The New York Post reports that Carolee Carmello, Greg Edelman and Heather Mac Rae will take part in the reading of Anna Christie, which features a book by Tony Award-winning librettist Joe Masteroff. Masteroff penned the books for the award-winning musicals Cabaret and She Loves. Opera composer Ed Thomas has written the Anna Christie score.
Anna Christie won O'Neill one of his Pulitzer Prizes and eventually gave film star Greta Garbo her first speaking role. It tells the story of three lost souls, including the title character, who arrives at New York's waterfront at the play's beginning, fleeing a life of hardship and prostitution in the Midwest. Her secret is unknown, however, by her father, a crusty captain of a coal barge who abandoned her at a young age, and Matt, a boastful sailor who falls in love with her, despite the captain's objections. All seem headed toward a happy ending until Anna feels compelled to reveal her sordid past and confronts a host of biases and double standards.
Carolee Carmello, who returns to the Broadway company of Mamma Mia! in October, received a Tony nomination for her work in Lestat and a Drama Desk Award and a Tony nomination for her performance in Lincoln Center’s Parade. She has also starred on Broadway in Urinetown; Kiss Me, Kate; The Scarlet Pimpernel; 1776; City of Angels; and Falsettos. Carmello received an Obie Award for her work in the Off-Broadway musical Hello Again, and her other Off Broadway credits include Elegies, A Class Act, john and jen, Das Barbecü, I Can Get It for You Wholesale and The Vagina Monologues.
Gregg Edelman, seen Off-Broadway in Flight, received Tony nominations for his performances in City of Angels, Anna Karenina, 1776 and the revival of Into the Woods. His other Broadway credits include Cats, Oliver!, Les Misérables, Anything Goes, Cabaret, Falsettos, Passion and Wonderful Town.
Heather Mac Rae has appeared on Broadway in Hair and Falsettos and Off-Broadway in The Hot'L Baltimore, Emily, Abie's Island Rose and Stars in Your Eyes. She played Cookie in the national tour of Rumors and Mary Magdalene in a Los Angeles production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Her regional credits are numerous. Mac Rae has appeared on screen in "Bang the Drum Slowly," "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex. . .," "A Perfect Couple" and "Life with Mikey."
