On Jan. 27, Page Seventy-Three Productions presented a concert reading of a new musical, The Unknown, directed by Jean Randich, with music by Shane Rettig and book and lyrics by Janet Allard, who also conceived and developed the production with Randich.

The Unknown is based on The 1927 movie classic, adapted by Tod Browning, which starred Lon Chaney and a young Joan Crawford. The film starts off in a traveling circus trailer park in present day Florida, in which an armless knife thrower falls in love with his luscious target, who is driven by a pathological fear of men's hands.

The concert reading featured Ken Marks (one of the papas of Mamma Mia), Dale Soules (The Magic Show, The Crucible), Ron Bagde Peter Dinklage (Living in Oblivion), Anika Larsen (Rent), Marl Dold, Joel Garland "The Unknown Band."

The Unknown played Sunday, Jan. 27 at 7 PM and Monday, Jan. 28 at 5 PM at Chelsea Studios in Manhattan. For more information on the piece, call 212 851-8997.

— by Keith Lazarus