11th Hour Theatre Company Offers Staged Reading of THE LIFE This Weekend

11th Hour Theatre Company opens its Next Step Concert Series with three staged readings of The Life today, October 4 and 5 at the Mainstage at the Adrienne. With music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Ira Gasman, and book by David Newman, Ira Gasman and Cy Coleman, The Life will be directed by 11th Hour's Associate Producer Kate Galvin and feature an ensemble cast of 11th Hour veterans Cara Noel Anotsca, Adair Arciero, Marissa K. Hines, Brendan Norton, Michael Philip O'Brien, Nichalas Parker, and Rob Tucker, joined by Travis Battle, Zoi Gianneas, Jessica Johnson, Greg Laucella, Janelle McDermoth, and Amanda Robles.

Performances are Saturday, October 4 at 8 PM and Sunday, October 5 at 2 PM and 7 PM. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $15 for students and industry, and are available at www.11thhourtheatrecompany.org or by calling 267-987-9865.

Inhabited by pimps and prostitutes, druggies and dealers, The Life depicts the pulsating and tough life on the Times Square streets in the 1980s, before the days of Rudy Guliani and Disney. The Life opened on Broadway in 1997 and ran for more than a year. It received 11 Tony nominations, winning for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, Best Featured Actress in a Musical and Best Lighting Design, and 9 Drama Desk nominations, winning for Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Music, and Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical.

"Our Next Step series is entering its third year, and we have had an incredible response to the new and seldom-seen musicals that we've featured so far. Our productions over the last two years have consistently played to packed houses and this year's line up will continue to challenge our audience and expose them to a diverse array of musical styles." said 11th Hour's Producing Artistic Director Michael Philip O'Brien.

The Next Step Concert Series concludes with Dogfight with music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and book by Peter Duchan (November 22-23); A New Brain with music and lyrics by William Finn, and book by William Finn and James Lapine (March 28-29); and Dani Girl with music by Michael Kooman, and book and lyrics by Christopher Dimond (May 16-17).

11th Hour Theatre Company is a dynamic, boutique theatre company committed to producing high quality musical theatre that favors intimate, story-driven musicals over flashy, budget-busting spectacles. Now in its tenth season, the company has presented twelve Philadelphia premieres and has received thirty-two Barrymore nominations and eight awards, including two consecutive awards for "Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical" (The Bomb-itty of Errors, The World Goes 'Round), several individual artist awards, and the first-ever June & Steve Wolfson Award for An Evolving Theater.

For further information, please call 215-735-7356.

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