Shoshana Bean, Gabrielle Stravelli & Matthew Scott Set for LEMPICKA Private Reading Today

A private reading of Lempicka, a new musical about the tumultuous life of art deco artist Tamara de Lempicka, will be presented today and tomorrow, July 24th and 25th in Manhattan.

Kate Whoriskey (The Miracle Worker, Ruined) directs with music direction by Jason Michael Webb (Motown) and music supervision by Remy Kurs (Book of Mormon).

The cast will be led by recording artist and Broadway actress Shoshana Bean (Wicked, Hairspray) in the title role with Matthew Scott (Jersey Boys), Gabrielle Stravelli, Aisha Jackson (Witness Uganda), Nicole Bocchi (Mary Poppins), Michael Rose (Wicked), F. Michael Haynie (Wicked), Anne Kanengeiser (Ragtime), Steven Rattazzi (Galileo), Kacie Sheik (Hair), Steven Sykbell (Wicked) and Tom Treadwell (Annie).

Lempicka is a new musical with book and lyrics by former New Dramatists resident Carson Kreitzer and music by Richard Rodgers award winning composer Matt Gould (Witness Uganda).

According to the authors, Lempicka is "set in Paris against the backdrop of the rising fascist tide, follows the artist's path through the chaotic upheavals of the 20th century. Fleeing the Russian Revolution as a nineteen year old bride, she lands in Paris a penniless refugee, and transforms herself into a rising star of the art world. But when she falls into a forbidden love affair with a prostitute- her muse, the breathtakingly beautiful Rafaela, Tamara is forced to choose. Will she risk it all in pursuit of love and art? Or cling to the securing of money and fame? And what could security mean, in a world about to shatter?"

Lempicka was commissioned by Yale Repertory Theatre in partnership with Full Stage USA at New Dramatists, a program made possible by the Andrew Mellon Foundation.