Brown, Freeman, Hammerle, Larsen Cast In BOOMERS At York Theatre, Begins 5/1

The award-winning York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) is thrilled to announce casting for Boomers, the next offering in its acclaimed Developmental Reading Series. As always, these readings are open to the general public and admission is free, but reservations are suggested, and can be obtained by e-mailing Reading Series Coordinator Jeff Landsman at jlandsman@yorktheatre.org or calling 212-935-5824 x24.

Boomers
BY DAVID BUSKIN and Jake Holmes
Friday, May 1, 2009 • 3 PM
Directed by Maggie L. Harrer, Music Direction by Irwin Fisch.

The Cast of Boomers will feature Jeb Brown (Grease), Cheryl Freeman (The Who's Tommy), Karl Hammerle, Liz Larsen (Hairspray), Paul Oakley Stovall (Shortbus), and Ken Triwush (Titanic).

David Buskin is a member of musical group, Modern Man, and was the recipient of the Kate Wolf Award from the World Folk Music Association in 1999. Jake Holmes has written music for Mata Hari and Sidewalkin' as well as incidental music for A Small Family Business.

Boomers is a witty, wry and often moving look at the generation that didn't trust anyone over 25 and grew up refusing to grow up. Planning to live forever, they are chagrined to find themselves aging. Sandwiched between the Greatest and Millennium generations, they are struggling to cope with universal issues of relationships, family and ideals of personal fulfillment. Drawing from the music that defined their generation, David Buskin and Jake Holmes have created a fascinating, contemporary new musical.

The York Theatre Company was just nominated for five 2009 Drama Desk Awards, four 2009 Lucille Lortel Awards, two Outer Critics Circle Awards, and two Drama League Awards for its productions of Enter Laughing, The Musical and My Vaudeville Man! last season. York Theatre Company is one of few companies in the country-in fact, in the world-committed to developing and producing new Musical Theatre Works and rediscovering musical gems from the past. Winner of a special Drama Desk Award for developing and producing new musical theatre, York's intimate, imaginative style of producing both original and classic musicals has resulted in critical acclaim and recognition from artists and audiences alike for almost four decades. Under the guidance of Artistic Director James Morgan since 1997, the York has focused exclusively on new musicals in its Mainstage Series-most of them world, American, or New York premieres-by some of the field's most esteemed creators, and has also helped launch the careers of many talented new writers.

Each year, York's Developmental Reading Series presents between 30 to 40 readings and workshops of new musicals by emerging and established authors, all free of charge and open to the public. Producing Artistic Director James Morgan says, "These readings give writers a unique opportunity to get audience feedback while a show is still in progress and gives audiences an active role in the creative process." York's productions of Souvenir and The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) were first developed in the Developmental Reading Series, where the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit Avenue Q also made early appearances. The Developmental Reading Series is made possible in part through a generous donation from The Dorothy Strelsin Foundation.

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