Alan Cumming, Christy Altomare, and More to Star in Industry Reading of SPARKLER

Jim Kierstead and Broadway Factor have announced a private industry reading for the new play, SPARKLER. Written by Erik Champney and directed by Sheryl Kaller, the reading will be held in New York City on March 29, 2019.

SPARKLER's cast includes Alan Cumming as Henry Willson, Erich Bergen as Clayton Boyd, Garrett Clayton as Jack Halpon, and Christy Altomare as Carol Hayes.

The time is 1964, the place is Hollywood, and Clayton Boyd is the prototypical icon, movie star, husband, and devoted father - as far as the public knows. Behind closed doors, however, Clayton is an impulsive alcoholic and a closeted gay man whose hidden desires are bursting at the seams. The Hollywood moguls have kept his private life out of the public arena - until Jack arrives. Now Clayton's make-believe marriage is threatened, along with his public image. Will he gamble everything for love? Inspired by the true stories of a tyrannical studio system, SPARKLER is an explosive look at the men and women held hostage by fame.

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM

Erik Champney (Playwright) was first commissioned to write a play when he was fifteen years old. He has been honored twice by The Kennedy Center for his plays Dead Brains (National AIDS Fund/CFDA-Vogue Initiative Award for Playwriting) and Pangaea (Commendation for Excellence). His work has been produced and developed across the country through such organizations as the Bay Area Playwrights Festival, Potomac Theatre Project, La MaMa, Seattle Fringe Festival, Left Coast Theatre Co., MadLab Theatre, The Acting Ensemble, Pittsburgh New Works Festival, T. Schreiber Studio & Theatre, and Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. Erik is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America and was formerly a member of Young Playwrights Inc., where he studied under John Weidman and Wendy Wasserstein. He received a B.A. in both Theatre and English from Centenary College of Louisiana, followed by a M.F.A. in Dramatic Writing from New York University Tisch School of the Arts.

Sheryl Kaller (Director) most recently directed, along with Josh Prince as choreographer, A Walk on the Moon by Paul Scott Goodman and Pamela Grey at A.C.T. Sheryl directed Terrence McNally's Tony Award-nominated play on Broadway, Mothers and Sons with Tyne Daly. Sheryl received a Tony Award nomination for Best Director for the Broadway production of Next Fall by Geoffrey Nauffts. Sheryl and Josh Prince's first collaboration was Frozen for Disney Cruise Lines, directed by Sheryl and choreographed by Josh. Recent projects include Our Town with Deaf West Theater and Pasadena Playhouse, Sacred Valley by Josh Radnor, The White Chip by Sean Daniels, and Choice by Winnie Holzman. She also recently directed the world premieres of Billy Porter's play While I Yet Live at Primary Stages; Nick Blaemire's new musical A Little More Alive (Barrington Stage, Kansas City Repertory Theatre); Roundabout Theatre Company's Underground production of Too Much Too Much Too Many, by Meghan Kennedy; and the LCT3 production of Mr. Joy, by Daniel Beaty. She is currently in development with Josh on a new musical, Bliss, by Tyler Beattie and Emma Lively. Upcoming: The Untitled Sex Project by Billy Porter at Primary Stages.

Tara Rubin (Casting); Bespoke Theatricals (General Management).

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos