Todd Graff ("Camp") will direct the work, which is set to begin previews Dec. 22 and open Jan. 7, 2007, for a run at Center Theatre Group's Mark Taper Forum through Feb. 18.
The Parade and The Last Five Years composer's new musical comedy concerns thirteen 13-year-olds dealing with the perils of teenage years in a middle school in Indiana. Dan Elish provides the book for this work, which was workshopped by CTG in February.
The cast and band — all teenagers — includes Ricky Ashley, Caitlin Baunoch, Molly Bernstein, Jenáe Burrows, Emma Degerstedt, Jamie Eblen, Julia Harriman, Jordan Johnson, Tinashe Kachingwe, Tyler Mann, Sara Niemietz, Ryan Ogburn, J.D. Phillips, Ellington Ratliff, Chris Raymond, Charlie Rosen, Alex Scolari, Chloé Smith, Christian Vandal, Nehemiah Williams and Seth Zibalese.
Michele Lynch handles choreography, and David O is musical director. The design team features David Gallo (set), Candice Cain (costume), Mike Baldassari (lighting), Duncan Robert Edwards (sound) and Zachary Borovay (projection). Band direction is by Craig Wolynez and the production stage manager is William Coiner.
The Taper currently plays home to Lynn Redgrave's Nightingale (through Nov. 19), and the season continues with Lisa Loomer's Distracted (March 15-April 29, 2007) and a co-production (with New York's The Public Theater) of David Henry Hwang's Yellow Face (May 10 – July 1, 2007). Tickets for 13 at the Taper, 135 North Grand Ave. in Los Angeles, CA, are available by calling (213) 628-2772. For more information, visit centertheatregroup.org.
