By Matthew Blank
14 Sep 2008

David Pittu's What's That Smell: The Music of Jacob Sterling, a satiric portrait of a musical theatre artist you've never heard of, officially opened at Atlantic Stage 2 Sept. 10.

Penned by two time Tony-nominee Pittu, with an original score by Randy Redd, the work is described as "an absurd musical satire that charts the career of eternally up-and-coming (and fictitious) musical theatre composer Jacob Sterling. A rare, up close and personal visit with an artist of questionable gifts who performs from his songbook and shares his human struggle to keep musical theatre alive and well in the 21st century."

The "comedy with vocal selections" stars Pittu (LoveMusik, Is He Dead?) and Peter Bartlett (The Drowsy Chaperone).

Co-directed by Pittu and Atlantic Theater Company artistic director Neil Pepe, the cast also features Brandon Goodman, Matt Schock and Helene Yorke.

What's That Smell is the first production of the Atlantic Stage 2 season, which focuses on the development of new works.

For more information visit www.atlantictheater.org.

Here is a glimpse of the opening-night curtain call and after-show reception held at Atlantic Stage 2 on 330 West 16th Street:

Peter Bartlett and David Pittu		Brandon Goodman and mother Hazelle

Randy Redd		Ann Kaufman Schneider and David Pittu

Peter Bartlett and Marylouise Burke		Hazelle Goodman and Jamie deRoy

Neil Pepe and Julie Halston		Paul Rudnick and Marylouise Burke

Brandon Goodman, Helene Yorke and Matt Schock

Curtain Call

Curtain Call

All photos by Aubrey Reuben