New Musical GILGAMESH A MUSICAL EPIC Sets Reading Prior to Connelly Theater April Run

Power. Kingdoms. Lust. And the will of one (anti-) hero who wants to do everything he can to conquer the one enemy he cannot beat: Death. Based on the epic from Mesopotamia, one of the oldest pieces of literature known to us today, "Gilgamesh - A Musical Epic" is the story of how Man went from Animal to God, told in the form of an epic rock opera. It brings together the rocky deserts of the mythical Middle East and the electrifying energy of Rock to challenge the gods themselves.

An industry only reading of Gilgamesh - A Musical Epic will take place on Saturday February 7. A strictly limited performance run will take place at the Connelly Theater April 1 - 4.

Book and lyrics are by Peter Petkovsek and Music is by Ian Wehrle (Relent - An Indie Musical). Peter Petkovsek (I'm Not Antigone) also directs. Produced by Jenny Ainsworth of Invisible Wall Productions and Columbia Stages.

Cast includes Robert Agis* as Gilgamesh, Ben Mulgrew as Enkidu, Khadija Sallet as Shamhat, Taryn Tonelli* as the Goddess Ishtar, and Carson Grant* as the Narrator and Uta-napishti.

Ensemble members are: John Caliendo, Max Duane, Kathleen Fletcher, Elena Glass*, Justy Kosek, Mary Linehan*, Christopher Morriss and Jillian Schiralli * Denotes Member of Actor's Equity

For more information, visit www.gilgameshthemusical.com

PETER PETKOVSEK (Director, Lyrics, Book) is currently finishing his MFA in Theater Directing at Columbia University in New York. Previous credits include I'm Not Antigone by Vivien Von Abendorff, The Blind by Maurice Maeterlinck, Od by Hannah Bisewski (new play), The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov and The Weird Tree, a devised piece based on an Eastern European fairy tale. Peter holds an MA in Text and Performance from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and a BA in Literature and French from the University of Ljubljana. His work has been shown from Paris to Bogota to Belgrade.

IAN WEHRLE (Composer, Musical Director) is an active composer, actor and collaborator on various music direction and sound design for theater. He can currently be seen starring as Jackie Mason in The Jackie Mason Musical at St. Luke's Theatre and is the founder of SoundAffectsdesign.com. He is credited at the Food Network, MTV, and FOX and is continually in development of new musicals and television music. He can be reached at info@soundaffectsdesign.com

JENNY AINSWORTH (Executive Producer, Invisible Wall Productions) is the Founder and Director of Invisible Wall Productions, a full service Arts, Events and Theatrical Management Company based in New York City. Gilgamesh is Invisible Wall Production's debut production.

COLUMBIA STAGES (Producer) is the producing arm of the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University School of the Arts. Columbia Stages annually presents a season of graduate actor and director productions as well as a festival of new plays by emerging playwrights. The Theatre Program at Columbia University's School of the Arts offers MFA degrees in: Acting, Directing, Playwriting, Dramaturgy, Stage Management, and Theatre Management & Producing. For more information about the Columbia University School of the Arts Theatre Program visit http://arts.columbia.edu/theatre