Alex Brightman And Tamyra Gray To Star In Readings Of New Musical THE GAME

THE GAME, a new musical with book and lyrics by Eric Kornfeld and music by John McDaniel, will be presented in a private industry presentation, Thursday, December 6 at 3:30pm and Friday, December 7, 2018 at 11am. Presentations will be held at Pearl Studios.

Thomas Caruso (Southern Comfort, Matilda) directs this fun-filled, warm-hearted family show about the ups and downs of parenting, with musical direction by Deborah Abramson (Matilda, Ghost, Spring Awakening).

The cast includes many Broadway veterans, and stars Alex Brightman (School of Rock; Upcoming: Beetlejuice), and Tamyra Gray (Once On This Island, Bombay Dreams, Rent). The cast also features Saraya Angbazo, Jane Blass (Annie), Finn Douglas, Allen Enlow (The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream), Gabby Gutierrez (School of Rock), Rachel Katzke (School of Rock), Jaygee Macapugay (School of Rock), Cayen Martin (The Lion King), Ian Saraceni (The King & I, Matilda), Asher Talty, Dan Tracy (Waitress) & Derrick Williams (Book of Mormon, Wicked). The Stage Manager is Heather Klein. General Management is by Visceral Entertainment - Michael Chase Gosselin/ Tim Sulka (Midnight at The Never Get, Happy Birthday, Wanda June). Casting is by Tara Rubin Casting / Claire Burke, CSA.

THE GAME is a hilarious, big-hearted musical about kids, parents and America's favorite pastime. Max Epstein is small, shy and knows everything about baseball except how to play it. When he's forced to stay with the father he barely knows, he gets the chance to try out for America's most famous Little League team and play in THE GAME. His dad, Phil, an anxiety ridden, social misfit, doesn't know the difference between a double play and a double cheeseburger, making this father-son duo Broadway's newest Odd Couple.

According to Kornfeld, "My daughter brought home a youth baseball league flyer and said, 'I want to do this.' I suddenly witnessed how passionate players and their parents could become, and I knew it was the perfect setting for a new musical. I called John McDaniel, who I worked with at The Rosie O'Donnell Show."

McDaniel added, "I jumped at the chance to write music to Eric's beautiful, funny & moving story. It's been a joy to welcome Tom Caruso to the creative team and we are thrilled to present this new show with such an incredible cast."

Industry members interested in attending can email RSVP@visceral-entertainment.com in order to reserve a seat. Seating is subject to availability.

Eric Kornfeld (Book & Lyrics) After writing an episode of Bette Midler's sitcom, Eric began writing her special material, which led to his writing Kiss My Brass, the record breaking, critically acclaimed concert she toured throughout North America and Australia. He next worked on her Vegas Extravaganza, The Showgirl Must Go On, which opened to rave reviews and sold-out houses and ran on HBO (Emmy nomination). Eric was also nominated for an Emmy for his work as a staff writer on The Rosie O'Donnell Show. He's been on staff for The Caroline Rhea Show, Full Frontal Fashion, Nickmom Night Out, Caroline and Friends on GSN and Now Showing with Ben Mankiewicz on TCM. Eric wrote the book and lyrics for the Off-Broadway musical, Love In The Middle Ages, which played sold-out runs at The Triad and was voted a "Fringe Favorite" in the New York Fringe Festival.

John McDaniel (Music) is a Grammy and Emmy Award winning Composer, Music Director, Arranger, Orchestrator and Producer and is an Artistic Director at the Tony Award winning O'Neill Theater Center. He is the composer of the music of the Broadway bound musical Brave New World, based on the book by Aldous Huxley. Recently he directed Sondheim Originals at 54 Below, Piano Men at Birdland & HAIR in Concert at the Patchogue Theater. His work on Broadway work includes: Bonnie and Clyde (Drama Desk Nomination, Best Orchestrations), Catch Me If You Can, Brooklyn (Producer and Orchestrator), Annie Get Your Gun (Grammy Award as producer of the cast recording), Taboo, Chicago, Grease, Patti LuPone on Broadway and Company - the Original Cast at Lincoln Center. For television, he was the bandleader for The Rosie O'Donnell Show (2 Emmy Awards), for which he also composed the theme song. John has collaborated with Cab Calloway, Shirley MacLaine, George Burns, Joel Grey, Carol Burnett, Betty Buckley, Bette Midler and has guest conducted at 15 Symphony Orchestras across America, including 5 concerts with his hometown St. Louis Symphony. John received a BFA in Drama from Carnegie Mellon University.

Thomas Caruso (Director) Emojiland (NYMF), Southern Comfort (The Public Theatre; Lucille Lortel & OCC noms: Best New Musical), Dynamo: Seeing Is Believing (West End, U.K. Tour, Australia); Brave New World (NC Stage); Academia Nuts (NYMF awards for Best Direction & Best Musical); He directed the Broadway National Tours: Matilda, Ghost, & Master Class; David Blaine (Asia tour); Associate Director credits: Groundhog Day, Matilda, Ghost, Mamma Mia!, Bombay Dreams, Follies. Thomas has directed at Rattlestick, EST, NY Stage & Film, Barrington Stage, TheatreWorks, Williamstown, Bay Street, The Play Company & New World Stages. www.ThomasCaruso.com

Alex Brightman (Phil) received Tony, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations for his performance as Dewey Finn in Andrew Lloyd Webber's School of Rock. Other Broadway credits include Glory Days, Wicked, Big Fish, and Matilda. Additional credits include the regional premiere of The History Boys at the Ahmanson Theatre, The Old Globe's world premiere musical, Nobody Loves You, and Comedy Central's Important Things with Demetri Martin. As a writer, he has written Make Me Bad (music & lyrics by Drew Gasparini); Everything In Its Place: The Life and Slimes of Marc Summers; and The Whipping Boy (music & co-lyrics by Drew Gasparini), an upcoming musical adaptation of the award-winning novel. Alex most recently appeared as the title role in the Broadway bound, Beetlejuice, at the National Theatre in Washington D.C.

Tamyra Gray (Brenda) Tamyra currently stars on Broadway as Papa Ge in the Tony Award Winning revival of Once On This Island. Tamyra made her Broadway debut in Bombay Dreams, and her triumphant return to Broadway as "Mimi" in Rent. She starred as 'Kate' in the national tour of If/Then and in Debbie Allen's Twist at Pasadena Playhouse. Her television credits include "Boston Public," "Half and Half," "All of Us," "What I Like About You," "Las Vegas" and "Tru Calling." She is best known for her powerhouse performances on American Idol, becoming one of the top five finalists on the first season. She also co-wrote the American Idol season three single "I Believe" which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for Fantasia Barrino.

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