They Love Lucy: Reading of Dance With Me Musical, with Colella and Yazbeck, Presented April 16

By Andrew Gans
April 16, 2007

A host of theatre favorites — including recent High Fidelity star Jenn Colella — are part of the April 16 free reading of the new musical Dance With Me, inspired by the story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.

Part of the York Theatre Company's Developmental Reading Series, the musical will be presented at 7:30 PM. Directed by Robert Bartley, the cast features Colella as Lucy, A Chorus Line's Tony Yazbeck as Desi, A Grand Night for Singing's Lynne Wintersteller as Dede, Annie Get Your Gun's Michelle Blakely as Carole Lombard and Man of La Mancha's Gerrianne Raphael as Hattie.

The ensemble comprises Lesley Alexander, Alberto Bonilla, Meggie Cansler, Jessica Carter, Christopher J. Deaton, Tommy Foster, Misha Gonzales, Brian Gonzales, Aaron Kaburick, Kristin Maloney, Joe Ricci, Tim Salamandyk and Rachel Sullivan.

Dance With Me features book, music and lyrics by Robert Bartley and Danny Whitman. Mark Janas is the musical director, Penny Ayn Maas is the assistant director, and Ricky Pope is the assistant musical director.

The musical is described in this manner: "Escaping the bloodshed of his native Island, a young Cuban boy sets sail on a turbulent journey that leads him all the way to Hollywood and into the arms of a fiery, redheaded movie star named Lucille Ball. Can these two star-crossed lovers blaze a path that defies Hollywood and history to be together?"

For reservations, contact the York Theatre Company at (212) 935-5824, ext. 24. A limited number of seats have been put aside for industry professionals; for industry inquiries call (646) 456-3749.

The York Theatre Company is located within the Theatre at St. Peter's Church at East 54th Street, east of Lexington Avenue.