Diana DeGarmo, Van Hughes, et al. Lead JAWBREAKER Reading Today

The Broadway aimed musical adaption of the 90's cult classic Jawbreaker will receive an industry reading in Manhattan today under the direction of Gabriel Barre. With a book by Darren Stein (writer and director of the film) and a score by Jeffrey Thomson and Jordan Mann (Jonathan Larson award winners), the cast includes Diana DeGarmo (Hair, Hairspray), Chelsea Lovett, Joanna Glushak (Les Miserables, Urinetown), Van Hughes (American Idiot, 9 to 5, Hairspray), Tracy McDowell (Rent), Ryah Nixon, Marty Thomas (Wicked, Xanadu) and Libby Winters (American Idiot). Additional casting to be announced.

Jawbreaker "tells the Faustian tale of Satan-in-heels Courtney Shayne and her mean girl minions who play a nasty birthday prank on their picture-perfect bestie, asphyxiating her with a jawbreaker ball and accidentally killing her. When mousy Fern Mayo catches the flawless three tucking their dead friend back into bed, Courtney promises to make Fern popular in exchange for keeping their secret, implicating the innocent underling in their ill-fated cover up. With its mythic story, candy color fashions and bitch goddess role of Courtney Shayne, Jawbreaker was a natural to translate to the stage. At its core, Jawbreaker is about the lengths we go to belong, even if that means selling your soul for a taste of life with the beautiful ones."

Earlier concerts of the score have featured Shoshanna Bean, Deborah S. Craig, Katie Thompson, Tracy McDowell, Alexa Green, Jenna Leigh Green, Tracie Thoms, Carrie Manolakos, Katie Kern and Anne Fraser Thomas.

The reading will feature Music Direction by James Sampliner, casting by Tara Rubin Casting, and is presented by Mad Bromance Productions.