The Nightingale is being developed as part of New York Stage and Film and Vassar College's 2011 Powerhouse Theater season, which began June 24.
Moisés Kaufman (33 Variations) directs the July 8-10 presentations of the musical, which has been re-explored by Sater since earlier drafts and workshops.
The cast includes Esper (American Idiot) as the Young Emperor, Harris (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Cry-Baby) as Dowager Empress and Cerveris (Sweeney Todd, Tommy) as the Emperor.
Also appearing are Uzo Aduba (Coram Boy) as Fisherwoman, Celina Carvajal (Cats, 42nd Street, Dracula), Blake Daniel (Spring Awakening) as Lieutenant Eunuch, Andrew Durand (The Burnt Part Boys, Spring Awakening) as Emissary, Kimiko Glenn as Princess Ssu-ming, Kylie Liya Goldstein (Les Misérables) as Nightingale, Arielle Jacobs (In the Heights) as Feiyan, Michael Mastro (West Side Story, Mamma Mia!, Side Man) as Chief Eunuch and Matt McGrath (Cabaret, A Streetcar Named Desire) as Minister of State. Lon Hoyt is musical director.
Sater and Sheik's work is described as a "compelling contemporary musical rendering of Hans Christian Andersen's classic tale of a young emperor who finds his heart in the song of a small grey bird – and in the soul of a common servant girl - far beyond the walls of the Forbidden City."
Phone (845) 437-5599 or visit Powerhouse.Vassar.edu.