Pamela’s First Musical, based on the children's book by the late Pulitzer Prize winner Wendy Wasserstein, officially opens in its world-premiere engagement at New Jersey's Two River Theater September 14.
Directed and choreographed by ten-time Tony nominee Graciela Daniele with music supervision and arrangements by Kevin Stites, the production began previews September 8 in Two River’s Rechnitz Theater. The limited engagement continues through October 7.
Pamela’s First Musical has a book by Tony winner Wasserstein (The Heidi Chronicles) and Tony winner Christopher Durang (Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike), with music by Tony winner Cy Coleman and lyrics by Tony winner David Zippel (City of Angels).
The cast is led by 12-year-old Sarah McKinley Austin in the title role with two-time Tony nominee Howard McGillin as her father, three-time Tony nominee Carolee Carmello as Aunt Louise, Drama Desk winner Andréa Burns as musical comedy star Mary Ethel Bernadette, Tony nominee David Garrison as producer Bernie S. Gerry, and Tony nominee Michael Mulheren as director Hal Hitner.
The musical tells the story of an unhappy, imaginative young girl whose mother has died. Her father doesn’t fully understand his creative, unusual daughter. When Pamela’s eccentric and fabulous Aunt Louise sweeps her away on her birthday to see her very first Broadway musical, she meets many of the colorful personalities of the New York theatre world. In meeting them and watching a musical-within-a-musical, Pamela discovers where she belongs.
The cast also features Wesley J. Barnes, Jeanine Bruen, Mary Callanan, Nick Cearley, Erica Dorfler, Hillary Fisher, Jacobi Hall, Elizabeth Ritacco, and Blake Zolfo.
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The creative team includes music director Gregory J. Dlugos, orchestrator Charlie Rosen, scenic designers David Gallo and Viveca Gardiner, costume designer Gabriel Berry, lighting designer David Lander, and sound designer Drew Levy. The casting is by Tara Rubin Casting. The production stage manager is Lori M. Doyle, and the assistant stage manager is James Steele.
McGillin and Burns have been special guest performers on Playbill's Broadway on the High Seas cruises. Cabins are now on sale for Playbill’s Broadway on the Rhône River 2 cruise April 7–14, 2019, featuring Melissa Errico, Rebecca Luker, Marc Kudisch, and Seth Rudetsky, and Broadway in Bordeaux With Michael Feinstein September 1–9, 2019, with other celebrity guests to be announced! Call Playbill Travel for tickets at 866-455-6789 or visit PlaybillTravel.com.
(Updated September 14, 2018)
