Lucie Arnaz to Helm 'HAZEL' Reading Starring Klea Blackhurst at Abingdon This Month

Stage and screen star Lucie Arnaz will direct a reading of Hazel: A Musical Maid in America, a new musical composed by Ron Abel with lyrics by Chuck Steffan, and book by Lissa Levin, Edward Kleban Award-winning playwright and Emmy Award-nominated producer. The special two-day event will take place on October 23rd and 24th at the June Havoc Theatre at the Abingdon Theatre Company in New York City. Klea Blackhurst will play the title role.

Klea Blackhurst (Hello, Dolly!) leads as the titular character, with Paul Shaefer as George Baxter, Jessica Keenan Wynn as Dorothy Baxter, and Colin Crest as Harold Baxter, Warren Kelley as Bonkers Johnson, Ava-Riley Miles, Bonale Fambrini, and Ethan Khusidman as Benedetta Bomicino, Scotty Fuyu, and Reuben Steuben, respectively, along with Lance Roberts, Romelda Benjamin, Gerard Salvador, Erin Sullivan, and Sharon Sayegh, with Kevin Spiritas as the Narrator/Newscaster.

Hazel is based on one of the most beloved and enduring characters in American popular culture. Hazel, a saucy maid with a wry sense of humor, timeless wisdom, and a heart of gold, was created by cartoonist Ted Key and has been adored for over 60 years. She first appeared in the Saturday Evening Post in 1943 as a single-panel cartoon and continued to delight readers of all ages until the magazine went out of print in 1969. Hazel was also brought to life by the inimitable Academy Award winner Shirley Booth on a TV sitcom of the same name, and ran for five well-received, award winning seasons. Hazel's humanity, common sense, and warmth will touch all audiences as a musical, as it has from the beginning.

Lucie Arnaz commented on the production, saying: "Hazel: A Musical Maid in America is one of the best new musicals I have read in 35 years, and I am honored to be asked to guide its first presentation."