York Theatre Company to Continue Developmental Reading Series With THE PIGEON BOYS and JONESTOWN

York Theatre Company will present two new offerings in its acclaimed Developmental Reading Series: The Pigeon Boys (April 18) featuring Leo Ash Evans, David Perlman and Josh Segarra and Jonestown (April 19).

Both readings will begin at 3:00 p.m. and are free to the public at The York Theatre at Saint Peter’s (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). For additional information on the Series and to make reservations for any of the upcoming presentations, visit the readings page at www.yorktheatre.org.

Each year, York’s Developmental Reading Series presents between 30 to 40 readings and workshops of new musicals by emerging and established authors. Producing Artistic Director James Morgan says, “These readings give writers a unique opportunity to get audience feedback while a show is still in progress.” York’s past Mainstage productions of Yank!, Souvenir and The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) were first developed in the Developmental Reading Series, where the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit Avenue Q also made its first appearances. The Developmental Reading Series is made possible in part by The Dorothy Strelsin Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts and NYC Department of Cultural Affairs.

The April Development Reading Series schedule is, as follows:
Wednesday, April 18 at 3:00 p.m.

The Pigeon Boys
Presented in association with Anne Berlin
Book and Lyrics by Anne Berlin
Music by Andrew Bleckner
Directed by Joe Barros
Musical Direction by Cathy Venable

The cast will feature Leo Ash Evans (York’s Ionescopade, West Side Story), David Perlman (York’s Yank!, Baby It’s You), and Josh Segarra (Lysistrata Jones) who will read the parts of three pigeoneers.

The reading will be directed by Joe Barros (Artistic Director, NY Theatre Barn), with musical direction by Cathy Venable. For this reading elements of puppetry will be explored and introduced, with puppets designed, built and puppeteered by Fergus J. Walsh.

The cast will feature Leo Ash Evans (York’s Ionescopade, West Side Story), David Perlman (York’s Yank!, Baby It’s You), and Josh Segarra (Lysistrata Jones) who will read the parts of three pigeoneers.

The Pigeon Boys tells the story of the forgotten pigeoneers of World War II and explores the lives of three soldiers -- an American, a Brit, and a German. As the boys face the harsh realities of war and one life-or-death mission, they reveal the mysteries of the 50,000 pigeons used to save the lives of soldiers and airmen. Their intertwined stories of love, hope and fear look at the struggles of becoming a man.

The Pigeon Boys was last seen in the 2011 New York Musical Theatre Festival where it was presented as a developmental reading.

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Thursday, April 19 at 3:00 p.m.

Jonestown
book by Carl Kelsch
lyrics by Stephen Thompson with Carl Kelsch
Music by Stephen Thompson
Casting and creative team will be announced shortly.

In 1978, the unthinkable happeneD. Jonestown charts the last three years of Peoples Temple and the events that led to the group's tragic end in November of '78. The gospel-influenced score gives a voice to the members' hopes and ideals beyond the shadow of their leader Jim Jones.