Maltby staged the Goodspeed Musicals and Broadway productions of the intimate work about a novelist preparing a tribute to his lifelong friend. A cast album preserved the score of the show, which lasted only a week on Broadway in 2009. Regional productions have since sprouted.
Maltby will collaborate with Neil Bartram (music & lyrics) and Brian Hill (book) in updating and presenting the two-man musical, according to CMT.
Sean Cercone, executive director of Chicago Music Theatre, will serve as producer of the show. CMT formerly operated as Theatre Building Chicago.
The Story of My Life will run Nov. 7-Jan. 2, 2011 at the Victory Gardens' Zacek McVay Theatre in Chicago.
Maltby's Broadway directing credits include Ring of Fire, Ain't Misbehavin' and Fosse. He is also respected as a lyricist (Miss Saigon, Song & Dance, Baby, Big, Closer Than Ever and Take Flight). He won a Tony Award for Best Direction for Ain't Misbehavin. A reading committee of 35 theatregoers and artists reviewed and rated more than a dozen shows before ranking The Story of My Life as their top choice for production.
According to CMT, "Chicago Music Theatre is seeking to create a strong collaboration and partnership between theatrical artists and audiences as a means of building an engaged community of passionate advocates in the development and production of new musicals."
"We seek to create an experience that starts long before the house lights dim and the overture begins," Cercone said in a statement. "We believe that providing access and context early in the development process of new musicals will build a community of supporters who are eager champions for these new projects."
Chicago Music Theatre "plans to expand the size and involvement of its member groups in identifying and selecting shows for readings, workshops and ultimate production."
Previously operating as Theatre Building Chicago, the company sold its facility on West Belmont in May in order to focus more resources on the development of musical theatre.
"Our members will be provided hands-on opportunities to interact with theatre professionals in the process of selecting promising new works for readings, workshops, a musical theatre festival and ultimate production," Cercone said. "They will be embraced as authentic contributors to the creation and development process."
