Town of Sayreville, NJ Becomes Co-Producer on GETTIN' THE BAND BACK TOGETHER

Gettin' The Band Back Together today announced that the town of Sayreville, NJ will join them as co-producers. "Our whole show is a love letter to New Jersey, and specifically to Sayreville where it takes place," said producer Ken Davenport.

Sayreville figures heavily in the show's road to Broadway. When Davenport and The Grundleshotz, the show's writers, were creating the show through improv, they visited the town for research in order to lend Jersey authenticity to the new and original American musical comedy. The production shot amusic video on location there and recently invited Sayreville residents to the show's final dress rehearsal on Broadway. And to solidify its Jersey rock cred, Sayreville gave birth to Jon Bon Jovi.

Davenport continues, "While I don't know if an entire town has ever gotten Broadway billing, we want to acknowledge their invaluable contribution to the show. We just don't know how we will seat them all on Opening Night!"

Kennedy O'Brien, the Mayor of Sayreville, NJ remarked, "The proud hearts and minds of the people of Sayreville are heavily invested in Gettin' The Band Back Together and what better way to support the production than to become a producer. This new musical is delightful, I first saw it when they invited the town to the dress rehearsal I haven't had that much fun in decades"

Gettin' The Band Back Together began previews on July 19 at The Belasco Theatre (111 W 44th Street). The production, which is directed by Tony Award winner John Rando and choreographed by Chris Bailey, will officially open on August 13.

Gettin' The Band Back Together has original music and lyrics by Mark Allen and a book by Ken Davenport and The Grundleshotz with additional material by Sarah Saltzberg. The creative team includes Tony Award winners Derek McLane (Scenic Design), Emily Rebholz (Costume Design), Ken Billington (Lighting Design), John Shivers (Sound Design) in addition to Music Direction by Sonny Paladino and Casting by Eisenberg/Beans Casting.

The cast of Gettin' The Band Back Together features Mitchell Jarvis (Mitch Papadopoulos), Jay Klaitz (Bart Vickers), Manu Narayan (Dr. Rummesh "Robbie" Patel), Paul Whitty (Michael "Sully" Sullivan), Sawyer Nunes (Ricky "Bling" Goldstein), Marilu Henner ("Mitch's Mom," aka Sharon Papadopoulos), Kelli Barrett (Dani), Becca Kötte (Tawney), Garth Kravits (Ritchie), Tamika Lawrence (Roxanne Velasco), Noa Solorio (Billie), and Brandon Williams (Tygen Billows). The cast also includes Lindsey Brett Carothers, Ryan Duncan, Scott Richard Foster, Jenny Hill, Nehal Joshi, J. Elaine Marcos, Rob Marnell, Jasmin Richardson, Ian Ward, and Tad Wilson.

Mitch Papadopoulos always wanted to be the next Bruce Springsteen, but he left those daydreams behind for a day job. When this big-shot banker is handed a pink slip on his 40th birthday, he's forced to move back in with his mom in New Jersey.

A run-in with his former music rival leads to a threat of foreclosure on Mitch's family home, unless he can win The Battle of the Bands-a rematch over 25 years in the making. So he dusts off his guitar, gathers his old gang, and sets out to win back his house, his pride-and maybe even the high school sweetheart he left behind-proving it's never too late to give your dreams one last shot.

Gettin' The Band Back Together is produced by Ken Davenport, Hunter Arnold, Roy Putrino, Scott Abrams, Sandi Moran, Carl Daikeler, Broadway Strategic Return Fund, Rob Kolson, Marie Barton Stevenson, H. Richard Hopper, Richard Roth, Marguerite Hoffman, Diego Kolankowsky, Gary Nelson, Brian Cromwell Smith, Witzend Productions, David Bryant, Darrell Hankey, Trevor Coates, Ladybug Productions, Jim Wagstaffe, Laura Z. Barket, Judith Manocherian, John McGrain, Steve Reynolds, Sal Buscemi, Douglas K. Atamian, Rich Battista, Frederic J. Siegel, BF Investments, and Sean Attebury. The Associate Producers for the production are Kayla Greenspan and Valerie Novakoff.

Free original cast recording available at: www.GettinTheBandBackTogether.com

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos