Galt MacDermot's The Human Comedy Begins Astoria Run May 5 | Playbill

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News Galt MacDermot's The Human Comedy Begins Astoria Run May 5 Galt MacDermot's rarely-seen 1984 musical The Human Comedy unfolds May 5 under the wings of the Astoria Performing Arts Center.

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Galt MacDermot Photo by Aubrey Reuben

APAC artistic director Tom Wojtunik stages the musical based on the William Saroyan coming-of-age story set during WWII. Performances will run through May 21 at the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Astoria.

The Human Comedy has a score by Grammy and Tony Award-winning Hair composer MacDermot and a libretto by William Dumaresq.

The company has also announced that MacDermot will participate in a post-performance talk-back of "Making The Human Comedy Sing" May 14 following the 2 PM matinee. APAC has also scheduled “Life on the Homefront: The World of The Human Comedy” with WWII veteran Salvatore Gagliardo on May 21 following the 2 PM performance.

The ensemble cast includes Aaron J. Libby as Homer, Victoria Bundonis as Kate, Jonathan Gregg as Spangler, Deidre Haren as Bess, Stephen Trafton as Marcus, D. William Hughes as Tobey, Rachel Rhodes-Devey as Mary, Richard Vernon as Grogan, Rayna Hickman as Diana, Anthony Pierini as Ulysses, Marcie Henderson as Beautiful Music, Douglas Lyons as Trainman, Michael Jones as Felix, Philip Deyesso as Thief, Tauren Hagans as Mexican Woman, Jan-Peter Pedross as Matthew, Nicole Mangi as Helen, Jean Liuzzi as Mrs. Hicks, and Chris Causer, Andrew Leggieri and Tim Shelton as the soldiers. The ensemble includes Nathan Brisby, Jennifer Margulis, Amie Bermowitz and Allyson Pace.

Jeffrey Campos music directs the through-composed score. The production has set design by Michael P. Kramer, costume design by Hunter Kaczorowski, lighting design by Dan Jobbins, sound design by David A. Thomas and prop design by Ashlee Springer. Christine O'Grady is choreographer. According to APAC, "The coming-of-age tale focuses on young Homer Macauley, a telegram messenger who is exposed to the sorrows and joys experienced by his family and the residents of his small California town during World War II. Homer's mother Kate is struggling to support her children following the death of her husband, his older brother Marcus is in the Army, his teenaged sister Bess daydreams about romance, and his younger brother Ulysses divides his attention between the passing trains and an unrequited desire to know why his father had to die."

The Human Comedy premiered at the Public Theater in 1983 prior to a short-lived, 13-performance Broadway run in 1984.

For tickets and further information phone (212) 352-3101 or visit APACNY.org.

 
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