with Zack, Sammi, and the entire team on The Turning, which has everything I love about musicals—a wild, adventurous ride of a story, an incredible score, and a great book, all set in beautiful Southern California. We are currently developing numerous new musicals and plays at CTG, all either set in Los Angeles or written by Angelenos and I’m truly looking forward to this workshop presentation with this incredible company."

Zadek is also the author of Deathless, which was produced by Goodspeed Musicals. Upcoming musicals include stage projects for Warner Bros., Universal Studios, and XRoads Entertainment plus commissions from Manhattan Theatre Club, Discovering Broadway, Arena Stage, and Ars Nova.

For the stage Cannold has directed How to Dance in Ohio (Broadway, Syracuse Stage), Evita (A.R.T.,  S.T.C., New York City Center), Sunset Boulevard (Kennedy Center), Rent in Concert (Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra), Carmen (Lincoln Center), Endlings (NYTW, A.R.T.), Ragtime on Ellis Island, and Violet (A.R.T.).

Center Theatre Group presented this workshop in association with Benton Whitley and Mark Lunsford. The musical has had previous developmental support from Discovering Broadway, Turnkey Theatrical, Manhattan School of Music, The Johnny Mercer Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals, and the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center.