Blood had been hired to be a reader for auditions for the production, but when actress Celina Carvajal, who had been cast in the role of Sarah, had to depart the show, producers thought Blood could easily handle the part.

“Jennifer Blood was hired by our casting director to be the reader on our first day of auditions," Steven Ullman, one of the musical's producers, told Playbill.com. "As the day went on, we on the production team found ourselves enjoying her performance (facing upstage of us) often more engaging than the people auditioning. She kept making new, different and very interesting choices as she read the same scenes over and over. Finally, I asked her if she sings. She said 'yes' and by the way, just happened to have some music with her."

About her casting Blood told Playbill.com, "I was shocked to wind up with the part! It was my first time being a reader, and I couldn't help but fantasize that something like this would happen, but never really expected it to. I just showed up and had a great time getting to read all the different parts and listen to discussions about casting. It was an interesting line for me to walk, because as the day went on I had more and more ideas about what I could do in the scenes, some of them perhaps a little wacky, and I didn't want to mess up anybody's audition. But towards the end of the day, I just started throwing a little crazy in. I guess they liked it. I still feel bad for that boy that I spoke whale to."

Tickets are available by calling (212) 935-5820 or by visiting www.yorktheatre.org. All performances will be at the company's home at The Theatre at Saint Peter's (54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue).

—Andrew Gans