Nic Rouleau, Glenn Stanton & Brandi Porter to Star in MISSING PEACE Reading at Rhinebeck Writers Retreat

Rhinebeck Writers Retreat is presenting a reading of MISSING PEACE, a contemporary Native musical by Kalani Queypo and Kyle Puccia. The reading is directed by Devanand Janki (Little Girl Blue-The Nina Simone Musical) and music-directed by Yan Li. MISSING PEACE has been selected for Rhinebeck Writers Retreat's Triple R program, giving the writers two readings and a residency to do extensive development of their musical in a compressed time frame. They will begin with a cold table read on May 7, then have a residency in Rhinebeck to revise the script and score, and end with a reading in NYC for an invited industry audience on May 23. The cast includes Glenn Stanton (TV's 9-1-1 and The Walking Dead), Brandi Porter (A Bronx Tale), and Nic Rouleau (The Book of Mormon).

Founding Executive Director Kathy Evans said, "We supported Kyle and Kalani during the pandemic with a virtual residency, and it's exciting to help bring their musical to life for a New York audience for the first time."

Created in 2011, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat provides a sanctuary for writers to develop their musicals in the heart of the Hudson Valley. Rhinebeck musicals have been seen across the country, including at The Public Theater, Barrington Stage, Playwrights Horizons, La Jolla Playhouse, The Old Globe, Philadelphia Theater Company, and Paper Mill Playhouse. All costs are covered by contributions, including from The ASCAP Foundation Bart Howard Fund, Concord Theatricals, and The Noël Coward Foundation. Major individual support comes from Liz Armstrong, Rick Farrar and Jeff Zadroga, Molly McEneny, Liz and Bill Mills, Steve and Paula Reynolds, and Alex Robertson. www.rhinebeckwriters.org

MISSING PEACE synopsis:

When Chase wakes up from a coma, his past is a blur. And much to his family's surprise, he is happy and carefree...until the dark memories flood back like quick cuts of a movie trailer that just don't add up. With his history to contend with, Will Chase ever be able to overcome the staggering mountain of regret for a sky full of music and second chances? Come meet a Native family in this physical realm, and travel with them on their intimate journey as they seamlessly weave in and out of the Dream World - that liminal space that seems "unexplainable." It's that "in-between place" that can offer up chances to face our memories, our truth, our people... and maybe even find some answers.

Kyle Puccia

As a songwriter, Kyle's co-writes have garnered close to 200 million streams on Spotify. He has cuts with such major label artists as Kygo, Yellow Claw, Don Diablo, and Swedish superstar Miss Li. Puccia co-wrote the title song on Kygo's album "Kids In Love" which debuted at #1 on Billboard's Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart. Kyle also has several cuts on Sony Music artist Miss Li's Swedish Grammy nominated album "A Woman's Guide To Survival". Puccia's songs have also charted on both Billboard's Top 40 Hot Dance Club Play and Top 10 UK Commercial Pop charts. He's garnered syncs on such TV shows/films/ as Pretty Little Liars, Legacies, World Of Dance, Love Island, Siesta Key, The Titans, The Vineyard, Tori and Dean, Home Sweet Hollywood, DTLA, The Masked Saint and Naomi & Ely's No Kiss List. As a composer, Kyle has written and produced dozens of scores for Microsoft, Absolut Vodka and T-Mobile commercials.

As a storyteller, Kyle is co-writer of Missing Peace, a contemporary Native musical, that has been awarded such development opportunities as the 2019 Native Voices Writers Retreat, the 2020 Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, 2021 and 2022 Johnny Mercer Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals, the 2021 NAMT Festival of New Musicals and the 2022 Rhinebeck Triple R Program.

Kyle has several tv pilots and film scripts in various stages of development and is most currently co-writing a limited series called Family Jewel's for a new LGBTQ BIPOC streaming platform.

Kalani Queypo is a multi-disciplinary artist who grew up in Hawaii, studied in New York City, and is currently based in Los Angeles. Kalani is an award winning screenwriter for Ancestor Eyes, his self-directed short film that played at nearly 40 festivals, winning 14 awards. For his musical, Missing Peace, Kalani is the recipient of the 2019 Native Voices Playwrights Retreat, 2020 Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, 2021 & 2022 Johnny Mercer Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals, 2021 NAMT Festival of New Musicals, and the 2022 Rhinebeck Writers Retreat Triple R.

Kalani has independently written, directed and produced the short films, Whispered Fall and Power Point. He is currently developing an episodic comedy, When You Miss Aloha, a feature length drama, Stored and Safe, and a brand new musical, The Mainlander, all showcasing his birthplace and culture as the backdrop in his character driven projects. As an actor, Kalani can be seen in the Oscar-nominated, Terrence Malick film, The New World, Steven Spielberg's Emmy winning Into the West and Slow West (Sundance GRAND JURY PRIZE). Television credits include Jamestown, Fear the Walking Dead, Mad Men, Hawaii Five-0, Nurse Jackie, and Bones. Kalani is currently starring in the new CW series, Trickster, for which his performance was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award.

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