Broadway's J. Robert Spencer, Jill Paice, Tom Wopat, John Cullum and Natalie Belcon are among players participating in a May 7 Manhattan reading of songwriter Bruce Hornsby's new musical SCKBSTD. Tony Award winner Kathleen Marshall will direct. As previously reported, the musical will premiere in January 2011 at Virginia Stage Company in Norfolk, VA. VSC previously characterized the musical this way: "After a stranger moves into a small town and starts cruising the streets in his Dodge, the rumors fly." The musical will be part of VSC's American Soil project, which explores life in southeastern Virginia. No casting (or creative team) has been announced for the 2011 run.

Hornsby, a Williamsburg, VA, native, had a hit with "The Way It Is," performed by Hornsby and the Range. The singer-musician-writer draws on rock, bluegrass, jazz and more for his sound.

The New York City reading cast will also include William Parry, Becky Ann Baker, Anastasia Barzee, Bryan Tyree Henry, Joey Sorge, James Moye, Dalton Harrod, Riley Costello and Brynn Williams.

Musical direction is by Kim Grigsby. This is the third reading for SCKBSTD (a variation on "sick bastard"). The previous readings were held in November 2008 and June 2009.

The show includes 19 original songs by three-time Grammy Award winner Hornsby. Eight of the songs from SCKBSTD were featured on Hornsby's 2009 recording "Levitate."

The book for SCKBSTD is by Virginian Clay McLeod Chapman (The CMC Pumpkin Pie Show, Hostage Song) with lyrics co-written by Hornsby's longtime friend, fellow Virginian Chip deMatteo.

SCKBSTD is produced by Mike Rafael & David Riemer for Spiral Staircase LLC. The general manager is Roy Gabay. Casting is by Jim Carnahan.