Casting Announced for 2015 NYMF Shows Including Deep Love and Pope! An Epic Musical

Casting has been announced for several productions that are part of the 2015 New York Musical Theatre Festival, running from July 7-27 in Midtown Manhattan. To purchase tickets, click on the hyperlinked titles below.

Deep Love: A Ghostly Rock Opera will see its New York premiere from July 17-24 at the Pershing Square Signature Center. The show, about love, loss, and indecision in the relationship of two sweethearts, features a score by Ryan Hayes and Garrett Sherwood, a book by Jon Peter Lewis, Hayes, and Sherwood, and direction by Lewis and Michael Rader.

Featuring American Idol and The Voice contestant Lewis alongside fellow Voice vets Hayes and Amy Whitcomb, Sherwood, and Melanie Stone, the production has musical direction by Ben Matthews and choreography by Ray Mercer. The creative team includes David Goldstein (set design), Bree Perry (costume design), Braden Howard (lighting design), Matt Searle (sound design), amd Ariel Lafontaine (makeup design.)

Wearing Black, will be presented at Theatre 3 from July 9-July 15. Written by Riley Thomas and directed by J. Scott Lapp, the musical tells the story of a twin brother who longs to escape the memory of his late sibling, only to slip into a spiral of self-destruction.

The company is made up of Mark Coffin, Alexis Field, BJ Gruber, Devin Ilaw, Erin Maya, Hayley Anna Norris, and Kevin Schuering. The production features scenic and lighting design by David Goldstein and fight choreography by Andrew Kenneth Moss. Ben Caplan serves as musical director.

Real Men, A Musical For Guys and The Women Who Put Up With Them, will run from July 13-20 at The Laurie Beechman Theatre at the West Bank Cafe. With book, music and lyrics by Paul Louis and Nick Santa Maria, the production is directed by David Arisco.

Featuring a cast made up of Paul Louis, Nick Santa Maria, and Stephen G. Anthony, the show is a musical romp through manhood, fatherhood, dating, marriage, sexuality, and puppetry. Manny Schvartzman serves as musical director, with Patrick Tennent designing lighting, Ellis Tilman designing costumes, and Joshua Dobarganes acting as puppeteer.

Pope! An Epic Musical will run from July 15-21. Written by Justin Moran and Christopher Pappas, the production is directed by Peter Flynn and tells the story of a young rockstar called Pope, who must save the world from his nemesis, the Archbishop.

Featured in the company are Gilbert L. Bailey II, Sam Bolen, Britney Coleman, Jason Edward Cook, Jarid Faubel, Brian Flores, Megan Lewis, Vasthy Mompoint, Dylan S. Wallach, and Ken Land. Wendy Seyb serves as choreographer. The production includes scenic design by Rob Bissinger, costume design by Vanessa Leuck, sound design by Patrick Weaver, and musical direction by Adam Podd.

Andrew Sabiston and Timothy Williams' Napoleon will run from July 15-22 under the direction of Richard Ouzounian at the Pershing Square Signature Center. The musical looks at Napoleon's political rise through the eyes of his mastermind, Talleyrand.

The cast includes Joseph Leo Bwarie as Napoleon, Margaret Loesser Robinson as Josephine, Matthew Patrick Quinn as Talleyrand, Dane Agostinis, Jenny Ashman, Wilson Bridges, Jessica Crouch, Adam Daveline, Nick Gaswirth, Danielle Gimbal, Jack Ryan Mosbacher, Christopher J. Nolan, Katerina Papacosta, Daniel Schwait, and Ryan Speakman.

The creative team includes Zach Blane (lighting design), David Margolin Lawson (sound design), April Soroko (set design), Tristan Raines (costume design), Sam Strasfeld (choreography), and Joshua Zecher-Ross (musical direction).

210 Amlent Avenue, directed by Samantha Saltzman, will run from July 7-27 at the Pershing Square Signature Center. Written by Becky Goldberg and Karl Hinze, the production is described as a cross between August: Osage County and A Little Night Music, with Next to Normal and Ghosts thrown in for good measure.

The cast is made up of Robin Skye, Zal Owen, Lisa Beth Birnbaum, Steven Hauck, Nikki Van Cassele, Roger Yeh, and Jen Brissman. Featured on the creative team are Christopher & Justin Swader (set design), Driscoll Otto (lighting design), Andréa Breslin (costume design).

A staged reading of Day of Wrath, a new musical by research scientist by Eric B. Sirota will be presented on July 18 and 20. Inspired by Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the reading will feature Carl Hulden (Creature), Brian C. Veith (Victor Frankenstein), Raquel Tillo (Elizabeth Lavenza), Paul Chamberlain (Alphonse Frankenstein) and Sam Rohloff (Henry Clerval). It will be directed by Katharine Pettit, with musical direction by Mila Henry.

A reading of The Gold, a new musical featuring a book by Andrea Lepcio & Philip Yosowitz and music and lyrics by Philip Yosowitz, will take place under the direction of Michael Bush on July 16 and 19. The company includes Bob Ader, Mick Bleyer, Eric Cole, Josh Davis, Michael Ingram, Jennifer Malenke, Natalie Ortega, and Josh Skurnik.

A reading of The Guide to Being Single will take place on July 8 and 11. With a score by Alexi Kovin and a book by Kaitlin Gilgenbach, the musical is directed by Antoinette DiPietropolo and musical directed by Jonathon Lynch. The cast includes Remy Zaken, Eric LaJuan Summers, David Perlman, Lana Neuman, Melanie Brook, Tim Murray, and Ellen Zolezzi.