A Broadway-bound musical adaptation of “Because of Winn-Dixie” will hold a reading in New York this May. The private, invite-only presentation will take place on May 22, and is produced by Bud Martin and Dorothy Berloni.
“Because of Winn-Dixie” is based on the children’s novel of the same name by Kate DiCamillo, which centers on Opal, a lonely young girl in a new town. Opal adopts a friendly stray dog, whom she names after the Winn-Dixie grocery store outside of which she finds him. With Winn-Dixie’s help, she begins to forge friendships with her neighbors, and rebuild her relationship with her father. “Because of Winn-Dixie” was previously adapted into a 2005 film, starring AnnaSophia Robb, Jeff Daniels, Cicely Tyson and singer-songwriter Dave Matthews.
The musical features a book and lyrics by two-time Tony Award nominee Nell Benjamin, who wrote the music and lyrics for the musical adaptation of “Legally Blonde,” the lyrics for “Mean Girls” and the book for “Real Women Have Curves.” The “Because of Winn-Dixie” score is by Duncan Sheik, who won a Tony for penning the songs for “Spring Awakening.” John Rando, the Tony-winning director of “Urinetown” and “Back to the Future,” will direct the “Because of Winn-Dixie” reading; Tony honoree Bill Berloni will contribute animal handling.
The reading will star Mae Schenk as Opal, Tony winner Gabriel Ebert as the Preacher and Tony nominee Damon Daunno as Otis. Rounding out the cast are Aisha de Haas, John Edwards, Brian Hoffman, Ayvah Johnson, Crystal Kellogg, Carolyn Mignini, Nicole Powell, Loic Sarmazian, Kacie Sheik, Christopher William Smyres, Luciana Vandette and Gus (playing Winn-Dixie).
The “Because of Winn-Dixie” musical was previously produced at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre in 2013. It also saw a 2015 production at the Delaware Theatre Company and a production with the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in 2017. Most recently, it received a staging at Goodspeed Musicals in East Haddam, Connecticut in 2019.
