Vivino, Anderson, Hiller and More Added to BEDBUGS!!! Readings, 1/17

As previously reported, The New York Musical Theatre Festival smash hit BEDBUGS!!! will receive a long-awaited industry reading at Pearl Studios in NYC on Monday, January 17, 2011, at 3pm and 7pm. 80s rock excess meets the creature feature in this hilarious and extremely timely hard-rocking new musical by Paul Leschen and Fred Sauter, directed by Samuel Buggeln. These readings are open to the public and will feature Celina Carvajal (B'way: Cats, Dracula, Tarzan, 42nd St; Off-B'way: Rooms, Radiant Baby, Kinky Boots workshop, upcoming Diane Paulus/System of a Down musical Prometheus Bound) as tormented exterminator Carly; Brian Charles Rooney (Roundabout's The Threepenny Opera, Yale Rep's POP!) as Canadian chanteuse Dionne Salon; and Chris Hall (Revision Theatre's Rocky Horror Show), whose NYMF performance as Bedbug rock-god Cimex acquired cult-legend status.

Eric Anderson (Broadway's South Pacific, the US tour of Camelot) will join the cast as Dexter, along with Donna Vivino (Wicked 1st Nat. Tour, Hairspray) as Mother, Jeff Hiller (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) as Tom Wansett, and Stephen Sheffer (NYMF's Bedbugs!!!) as Chad.

BEDBUGS!!! tells the story of Carly, a passionate exterminator who, hell-bent on avenging her mother's freak death, accidentally mutates NYC Bedbugs into bloodthirsty killer hair metal rock gods. Sweet sidekick Burt has a plan, and troubled Canadian chanteuse Dionne Salon has stumbled onto the scene. But will Carly listen to them and save NYC-or be seduced by her own creation?

During its sold-out run in the 2008 NYMF festival, BEDBUGS!!! was described by critics as "a zany success" (CurtainUp.com), "an outrageously entertaining and inventive new kind of musical..." (TalkEntertainment.com), "...a little bit Little Shop of Horrors and a little bit Rocky Horror Show, but even more over the top" (The New York Times), "extremely enjoyable" (NYTheatre.com), and "Sure to develop a cult following" (EdgeFireIsland). Recent appearances on MSNBC and in The Wall Street Journal have generated added buzz and momentum for the piece.

Space is limited and reservations are recommended. RSVP to leschenandsauter@gmail.com or through the contact page on www.bedbugsmusical.com.