ATC, the respected not-for-profit that recently launched the musical Spring Awakening, announced the casting on its website. The journey starts May 11 for a run currently scheduled to July 1 at ATC's mainstage home in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood.
The opening night will be June 14. The staging is produced in association with Tom Hulce and Ira Pittelman, who were also attached to Spring Awakening. In the event that 10 Million Miles had a future commercial life, Hulce and Pittelman would be the shepherds.
Michael Mayer, who helmed Spring Awakening, will direct, and has been shepherding the project for some time. Music and lyrics are by Grammy Award nominee Patty Griffin, who here crosses over into musical theatre from her folk and pop background. The libretto is by Keith Bunin, who penned The Credeaux Canvas, The World Over and The Busy World Is Hushed, all produced by Playwrights Horizons.
According to ATC, 10 Million Miles "follows the story of Duane [Morrison] and Molly's [Molloy] road trip in a beat-up Chevy pick-up truck from the southern tip of Florida to the northwest corner of New York, with plenty of unexpected detours along the way. With a book by Keith Bunin and songs by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Patty Griffin, this is an exhilarating new musical about the pursuit of love and family, and the geography of the American dream."
Winningham (who plays the women of the show) was Oscar-nominated for Best Supporting Actress for "Georgia" in 1995. She snagged two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie ("Amber Waves" and "George Wallace"). She's worked in Hollywood pictures ("St. Elmo's Fire," "Wyatt Earp") and indies ("Dandelion"), and guested in series TV ("Law & Order," "Grey's Anatomy"). As a vocalist, Winningham recorded three albums, "What Might Be" (1992) on the Bay Cities label, "Lonesomers" (1998) on the Razor and Tie label, and "Refuge Rock Sublime" (2007). She is also heard on the soundtrack of "Georgia."
Matthew Morrison was Tony Award-nominated for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for The Light in the Piazza in 2005. He was Drama Desk-nommed for the same job, in the category of Outstanding Actor in a Musical. He created the role of Link in Broadway's Hairspray.
Irene Molloy appeared in Broadway's The Civil War and was a Helen Hayes Award nominee for Whistle Down the Wind in its Washington, DC, world premiere. Skipp Sudduth's Broadway credits include The Grapes of Wrath, On the Waterfront, Twelfth Night and 1999's The Iceman Cometh. He'll play the men in the show.
Patty Griffin's songs have been performed by The Dixie Chicks, Bette Midler, Reba McEntire, Jessica Simpson and Linda Ronstadt. Her new album is "Children Running Through." Her other albums include 1996's "Living With Ghosts," "Flaming Red," "1000 Kisses" and "Impossible Dream" (the last two received Grammy Award nominations).
Inspired by Griffin's music, filmmaker Cameron Crowe selected her to appear in his feature film "Elizabethtown."
Director Michael Mayer is a Tony Award nominee (Thoroughly Modern Millie; A View From the Bridge; You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown).
The creative team for 10 Million Miles features scenic design by Derek McLane, costume design by Michael Krass, lighting design by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, sound design by Brian Ronan, music direction, arrangements and orchestrations by Tim Weil and music coordination by Michael Keller. Casting is by Jim Carnahan Casting.
Tickets are available at Ticketcentral.com.
Atlantic Theater Company at The Linda Gross Theater (the troupe's mainstage) is at 336 W. 20th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues.
Visit www.atlantictheater.com.
