Donald Brenner directs a cast that includes Carole Shelley (Wicked, The Elephant Man), Alma Cuervo (Beauty and the Beast, The Heidi Chronicles), Rita Gardner (The Fantasticks), Donald Corren (Torch Song Trilogy), Carole Monferdini (Full Gallop) and Celia Howard (Give Me Your Answer, Do). The reading tales place at the Abingdon Theatre, 312 W. 36th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. Admission is free, but reservations are a must at (212) 868-4444.

In December Fools "the widow and daughter of a legendary Broadway composer confront their family betrayals, unleashing the past — with all of its comic and tragic secrets," according to the announcement.

"We did a more informal reading at the Abingdon last September with Anne Jackson and Penny Fuller and the Abingdon has decided to move forward with its development to this staged reading level," director Brenner told Playbill On-Line. "I think Sherman Yellen is a brave writer who has spent a lifetime forging brave attacks on difficult subjects — whether it was Henry VIII, AIDS, sex or families in crisis, which he writes about a lot. The wonderful thing about December Fools is that it manages to mix drama, lyricism, comedy and tragedy into one unique genre. And the themes it deals with are important: forgiveness, the back and forth volley of power between adult children and their aging parents and the way in which we all protect our personal truths. It's a fascinating play."

Yellen was Tony-nominated for his libretto to The Rothschilds.