Ann Harada, Krysta Rodriguez, and More Will Lead Reading Of STARSTRUCK Written by Beth Malone and The Indigo Girls' Emily Saliers

Rhinebeck Writers Retreat is presenting a reading of the new musical STARSTRUCK, written by Tony-nominee Beth Malone (FUN HOME), Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls, and Mary Ann Stratton.

STARSTRUCK was selected for Rhinebeck Writers Retreat's Triple R program, where the writers receive two readings and a residency to do extensive development of their musical. They started with a cold table read in NYC, followed by a residency in Rhinebeck to revise the script and score. The final step is a reading in NYC for an invited industry audience on May 8th.

The cast includes Beth in the lead role, Jeb Brown (BEAUTIFUL THE Carol King MUSICAL), Claybourne Elder (COMPANY), Ann Harada (INTO THE WOODS), Marc Kudisch (GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY), and Krysta Rodriguez (INTO THE WOODS). The reading is directed by Sherri Eden Barber (resident director of HAMILTON tour) and music directed by Cynthia Meng. The General Manager is Dailey-Monda Management.

Kathy Evans, Founding Executive Director of Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, said "We are so excited to give these talented writers the chance to do a lot of development on their first musical and to see it with a live cast of Broadway veterans for the first time."

Triple R is supported by Lead Sponsor Liz Armstrong, by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, and by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Since its creation in 2011, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat has supported over 200 musical theatre writers. All the writers' costs are covered by contributions, including from The ASCAP Foundation Bart Howard Fund and The Noël Coward Foundation. Major individual support comes from Liz Armstrong, Molly McEneny, Liz and Bill Mills, Steve and Paula Reynolds, and Alex Robertson. In 2022 and 2023, six musicals developed at Rhinebeck have had world premieres around the world: A.D. 16, by Bekah Brunstetter and Cinco Paul at Olney Theatre Center (MD); BHANGIN' IT, by Mike Lew, Rehana Lew Mirza, and Sam Willmott at La Jolla Playhouse (CA); NOIR by Kyle Jarrow and Duncan Sheik at The Alley Theatre (TX); ON THIS SIDE OF THE WORLD, by Paulo K Tiról and Noam Shapiro at East West Players (CA), OPERATION MINCEMEAT, by David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts at Fortune Theatre (London), and THE TATTOOED LADY, by Erin Courtney and Max Vernon at Philadelphia Theatre Company (PA). www.rhinebeckwriters.org

STARSTRUCK synopsis:

Where the universe meets Sawtooth, Idaho, Cyd DeBerg, crusades for International Dark Sky status stirring up a political firestorm and attracting the attention of the NPR podcast, Far Out! with Roxanne Cooley. Roxanne's magnetism knocks Sawtooth out of its orbit including Cyd's right hand man, Chris. In Cyrano fashion, Cyd begins a courtship on his behalf, but when words come too easily and feel uncomfortably true, Cyd is forced to concede the world as she knew it. Cyd and Roxanne are upended by the mysterious universe, truths hidden in darkness, and a collision course of love.