Directed by Lee Summers (author, From My Hometown), the reading will star Billy Porter (Ghetto Superstar) and Marva Hicks (Broadway Inspirational Voices). Music and lyrics are by Lee Summers, with book by Ben Blake and Summers. The plot goes something like this: When an aspiring funkmaster reaches for the stars, he's caught in an uproarious battle between good and evil, funk and disco, Kentucky fried and Harlem's catfish surprise. Can he win the girl, gain the gig, and rescue the recipe from heinous hands?

According to a festival spokesperson, last year's event directly led to five of the eight shows securing productions. They were: The Drowsy Chaperone (to be done at the Ahmanson Theatre, November 2005), The Flight of the Lawnchair Man (Goodspeed Musicals, May 2005), The Girl in the Frame (Goodspeed Musicals, November 2005), Striking 12 (TheatreWorks Palo Alto, December 2004) and Winesburg, OH (The Arden Theatre Company, October 2005).

Admission is by invitation only and closed to the general public. For more information, visit www.NAMT.net.