Midori Francis, Andrew Barth Feldman, Andy Mientus, Helen J Shen, and More to Lead Reading of WE SHALL BE MONSTERS

An invitation-only reading of We Shall Be Monsters will be presented Thursday, June 27th in Midtown, Manhattan. The new play by April Lavalle follows teenage Mary Shelley's vacation in the scandalous summer of 1816 with the world's most famous writers of the regency era.

Melissa Crespo will direct a cast that features Midori Francis (Drama Desk Nominee for Usual Girls, The Wolves, Daytime Emmy Nominee for Dash & Lily, Grey's Anatomy, Sex Lives of College Girls), Andrew Barth Feldman (Little Shop of Horrors, Dear Evan Hansen), Andy Mientus (Spring Awakening, Smash), Helen J Shen (The Lonely Few, TEETH), and Scott Redmond (Oklahoma!). Alex Boniello (Dear Evan Hansen, Spring Awakening) will read stage directions.

In the summer of 1816, some of the world's most famous writers gathered in Switzerland on holiday. By the end of their trip, they will all have burned their diaries, hiding the secrets and scandals that occurred within the walls of Villa Diadoti forever.

"We Shall Be Monsters'' speculates what might have happened when Mary Shelley was stuck inside for a summer with her married lover Percy (who had slept with her stepsister ), her step sister Claire (who was seducing the famous poet Lord Byron), Lord Byron (who was torturing the physician Dr. Polidori), and Dr. Polidori (who may have been in love with Mary). Amidst the nights charged with personal conflict and creative fervor, Mary managed to pen a novel that changed the course of literary history forever.

Howard Alter and Allie Kench of Happy Recap Productions produce.