One Day Delay For Off Broadway Premiere of I SPY A SPY

Due to technical issues (or spy interference) the Off Broadway premiere of I Spy A Spy, a new (declassified) musical comedy, with book and lyrics by Jamie Jackson and book & music by SoHee Youn, directed and choreographed by Bill Castellino (Cagney, Desperate Measures) with musical direction by Dan Pardo (Amazing Grace) will now begin its limited engagement (through September 21) at The Theatre at St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street - between 9th & 10th Avenues) on Saturday, July 6th at 8pm. The show will have its official opening on Thursday, July 18th at 7pm.

In a "melting pot" neighborhood in Hell's Kitchen, José Rodriguez, an undocumented Mexican delivery guy, has an American Dream - to become "a someone." Alina Orlova, a beautiful but inept Russian spy, also has an American Dream - to bring down America and to save the family's "Fluff N' Fold!" Speeding though one preposterous and hilarious plot twist after another, Jose and Alina embark on a wild adventure to fulfill their destinies. I Spy A Spy is a musical roller coaster ride on which our duo encounters Mexican thugs, Russian spies, a Pakistani pizza proprietor, a Korean deli owner and the Department of Homeland Security!

"How rare it is these days to work on a brand-new musical not based on a film, book, play, or a performer's life," states Producer Eric Krebs. "But, 8 years ago, ten Russians were revealed to be spies, living in the New York area like 25-year old Ana Chapman, who was too charismatic to disappear and became the inspiration for the musical. The plot thickened to include Jose Rodriguez, an undocumented Mexican immigrant who wants to be an actor but has Alina's problem in reverse. He seems to be invisible. After extensive developmental work, this Hell's Kitchen New York, Russian spy, Mexican immigrant, romantic musical comedy is ready for a full production."

The cast of twelve include: Grace Choi (Avenue Q), Emma Degerstedt (Desperate Measures), James Donegan (Forbidden Broadway), Taylor Fields (Holiday Inn), Andrew Mayer (Natasha, Pierre...), Frankie Paparone (Shrek The Musical), Hazel Anne Raymundo (Avenue Q), Nicole Paloma Sarro (In The Heights -National Tour), Lawrence E. Street (Carmen Jones), Sorab Wadia(Kite Runner), John Wascavage (Murder for Two - National Tour) and Bruce Warren (The Road to Qatar).

The creative team is comprised of: James Morgan (set design), Tyler M. Holland (costume design), Michael Gottlieb (lighting design), One Dream Sound (sound design), Joseph Hayward(associate director), Victoria Casillo (assistant choreographer). Casting is by Michael Cassara, CSA.

The performance schedule will be as follows: Tuesday at 7pm, Wednesday at 2pm and 7pm, Thursday at 2pm and 7pm, Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm and 8pm. There are no Sunday or Monday performances.

Tickets are priced at $79 ($99 premium) and can be purchased at www.OvationTix.com and at the theatre box office..

BIOS

Jamie Jackson (Book & Lyrics) trained as an actor at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney, Australia and worked there for over 10 years as an actor/writer. In 1999 he gained an MFA from NYU's Graduate Music Theatre Writing program where he met SoHee Youn. The two have since collaborated on several projects including their one-man musical, Love: a Multiple Choice Question. Their songs have been heard with Laughing Liberally at New York Town Hall and around the country. As an actor, Jamie has several Broadway and off-Broadway credits including Dr. Zhivago, The Last Ship, Soul Doctor, The 39 Steps and Judge Turpin in the acclaimed Barrow St. production of Sweeney Todd. He's appeared on TV in "Madam Secretary," "Quantico," "Elementary," "The Get Down," "Chicago Fire," "Person of Interest," "Blindspot," "Unforgettable," "The Mysteries of Laura," "Flight of the Conchords" and the pilot of "The Blacklist." He played Hugh Jackman's boss in The Greatest Showman.

SoHee Youn (Book & Music) studied classical composition at Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea, received a B.A. from Berklee College of Music in Boston and an MFA from NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. She is also a member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. She has worked on several projects with Jamie Jackson, including Love: A Multiple Choice Question (New York International Fringe Festival, York Theatre, Melbourne and Sydney--Best Composer Nomination for Green Room Awards), Dick & Condi: The Lounge Act (45th St. Theatre & Ignite Festival, Ohio Theatre). Other works and songs of hers have been performed in venues throughout NYC including Laughing Liberally concerts in New York and across the country.

Bill Castellino (Director) has directed these World Premieres: Cagney, Soulmates, Great Divorce, Grumpy Old Men, Christmas In Hell, Jolson, Dr. Radio, Lizzie Borden, Heartbeats, Miklat, Fishwrap, House Divided, Singing Weatherman, Happy Holidays, Presidents, others. Also: Desperate Measures, Marry Harry, Storyville, Ionescopade, Tarzan, Rent, Gypsy, Rocky Horror, Carousel, Godspell, Music Man, West Side, Joseph, Tommy, Little Shop, Evita, Hair, Fame, Chess, others. In development: Lulu, Rhapsody In Red, and Twist Of Fate. He has directed, written and produced events all over the world. Awards: NY Outer Critics, Jefferson, Telly, 4 LA Weekly, 11 Drama-Logue and numerous nominations including the Lucille Lortel, Audelco, Carbonelle, San Diego and LA Theatre Critics, others.

Dan Pardo (Music Director) is a NYC-based music director, pianist, arranger, and educator, having made his Broadway debut as assistant conductor and keyboardist for Amazing Grace at the Nederlander Theatre. Off-Broadway credits include The Office! A Musical Parody (Jerry Orbach), Found (Atlantic), Rothschild and Sons (York), Soot and Spit (New Ohio) and Skippyjon Jones: Snow What? with TheatreworksUSA at the Lucille Lortel. Other NYC credits include workshop productions of Come From Away, (currently on Broadway at the Schoenfeld), Stepchild, Mythic (as Persephone Unplugged), On Rosen Street, Marco Polo, Never Grimm, and The Oliver Experiment, along with concerts at the Laurie Beechman Theater, 54 Below, The Duplex, Metropolitan Room, and The Green Room 42. Regional favorites include Company (starring Aaron Tveit) at Barrington Stage, How to Succeed..." at The 5th Avenue, Fun Home at Weston Playhouse, Working at ACT, and A Connecticut Christmas Carol at Goodspeed Musicals, where Dan was on staff for three seasons. Dan performs regularly with the vocal jazz quintet, Marquee Five, and music-directs BariToned and the National Asian Artists Project (NAAP) choir. When he's not working, Dan enjoys playing games, watching movies, and singing sea chanteys with his 30-Button Anglo Concertina. Since 2014, he has been happily married to the talented Chrissy Pardo, and the Cat Daddy of the adorable Gelatoni.

Eric Krebs (Producer) In a theatrical career of more than 40 years, Eric Krebs has worked as a producer, a theater founder in 1974 of the George Street Playhouse, New Brunswick, New Jersey and a builder and operator for 23 years of the John Houseman Theater on Theater Row. He is in his 50th year as a professor, 37 years at Rutgers, where he is professor emeritus and at Baruch College of the City University of New York. He has also performed his one actor adaptation of King Lear and most recently My Father's Voice-Letters from the Ellis Island Prison and the War in the Pacific. Producing Credits: Broadway: Bill Maher: Victory Begins at Home, Neil Simon's The Dinner Party, It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues, Electra, Avery Brooks in Paul Robeson. Off-Broadway: Sam Shepard's Fool for Love, Kenneth Lonergan's This Is Our Youth, Neil LaBute's Bash, Sing: A South African and American Celebration, A Class Act, Greed: A Musical for Our Times, Laughing Liberallyand many more. Current projects: That Physics Show (2016 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience), That Chemistry Show, That Inventions Show, God Shows Up and I Spy A Spy. www.erickrebs.com.

www.ispyaspythemusical.com
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