Will Swenson & Carla Gugino to Join Judith Light in Industry Reading of WONDERFUL - A NEW PLAY

Rob Hinderliter and Dominick LaRuffa, Jr. of R&D Theatricals (All the Way, On The Town, An American In Paris) announced today that Carla Gugino (Desire Under the Elms, Watchmen) and Tony nominee Will Swenson (Hair, Les Miserables) complete the casting for an invitation-only reading of WONDERFUL - A NEW PLAY on February 26. Directed by Andy Sandberg (Application Pending, The Last Smoker in America), WONDERFUL is written by playwrights Craig Ricks and John Olson.

Leading a cast of six is two-time Tony Award winner Judith Light (The Assembled Parties, Other Desert Cities). The reading will also feature Ken Barnett (Admission, Friends with Kids), Christopher Harrod (2nd Nat'l - The Mystery of Edwin Drood) and newcomer Sam Markmiller.

As science struggles to find a cure for the mysterious pandemic threatening humanity, a Washington journalist is summoned to the rural town of Wonderful, Oklahoma to investigate a "miracle" that could save the world. But can the testimony of a down-home Christian evangelist be trusted? With so little time and so much in the balance, six unsuspecting souls must face the formidable realization that finding a miracle is easy; accepting one is not.

Casting for the reading is by Jay Binder casting. The general manager is Foresight Theatrical. The stage manager is Ashley Rodbro.

Craig Ricks (Playwright) is a New York based playwright, actor, director. He has appeared as a lead in numerous Broadway and National Tour productions, twice as featured soloist at the White House, and has over fifty regional productions under his belt. He was born and raised in Oklahoma; and is a proud graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma, where he majored in Musical Theatre and minored in English Literature. He works regularly as Dramaturge for a number of New York and Chicago based playwrights. Craig is a proud member of Dramatists Guild of America.

John Olson (Playwright) is a dedicated New York playwright, screenwriter, actor. He graduated from Indiana University (IUB) with majors in Psychology, English Literature, and Theatre and Drama; and was honored by IU Theatre in 2006 with the Faculty Memorial Award. He is a proud alumnus of (New York's) William Esper Studio, and a contributing member of (Brooklyn's) Mainspring Collective, (Manhattan's) Sunday Dramatist Circle, HC Productions (NYC), and the Dramatists Guild of America. He completed numerous independent film projects in 2014 and was prominently featured on SVT's hit series Allt för Sverige (Season 4). He is most proud, however of the exciting work he is producing with writing partner Craig Ricks.

Andy Sandberg (Director) most recently directed the world premiere of Application Pending (co-authored with Greg Edwards), which is currently running at the Westside Theatre. He has previously directed the world premieres of Craving for Travel, also co-authored with Greg Edwards (Peter J. Sharp Theater), The Last Smoker in America (Westside Theatre / CATCO), Operation Epsilon (Central Square Theater, MA; four IRNE Awards, including Best Play and Best Director; three Elliot Norton noms.), Shida (Ars Nova / A.R.T.; four AUDELCO Award noms., including Best Musical and Best Director), and Zelda at the Oasis (St. Luke's). Sandberg has been represented on Broadway and London's West End as a producer of the hit revival of HAIR (2009 Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle Awards), the Broadway revival of Gore Vidal's The Best Man (2012 Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle Nominations), and Will Eno's The Realistic Joneses. As a director, other New York credits include R.R.R.E.D. and Bernice Bobs Her Mullet (NYMF), Into the Woods and A Funny Thing...Forum (Blue Hill Troupe), "Eli's Comin' to Broadway," a BC/EFA benefit hosted by Nathan Lane (Lincoln Center), and multiple workshops, benefits, and readings. As producer: A Perfect Future (Cherry Lane Theatre); Paradise Found (Menier Chocolate Factory, London; dir. Hal Prince and Susan Stroman); Vigil (DR2 Theater); and Pageant (Davenport Theatre). Sandberg worked with Hal Prince on the Broadway production of LoveMusik. B.A. Yale University. Proud member of SDC / AEA. Alumni Boards: Yale Dramat, Yale Alley Cats (President), and The Whiffenpoofs. AndySandberg.com / @Andy_Sandberg

Foresight Theatrical (General Management). Under the supervision of Alan Wasser, Allan Williams, Aaron Lustbader, and Mark Shacket, Foresight Theatrical provides general management services for the Broadway productions The Phantom of the Opera, Kinky Boots, Les Miserables, On the Town, Disgraced and Side Show. Also Kinky Boots on tour, Million Dollar Quartet on tour and in Chicago & Las Vegas. Upcoming productions include Gigi and It Shoulda Been You.

R&D Theatricals (Producer). Rob Hinderliter & Dominick LaRuffa Jr- A theatrical production office dedicated to the cultivation of captivating American works of old and new. All The Way (Tony Award), The Velocity of Autumn, The Realistic Joneses, You Can't Take It With You, On The Town, An American in Paris. As former Executive Producers of the Grammy Nominated Broadway Records (Matilda), LaRuffa & Hinderliter have worked with some of the top talent in the industry, Laura Osnes, Sierra Boggess, Aaron Tveit, Norbert Leo Butz, Patti LuPone, Michael Cerveris, Andrea McArdle and more. Their film production entity, Sipping Drink Productions, will be kicking off production on two feature films in 2015. Both are Pace Performing Arts Alumnus where they received degrees in Acting and Music Theatre respectively. Proud members of The Broadway League & The Grammy Recording Academy.