Batt, Dixon et al. Lead Director's Company's BECOMING TENNESSEE Reading, 3/2

Bryan Batt, Jerry Dixon, Harriett D. Foy and Brian Charles Rooney have joined the cast for The Directors Company's staged reading of Becoming Tennessee. The Directors Company, in association with Dale Joan Young produce the staged reading, which features a book and lyrics by Michael Aman and music by Clint Edwards. Michael Parva directs. Steven Ray Watkins musical directs.

Becoming Tennessee is an original new musical about the early life and career of Tennessee Williams as he faces his blue devils in New Orleans' steamy French Quarter in 1939.

The reading will take place on Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at 7:00 PM at the Baruch Performing Arts Center. Admission is free, however reservations are required.

For reservations e-mail directorscompany@gmail.com or call 212-246-5877

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Bryan Batt (actor, designer, civic activist) portrays "Salvatore Romano" on AMC's critically acclaimed dramatic series MAD MEN by the multi Emmy award winning writer/ producer, Matthew Wiener. The hit series has received numerous awards from the Emmys, the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild, and the Peabody award. Broadway leading and principal roles include: 2005 revival of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, SUESSICAL THE MUSICAL, SUNSET BLVD., SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, STARLIGHT EXPRESS, and CATS. Off Broadway: Forbidden Broadway STRIKES BACK, Forbidden Broadway CLEANS UP ITS ACT (Drama Desk Nomination). Theatrically Bryan is most proud to have created the role of DARIUS in both the N.Y. and L.A (Drama Logue Award) productions as well as the film adaptation of Paul Rudnick's ground braking comedy JEFFREY.

Jerry Dixon: BROADWAY & OFF-B'WAY ORIGINAL CASTS: Once on This Island, Five Guys Named Moe, Bright Lights, Big City, The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, tick, tick... BOOM! newyorkers, Romantic Poetry. TELEVISON & FILM: Law & Order, Everwood, Peace Maker, As The World Turns, Guiding Light. REGIONAL: Ragtime (Coalhouse), at White Plains Performing Arts Center, Dreamgirls (Curtis), at Long Beach Civic Light Opera, and Thunder Knocking On The Door (Jaguar), at Yale Rep. Jerry has been a soloist with the Belgian National, Kalamazoo, Tawain, and Singapore symphony orchestras. DIRECTING: Show Boat, tick, tick...BOOM! Barnstormer, Bernarda Alba, Crowns, Ain't Misbehavin', LaChanze in Concert (Lincoln Center). WRITING: CBS; VH1; Comedy Central, "Guess Who's Coming for Chitlins?", and original music for Laugh Whore, on Broadway & SHOWTIME.

Harriett D. Foy Broadway credits: The American Plan, Mamma Mia, Once on this Island. Off-Broadway: On the Levee (AUDELCO nomination), Lone Star Love, Slut, Crowns (AUDELCO nomination). Regional: Cinderella( N.C.Theater), The Women of Brewster Place (Arena Stage- Helen Hayes Nomination), After the War (A.C.T), Dance of the Holy Ghosts (Yale Rep), Ambassador Satch (Dubai), Polk County (Arena Stage - Helen Hayes Nomination). Film: All Good Things. Televsion: Law and Order (Judge Arlene Jones -recur), Rescue Me (Karlene Simpson - recur). BFA-Howard University www.harriettdfoy.com

Brian Charles Rooney, was recently named Best Actor in a Musical (2009-2010) by The Connecticut Critics' Circle for his portrayal of Warhol Superstar, Candy Darling in the world premiere of, "Pop!," at Yale Repertory Theater. He made his Broadway debut as the fabled Lucy Brown in The Roundabout Theater Company's 2006 revival of "The Threepenny Opera." In Manhattan, he has performed in concert at The Zipper Theater & Joe's Pub, as well as in numerous plays & musicals, including Piers Gaveston in "Edward the King" (Off-Broadway for The Barrow Group); Deacon Jones in "The Ballad of Bonnie & Clyde" (NYMF): and Dionne Salon in "Bedbugs!!!" for which he won The New York Musical Theater Festival's "Outstanding Performance Award." His other credits include: Tony in "West Side Story" (European Tour); Featured Soloist in "The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber" (North American Tour, co-starring Petula Clark); Homer in "Floyd Colling" (Actors' Playhouse, Miami; Carnbonell Award Nomination); the title role in "Bat Boy! The Musical" (Charleston Stage Co.); Younger Brother in "Ragtime" (White Plains Performing Arts Center); "The Student Prince" (Paper Mill Playhouse). In 2007, he was awarded the "Lys Symonette Award for Outstanding Dramatic Excellence" by the Kurt Weill Foundation, and has sung with the Seattle Symphony and Oregon Symphony Orchestras. www.briancharlesrooney.com

The Directors Company, whose most recent production Irena's Vow, transferred to Broadway last spring, is a not-for-profit theatre company with an extraordinary record in its mission to develop and produce groundbreaking new plays and musicals initiated and generated by outstanding directorial talent, for the American theatre public. The Directors Company supports emerging artists in the development of original theatre works from inception to production.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/WM Photos