The award-winning York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) announces casting for Yo, Vikings!, the next offering in its acclaimed Developmental Reading Series. For more information on the Series, visit: www.yorktheatre.org.
Yo, Vikings! features book and lyrics by Marcus Stevens and music by Sam Willmott. The reading will take place Wednesday, August 3, 2011 at 7 PM.
The cast of Yo, Vikings! features Jeffrey James Binney (Spelling Bee National Tour), Serena Brook (Dear Edwina), Andrew Kober (Hair), Alyse Alan Louis (Mamma Mia!), Tori Scott, Marcus Stevens, Emma Tattenbaum?Fine, Sam Tedaldi (Spidermusical), Sally Wilfert (Assassins) and Alex Wyse (Lysistrata Jones). The reading is directed by Jason Blitman with music direction by Joseph Church.
Based on Judith Byron Schachner's award-winning book of the same name and the true story that inspired it, Yo, Vikings! is the mini-saga musical of Emma Katz, a spunky and passionate little girl with a limitless imagination. After being assigned to report on Erik the Red for World Discovery Day, Emma begins to channel her inner Viking, setting off on a fantastic adventure of self-discovery in this new musical, perfect for both the young and young at heart.
The York Theatre Company is the only theater in New York City-and one of very few in the world-dedicated to developing and fully producing new musicals and preserving neglected, notable shows from the past. Over the past two seasons, York productions and artists have been nominated for a combined 19 Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, Off-Broadway Alliance, AUDELCO and Callaway Awards (and its productions of Yank! A WWII Love Story and Enter Laughing, The Musical have both been announced for Broadway). For over four decades, York's intimate, imaginative style of producing both original and neglected classic musicals has resulted in critical acclaim and recognition from artists and audiences alike. Under the guidance of Producing Artistic Director James Morgan since 1997, the York has focused exclusively on new musicals in its Mainstage Series-most of them world, American, or New York premieres-by some of the field's most esteemed creators, and has also helped launch the careers of many talented new writers. Over 35 cast recordings from York Theatre Company productions are now available on CD, and commercial transfers of such York premieres as The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!), Souvenir, Jolson & Company, and its acclaimed revivals of Sweeney Todd and Pacific Overtures have all showcased the importance of the York and its programs.
Each year, York's Developmental Reading Series presents between 30 to 40 readings and workshops of new musicals by emerging and established authors. Associate Artistic Director Brian Blythe says, "These readings give writers a unique opportunity to get audience feedback while a show is still in progress." York's past Mainstage productions of Yank!, Souvenir and The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) were first developed in the Developmental Reading Series, where the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit Avenue Q also made its first appearances. The Developmental Reading Series is made possible in part by The Dorothy Strelsin Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts and NYC Department of Cultural Affairs.
