Neil Patrick Harris' 'I Am Grock' All-Star Cast

Neil Patrick Harris, star of "How I Met Your Mother," will be making his debut as a theatrical director with the private premiere presentation of playwright, Amanda Rogers' original comedic script, I Am Grock, on July 17 at the historic El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood, and is being produced by film director, Peter Segal ("Get Smart," "Anger Management").

Starring in this one-night production will be Justine Bateman ("Men in Trees"), Michael McDonald ("Mad TV"), Drew Carr, Mo Collins ("Mad TV"), Susan Sullivan ("Dharma and Greg"), K Callan ("How I Met Your Mother") Kurtwood Smith ("That 70's Show") and Ming-Na ("Joy Luck Club," "E.R").

"Phoebe Broman, a wife, mother and family therapist has a successful new book promoting raw, uncensored, brutal honesty within the family unit," state press notes. "Her popularity has netted her an interview on a national news broadcast. However, all goes awry when her entire extended family shows up at her front door an hour before the interview. Phoebe is left with no choice but to heal her own family before the cameras arrive.

"Outrageous secrets are revealed, lies are exposed and family dynamics explode. Phoebe's journey involves healing the people closest to her and the discovery that the state of her family's mental health is the key to her own."

Rogers wrote, directed and produced the PBS documentary, "Behind the Scenes with Groucho," currently airing nationally. Her screenplay "Finn" was performed as a staged reading, starring Academy Award-winner Hilary Swank and subsequently optioned.

"Rogers brings a great new voice to the theater," said Segal.  "I look forward to I Am Grock finding success on Broadway as a hilarious and original representation of the modern day family, issues and all."

"I'm thrilled that this project is gaining so much steam and that a talent like Neil Patrick Harris is directing," said Rogers, daughter of Tony nominated playwright, David Rogers. "This wildly talented cast that Neil has assembled is brilliantly suited to bring out the humor and pathos of the piece."

Harris will adapt his Broadway expertise in his directorial debut to showcase Roger's unique script. Harris previously starred in three consecutive Broadway productions; including roles of The Balladeer and Lee Harvey Oswald in the Tony Award-winning musical Assassins, the role of Anne Heche's unexpected suitor in the Pulitzer Prize-winning production of Proof, as well as the emcee in Cabaret.

Photo of Neil Patrick Harris by Linda Lenzi.

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