Producers Emily Miller and New York Theatre Barn have announced that Tony Award-Winner Cady Huffman (The Producers, The Will Rogers Follies) will star in WOOD, which is an official selection of the upcoming 2008 New York Musical Theatre Festival.
Joining Huffman in the cast of the new musical will are; Stanley Bahorek (25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Joe Cassidy (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, 1776), Maurice Murphy (25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Ryan Ratliff (Altar Boyz), Roland Rusinek (Jerry Springer the Opera, The Phantom of the Opera), Jason Michael Snow (Saved!), Patrick Ryan Sullivan (42nd Street, Titanic), Ben Thompson (Disney's High School Musical 1st National Tour), and Kate Wetherhead (Legally Blonde: The Musical, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee).
WOOD is a sexy musical romp that will have you tapping your toes all the way to the public restroom stall! When a young man (Jason Michael Snow) sneaks away to the seedy wood on the outskirts of his normal town, his community is forced to face the secrets, desires and dreams long relegated to the shadowy confines at the fringe of their society. The result is a night complete with spandex clad color guard enthusiasts, shirtless Christians, quarreling divas, undercover mothers and a trio of Fairies who sing, dance and put En Vogue to shame from the stalls of a public men's room.
Cady Huffman will play the role of Judy, the mother of Jason Michael Snow's character, Herman.
Directed by Thomas Caruso (Off-Broadway's Mimi Le Duck, Bingo), WOOD features music by Julianne Wick Davis, with book and lyrics by Dan Collins and choreography by Andrew Parkhurst. Costume design is by David Rigler (Ringling Brothers and Barnum& Bailey), scenic design is by Josh Zangen (Desir at Spiegeltent), and lighting design is by Ed McCarthy (Coram Boy).
Song titles from the musical include "Normal, Anywhere," "Oh Lord, I Pray," "Wood," "The Bathroom Stall," "Afterglow," and "Demolition Day."
WOOD is being performed at the Barrow Group Theatre (312 West 36th Street) and will play the following performance schedule: September 15, September 17 & September 19 at 8pm, September 20, September 25 & September 28 at 1pm.
Festival memberships are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.nymf.org or by calling 212-352-3101; single tickets go on sale on September 1.
New York Theatre Barn (Executive Artistic Director David Rigler, Producing Artistic Director Joe Barros) is a not-for-profit theater company dedicated to developing new work, promoting the advancement of the individual artist, developing and strengthening relationships in the theater community, and educating future generations of theatre professionals. Visit www.nytheatrebarn.org, for more information.
Hailed as "the Sundance of Musical Theatre," The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) exists to revitalize one of America's greatest art forms by discovering, supporting and promoting new musical theater artists, producers, and projects, and by introducing a diverse audience to the vibrancy of contemporary musical theater. Since its inception in 2004, the three-week annual festival has premiered more than 130 new musicals - many of which have gone on to award-winning productions in New York, in regional theaters and on tour in 38 states, and nine countries worldwide. NYMF 2004 hit Altar Boyz has played well over 1,000 performances off-Broadway and is now in its fourth year at New World Stages; fellow NYMF alum [title of show] recently began performances at the Lyceum Theatre on Broadway
