Adams, Gehling, Ryall & More Set For THE WHITE ROSE Reading At York Theatre 6/16

The award-winning York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) announces casting for The White Rose, the next offering in its acclaimed Developmental Reading Series. As always, these readings are open to the general public and admission is free, but reservations are suggested and can be obtained by
e-mailing Reading Series Coordinator Jeff Landsman at jlandsman@yorktheatre.org or calling 212-935-5824 x24.

The White Rose
BOOK AND LYRICS BY Jenne Wason
MUSIC BY Alan Cancelino
Tuesday, June 16, 2009 • 3 PM

Directed by Jonathan Stuart Cerullo; Music Direction by Adam Wiggins

The cast of The White Rose will feature Ashley Kate Adams, Drew Gehling, Nicholas Marinucci, William Ryall (Guys and Dolls), AJ Shively, Carly Rose Sonenclar (Les Miserables), Jarrod Spector (Jersey Boys) and Allison Strong.

While everyone around them endured in silence, a group of university students chose to speak out against the atrocities happening in their country in Munich in 1942. Sophie Scholl, her brother Hans, and their friends started a resistance movement in a time when movements seemed impossible. Their words offered hope to a desperate nation, and in this new musical drama, their voices live on.

The York Theatre Company was just nominated for five 2009 Drama Desk Awards, four 2009 Lucille Lortel Awards, two Outer Critics Circle Awards and two Drama League Awards for its productions of Enter Laughing, The Musical and My Vaudeville Man! last season. York Theatre Company is one of the only companies in the city committed to developing and producing new Musical Theatre Works and rediscovering musical gems from the past. Winner of a special Drama Desk Award for developing and producing new musical theatre, York's intimate, imaginative style of producing both original and classic musicals has resulted in critical acclaim and recognition from artists and audiences alike for almost four decades. Under the guidance of 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.

Each year, York's Developmental Reading Series presents between 30 to 40 readings and workshops of new musicals by emerging and established authors, all free of charge and open to the public. Producing Artistic Director James Morgan says, "These readings give writers a unique opportunity to get audience feedback while a show is still in progress and gives audiences an active role in the creative process." York's productions of 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 early appearances. The Developmental Reading Series is made possible in part through a generous donation from The Dorothy Strelsin Foundation.