The April 19 workshop will be held at the York Theatre Company and will also feature the talents of Wally Dunn, Leslie Kritzer, Jeff Skowron and Gerry Vichi. Joy's Ben Rimalower directs the 7:30 PM presentation, which is part of the York's Spring Developmental Reading Series.
The Devil and Dexter Webster features book and lyrics by Alex Wexler and music by Bill Parsley. Mark Hartman is the reading's musical director.
The musical, according to press notes, is described thusly: "When aspiring director, Dex Webster (Tartaglia) signs his soul over to the devil in return for fame and fortune, his career is catapulted from obscurity. Despite his subsequent success as a director of giant, mutated insect flicks, Dex is miserable with his newfound celebrity until the day he falls in love with the beautiful, but bug-phobic, Daphne, the fumigator's daughter (Kritzer). In The Devil and Dexter Webster, people will do anything to get into show business; but what must Dex do to get out?"
John Tartaglia made his Broadway debut in Avenue Q. He received a Tony nomination, a Theatre World Award and the Clarence Derwent Award for that performance. The young actor also appeared in the Children of Eden and Hair benefit concerts and in the City Center Encores! presentation of Carnival. His TV credits include eight seasons on "Sesame Street" as well as "Animal Jam," "Bear in the Big Blue House," "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" and "The Rosie O'Donnell Show." Tartaglia was recently seen in the Empty-Handed concerts at the Lucille Lortel Theatre and has performed solo evenings at the Ars Nova and Joe's Pub. His final performance in Avenue Q was Jan. 30.
The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's Church is located at the Citigroup Center, 619 Lexington Avenue at 51st Street. Those interested in attending the free reading should call (212) 935-5824, ext. 24.
