Ogunquit Playhouse to Launch New Works Series with FRIDA Reading in NYC

The Ogunquit Playhouse has announced the launch of a new works program to incubate and develop new musicals for the stage. The program is helmed by Matt Schicker and will kick off on Monday, December 5 at 3:30PM at Pearl Studios in New York, NY, with an invite-only Actors' Equity Association stage reading of Frida, a musical with book and lyrics by Michael Aman and music by Dana P. Rowe.

Based on the incredible true story, Frida charts beloved Mexican artist Frida Kahlo's rise above physical disabilities and the male-dominated art world to win the love and admiration of famed muralist Diego Rivera, becoming the artistic soul of her country and creating art that would forever change the way we see the world.

The reading will be directed by Gustavo Zajac with music direction by Doug Oberhamer.

Stage Manager for the reading is Travis Blackwell. The staged reading will feature Equity actors Bianca Marroquin (Chicago, In the Heights, The Pajama Game) as Frida Kahlo and Danny Bolero (In the Heights, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) as Diego Rivera. The cast also includes Anthony Alfaro, Javier Castellanos, Tony Chiroldes, Alma Cuervo, Nathaniel Irvin, Doreen Montalvo, Val Moranto, Julia Mosby, Eliseo Roman, Jennifer Sanchez, Saundra Santiago, and Aléna Watters.

Michael Aman (book and lyrics) is an accomplished author whose award-winning work has been produced around the country. Earlier this year the world premiere of his play Feeding the Bear was produced at Island City Stage, where his play POZ was also produced as a world premiere and nominated for a 2015 Carbonell Award for Best New Work. The African American Playwrights' Exchange (APPEX) named his play The Unbleached American, which premiered at The Stoneham Theatre in Massachusetts, Best Play in 2012. He co-wrote the book and lyrics for The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde; the book for Let Me Sing! A Musical Evolution; and the book for The Piper, which he wrote with Grammy-winning songwriter Marcus Hummon. Mr. Aman holds a PhD in Theatre History and a Master's degree in Dramaturgy.

Dana P. Rowe (music) is an American composer whose musical theater works have been performed in New York City, London's West End and around the world. Rowe's scores for The Fix and The Witches Of Eastwick, both of which were produced in London by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, earned critical acclaim and Olivier Award nominations for Best New Musical. The Witches of Eastwick was also produced by the Ogunquit Playhouse in 2014. His off-Broadway musical Zombie Prom has reached cult status and is soon to be a major motion picture. MR. Rowe wrote the score for Brother Russia, which was a recipient of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and premiered at the Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA.

Matt Schicker advances musicals and plays through strategic creative and business developmental steps as a self-titled "Show Shepherd." His projects since 2002 include LMNOP - A New Muzical (TUTS Underground, Goodspeed Musicals, NYC Developmental Lab; dir. Joe Calarco); Into the Wild and Joe Iconis' Broadway BounTy Hunter (Rhinebeck Writers Retreat developmental readings); Tonight's Star (an audience-interactive concert with cutting-edge mobile technology); The Spiritualist (for TheatreSquared); Harriet (NYMF with an all-star cast featuring LiLlias White); among others. He was co-producer of the original musical Yank!, which had a hit run Off-Broadway in 2010 at The York Theatre Company (Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations), and received workshops co-produced with the Roundabout Theatre Company and The Old Globe Theatre in 2011 (dir. David Cromer). He was Executive Producer of the Yank! Original Off-Broadway Cast Album on PS Classics. For East of Doheny Productions, Matt previously collaborated with Goodspeed Musicals on the August 2010 production of the new musical Radio Girl (dir. Christopher Gattelli). He was formerly the Producing Artistic Director of Playhouse on the Green (CT) and Membership Director of National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) 2005-2008. Mr. Schicker is currently on Board of Directors of the New York Theatre Barn and the HAIR Tribes Foundation as well as a Member, National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT).

The Ogunquit Playhouse, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization listed on the National Historic Register, is located on Route One in Ogunquit, Maine and produces the finest Broadway musicals each season with performances Tuesday through Sunday, from May to November. Follow the Ogunquit Playhouse on Twitter (@OgunquitPH) and on Facebook (facebook.com/OgunquitPlayhouse) for behind-the-scenes info, photos and fun throughout the season. For a complete list of show times, pricing and more information about the season visit www.ogunquitplayhouse.org.

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