Shindle and Lawrence Headline Sympathy Jones for NYMF

By Adam Hetrick
August 22, 2007

Sympathy Jones the new super-spy musical making its world premiere at the New York Musical Theatre Festival has announced complete casting.

Playbill.com previously reported that Legally Blonde star Kate Shindle would play the title role in the upcoming musical by Masi Asare and Brooke Pierce. Joining Shindle will be Megan Lawrence (The Pajama Game), Thursday Farrar (Aida), Nicole Lewis (Rent), Amanda Ryan Paige (The Great American Trailer Park Musical), Charlie Pollock (Urinetown), Tony Chiroldes (The Capeman), Christopher Carl (Mamma Mia!) and Glenn Peters (American Dreams).

The musical, according to press notes "tells the story of Sympathy Jones, an overqualified receptionist at a prestigious intelligence agency, who dreams of becoming a super spy. When Sympathy is passed over – yet, again – for a promotion to agent, she decides to take matters into her own hands and steals a top-secret file. She quickly sets out to stop evil mastermind Katherine 'Kitty' Hawk, the leader of the Secret Coalition for Revenge, Assassination, Terrorism, Counterintelligence and Heists (S.C.R.A.T.C.H.). From gadgets to henchmen and bombs to bombshells, the quirky heroine braves it all and, in the process, discovers there is more to being a spy than putting on a catsuit."

Masi Asare has penned music and lyrics, and Brooke Pierce provides the book. Sympathy Jones will be directed by Sarah Gurfield and choreographed by Christine O'Grady. Peter Yarin musical directs the production, with Herrick Goldman serving as lighting designer, and scenic design by Kerry Chipman.

Sympathy Jones is among the 18 productions featured as part of NYMF's Next Link Project.

Kate Shindle currently plays Vivienne in Legally Blonde on Broadway. Her other credits include Cabaret (Sally Bowles) and Jekyll & Hyde (Lucy). Shindle won the Miss America crown in 1998.

Sympathy Jones will play the Julia Miles Theatre (424 West 55th Street) Sept. 24–Oct. 4. Tickets are available by visiting www.nymf.org.

For further information visit www.sympathyjones.com.