Dorset Theatre Festival to Present THE BOOTLEGGER AND THE RABBI'S DAUGHTER Reading, 8/5

Dorset Theatre Festival is excited to present the next installment in its New Play Reading Series, The Bootlegger and the Rabbi's Daughter, a new musical by Tajlei Levis and composer John Mercurio. Levis's other work includes the jazz age musical Glimpses of the Moon, based on the Edith Wharton novel, and A Time to be Born: A 1940's New York Musical, based on Dawn Powell's novel. John Mercurio is known for his musicals Academy and Through the Looking Glass. Directing the reading is Julie Kramer, whose show The Best of Everything was a New York Times and Time Out Critics' Pick, and was named one of the Best Shows of 2012 by The Huffington Post.

The Bootlegger and the Rabbi's Daughter is a vintage comedy, set in prohibition-era New York. When an enterprising Italian immigrant discovers a synagogue full of sacramental wine, he convinces the Rabbi to take him on as a yeshiva student. It's the perfect cover for monetizing the Manischevitz - until he falls for the Rabbi's daughter. The play debuted at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, where its development reading played to a sold-out house.

The cast for the reading will feature a number of talented Broadway performers including David Bonano (Light in the Piazza), Russell Koplin (Les Miserables), Zacahary Prince (On a Clear Day, You Can See Forever, Baby It's You) and Bruce Winant (La Cage aux Folles, Chicago) alongside Amy Blackman, whose New York reading credits include The Brothers Karamazov at Classic Stage and Mrs. Hughes at New York Theatre Workshop, and Patrick Edgar, recently seen in Orson's Shadow at the Barrows Street Theatre.

This reading, part of the DTF New Play Reading Series, is sponsored by The Wilburton Inn. The reading will take place on Monday, August 5th at 7 pm at the Dorset Playhouse. Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for students. For tickets or more information call the Box Office at (802) 867-2223 or online at dorsettheatrefestival.org.