Chase Joins Glynn, Huffman, Etc. for Pure Country Reading

Will Chase (High Fidelity, Lennon) will join Carlin Glynn (Tony Award-winner for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas), Cady Huffman (Tony Award-winner for The Producers), James Moye (Urinetown) and Danny Rutigliano (The Lion King) for a staged reading of the new musical, Pure Country.  The presentation will be held May 7th at 2:30pm at New World Stages, 340 West 50th Street, New York.  Attendance is by invitation only. 

Pure Country tells the story of Del Hubbard, a country music superstar known as 'Rusty,' who cracks from the pressure of his endless life on the road, escapes his tour, and returns to his Texas stomping grounds, hoping to find what he's missing," according to press notes.  Pure Country, with a new original score, is adapted from the 1992 Warner Brothers movie of the same name which stars George Strait and Lesley Ann Warren.   The movie quickly became a fan favorite and still enjoys frequent play on Country Music Television.  

The book is by Rex McGee (based on his screenplay) and Peter Masterson.  The show's music is by Steve Dorff, a three-time Grammy Award nominee and five-time Emmy Award nominee.  Dorff has written nine #1 songs including Kenny Rogers's "Through the Years" and Anne Murray's "I Just Fall in Love Again."  Other hits include: "Miracle" (Celine Dion), "Higher Ground" (Barbra Streisand), "I Cross My Heart" (George Strait), and "Take Good Care of My Heart" (Whitney Houston), among others.  The lyrics are by John Bettis, nominated 3 times for a Grammy, 2 times for an Emmy, and once each for a Golden Globe and an Oscar.  Bettis, an original writer for The Carpenters, has written for a wide variety of artists including such hits as: "Crazy for You" (Madonna), "If You Could See Me Now" (Celine Dion), "Slow Hand" (Conway Twitty), "Human Nature" (Michael Jackson), and "One Moment in Time" (Whitney Houston).  Musical direction is by Eugene Gwozdz and casting is by Stephen DeAngelis.

The reading will directed by Peter Masterson, writer and director of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.  His other directing credits include the film The Trip to Bountiful, for which Geraldine Page won the Academy Award. 

Rounding out the cast are Katie Adams, Amanda Baker, Darrel Blackburn, DWayne Clark, Nicolette Hart, Ryan Link, Zachary Prince, Terita R. Redd and Katrina Yaukey.

The reading is produced by Chris Presley and Ellen Rusconi. 

For information, please visit www.purecountrylive.com.

Photo of Will Chase by Linda Lenzi