Matt Doyle to Star in New York Premiere of Ryan Scott Oliver & Hunter Foster's JASPER IN DEADLAND; Performances Begin 3/16 at West End Theatre

Prospect Theater Company will present the New York premiere of Jasper in Deadland, a new musical with book by Hunter Foster and Ryan Scott Oliver, and music and lyrics by Oliver. Performances are March 16 through April 13 at the West End Theatre in the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew. A press opening is scheduled for March 26 at 7:30pm.

The announcement was made today by Cara Reichel and Melissa Huber, the Producing Artistic Director and Managing Director of Prospect Theater Company.

In this original rock musical, 16-year-old Jasper journeys through the Afterlife on a mission to save his best friend, Agnes. On his thrill-ride through a hybrid underworld, Jasper encounters demons, gods, mortals and monsters from Greek, Egyptian, Roman, and Norse mythology, learning what it means to die and questioning what it means to live.

The production will star Matt Doyle (Spring Awakening, War Horse, The Book of Mormon) as the headstrong Jasper, opposite Allison Scagliotti, (Nickelodeon's Drake & Josh; SyFy's Warehouse 13), making her Off-Broadway debut in the role of Gretchen. Ben Crawford (Big Fish, Shrek the Musical) plays the devious Mr. Lethe, and is joined by Andi Alhadeff, Leo Ash Evens, Danyel Fulton, F. Michael Haynie, John-Michael Lyles, and Bonnie Milligan portraying a pantheon of characters from the underworld.

The design team includes Tony-nominated costume designer Bobby Pearce (Taboo, The Syringa Tree, The Marvelous Wonderettes), scenic designer Patrick Rizzotti, lighting designer Herrick Goldman (Prospect's Myths and Hymns), and sound designer Ed Chapman.

Ryan Fielding Garrett will serve as musical director. Vocal arrangements and orchestration are by Ryan Scott Oliver.

As previously announced, Jasper in Deadland will be directed by Brandon Ivie, the assistant director of Broadway's Next to Normal,Catch Me If You Can and A Christmas Story. Ivie received a Drama League Directing Fellowship and is the Gregory Award-winning artistic director of the Seattle non-profit theater Contemporary Classics. The production will be choreographed by Lorin Latarro, who recently choreographed Broadway's Waiting For Godot with Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen and Scandalous. Latarro was also the associate choreographer of Green Day's American Idiot on Broadway.

Hunter Foster, currently featured in The Bridges of Madison County, has previously written the books to four musicals including the Outer Critics Circle-nominated Summer of '42 and the upcoming Circus in Winter, in addition to his career as a Tony Award-nominated actor. Ryan Scott Oliver is the recipient of both the Jonathan Larson Award as well as a Richard Rodgers Award for musical theater.

Jasper in Deadland was originally commissioned in 2011 by the Pasadena Musical Theatre Program. It has received subsequent developmental readings through Pace University and the York Theatre Company's NEO Reading Series, as well as a recent one-night concert presentation at 54 Below as part of RSO Fest, presented by Very Intense Productions and Your Theatrics.

Performances of Jasper in Deadland will begin March 16, 2014 and continue through April 13 at the West End Theatre in the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew, 263 West 86th Street, NYC.

Tickets for Jasper in Deadland are available at www.ProspectTheater.org or by calling 212-352-3101.