Launched in November by founder and artistic director Evan Greenberg, a real-estate broker by trade, AWTP has contracted with a creative team that includes Alex Perez and Julian Reeve, who share Off-Broadway, West End and international touring credits.

"I was a theatre geek growing up, rehearsing and performing in shows from the age of 3 to 14," explained Greenberg in a statement. "It was in recent years that I recognized a void in my life – that I missed the fun, community, and self-expression that I got from rehearsing and performing all those years. And it turns out I wasn't alone."

The inaugural cast of 40 ranges in age from 20-65 and was recruited through professional networks, on online forums like MeetUp, and through word-of-mouth. No formal audition was required for general casting, though lead roles were chosen from auditions with the creative team.

"I was singing in the shower one day and I thought, 'There has to be a better venue for me than this'," said cast member Alexandra Krupp, who works for non-profit organization Teach For America. "I Googled 'Be in a show' and now here I am performing in a musical in New York City."

The Theater at the 14th Street Y is located at 344 East 14th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues). For more information and tickets, visit AfterWorkTheater.com.