“The New Yorkers,” a 1930 musical with a score by Cole Porter and a book by Herbert Fields, will receive a pair of private readings this month. The readings, which will take place on April 23 and 24, are to be directed by Tony Award winner John Rando, who helmed a City Center Encores! staging of the musical in 2017. The readings will star Scarlett Strallen and Tam Mutu as Al Spanish, reprising their performances from Encores!
“The New Yorkers” centers on wealthy socialite Alice Wentworth (Strallen) and her turbulent love affair with Prohibition-era bootlegger Al Spanish (Mutu). First opening on Broadway in 1930, the musical features future Broadway standards “Love For Sale,” “Take Me Back to Manhattan,” “Let’s Fly Away” and “I Happen to Like New York.”
Much of the music and lyrics for “The New Yorkers” were believed to be lost following the musical’s original Broadway run. Producer and writer (and former Encores! artistic director) Jack Viertel restored and adapted the musical from original materials for the City Center revival.
Joining Strallen and Mutu in the reading’s cast will be Tony nominees Kevin Chamberlin and Robyn Hurder, Drama Desk Award winners Arnie Burton and Byron Jennings, Mylinda Hull, Clyde Alves and Jeffrey Schecter, all reprising their City Center roles. Also set to appear will be Tony winner Bebe Neuwirth, Anaïs Reno, David Baida, Kyle Scatliffe, Matt Saldivar, Colin Anderson, John Harmon Cooper, Christine DiGiallonardo, Katie McCreary, Timothy McDevitt, Kent Overshown, Lindsay Roberts and Daniel Schwait.
