Testa, Opel & Golden Lead CHEER WARS Readings for Director's Company, 7/29

The Directors Company will present a staged reading of Cheer Wars (book & lyrics by Gordon Leary, music by Karlan Judd) starring stage favorites Mary Testa, Nancy Opel, and Annie Golden. The piece is the winner of the Richard Rodgers Award for Staged Readings, administered by the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Tony nominated director and choreographer Dan Knectges directs the readings, which will take place on Thursday, July 22nd at 1:00 and 4:00 PM and Thursday, July 29, at 1:00 and 4:00 PM at The Peter Norton Space (555 West 42nd Street, New York, NY)

Admission is free, however, reservations are required and can be made by e-mailing tickets@directorscompany.org or by calling 212-246-5877.

As the former captain and current coach of the New London Lady Leopard Varsity Cheer Squad, Doretha Bolingbroke will do anything to keep the cheer bloodline intact. Her daughter Halle is poised to become captain, but when Doretha's old rival Nuella Percy returns from exile with her own cheerleading-machine daughter Charmain, the women must wage an epic battle for control of the squad and cheerdom itself. Inspired by Henry IV, Part 1 and the true story of Wanda Holloway.

Mary Testa: Broadway: Guys and Dolls, Xanadu (Drama Desk nomination), Chicago, 42nd Street (Tony nomination), Marie Christine, On the Town (Tony nomination) ...Forum, The Rink, Marilyn, Barnum. Off-Broadway: Regrets Only, See What I Wanna See (Drama Desk & Drama League nominations), First Lady Suite (Drama Desk nomination), String of Pearls (Drama Desk nomination), The Vagina Monologues, From Above (Obie), others. Film:Eat, Pray, Love, The Bounty Hunter , Four Single Fathers, Stay, Sleepers, others. Television: Electric Company, Life on Mars, Cashmere Mafia, Sex and the City, Whoopi, others.

Nancy Opel Recent work: PARADISE FOUND (Menier Chocolate Factory w/ Hal Prince and Susan Stroman), THE TOXIC AVENGER (Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics, Lortel noms), THE DROWSY CHAPERONE (National Tour), GYPSY (w/Patti LuPone/ Arthur Laurents, City Center), MY DEAH (Obie Award)Broadway: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (w/Alfred Molina, David Leveaux), URINETOWN (Tony nom.), TRIUMPH OF LOVE, ANYTHING GOES, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, EVITA, RING ROUND THE MOON, GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER, TEDDY AND ALICE Off Broadway: POLISH JOKE (Drama Desk, Lortel noms), MERE MORTALS, ALL IN THE TIMING, BARBRA'S WEDDING, HUNDREDS OF HATS, A NEW BRAIN, DON JUAN IN CHICAGO Film and Television: LAW AND ORDER, L&O SVU, L&O CRIMINAL INTENT, THE ICE STORM, MARCI X, SECOND SKIN, DOTTIE'S THANKSGIVING PICKLE Training: Juilliard SchoolSinging/ Acting coach, inveterate sock knitter, learning Mandarin Chinese www.Nancyopel.com

Annie Golden considers herself the illegitimate child of the legitimate theatre having been discovered on the Bowery fronting a rock band and cast by Milos Forman as Jeannie in HAIR, the 1978 film. On Broadway and off she was last seen in XANADU and created the role of Georgie Bukatinsky in THE FULL MONTY; Sondheim's original Squeaky Fromme in ASSASSINS, the off-Broadway production at Playwrights Horizons, directed by Jerry Zaks; AH! WILDERNESS with Colleen Dewhurst and Jason Robards; ON THE TOWN; LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS as Audrey. Films following HAIR: TWELVE MONKEYS; BABY BOOM; BROOKLYN RULES; SUDDENLY SEEKING SUSAN; and I LOVE YOU: PHILLIP MORRIS! opposite Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor. On the small screen: LAW & ORDER SVU; LAW & ORDER; CHEERS; MIAMI VICE; THIRD WATCH; sang on LETTERMAN with the band as guest soloist and as a member of Darlene Love's Christmas choir each year.

The Directors Company, whose most recent production Irena's Vow, transferred to Broadway last spring, is a not-for-profit theatre company with an extraordinary record in its mission to develop and produce groundbreaking new plays and musicals initiated and generated by outstanding directorial talent, for the American theatre public. The Directors Company mentors and supports emerging artists in the development of original theatre works from inception to production, providing artistic and dramaturgical guidance to promising, new theatre artists and their projects.

For more information, visit www.directorscompany.org.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

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