The show will be staged at the summer Vassar College digs of New York Stage and Film. John Carrafa (Urinetown, Into the Woods) will direct and choreograph.
Also in the cast are Titus Burgess, Heath Calvert, Tom Deckman, Elizabeth Fye, Geoffrey Hemingway, David Larsen, Julie Martell, Tyler Maynard, Megan McGinnis, Nina Negri, Julie Reiber, David Resier, Jose Restrepo, Jonathan Richard Sandler, Krysta Rodriguez, Allison Spratt, Emily Toress and Haneefah Wood.
As previously reported by Playbill On-Line, the new Dodger-produced show has an original book by Richard Dresser (Rounding Third, Below the Belt) and uses the songs of the Beach Boys. The plot, however, is not a biographical tale of the blond-mopped California band that celebrated cars, girls and surfing in the 1960s.
"It will be a new hybrid," Carrafa told Variety, "somewhere between Mamma Mia! and Movin' Out."
The Broadway-aimed show would be the Broadway directorial debut for the choreographer of Into the Woods, Dance of the Vampires and Urinetown. There is no announced timetable for the Beach Boys musical, which will be produced by the Dodgers, the team that helped bring Urinetown to Broadway. "We're starting quiet and low-profile," said Carrafa, "like we did with Urinetown." However, the rumor mill has the show possibly transferring to a New York stage during the 2004-05 season if all goes well in Poughkeepsie.
The remaining NYS&F lineup is as follows (subject to change):
Honor and the River (July 7-10) Powerhouse
Good Canary starring Lucy Liu (July 9-11) - Susan Stein Shiva Theater
Bach at Leipzig starring Mark Linn-Baker (July 14-17) - Powerhouse
Free Outdoor Theater in Repertory (July 14-25)
Readings Festival 2 (July 23-25)
My Andy by (July 22-24) Powerhouse
The Petersons Project (July 30-Aug. 1) - Shiva
For tickets and information, call (845) 437-7235 or www.newyorkstageandfilm.org.