The Late Elizabeth Swados' Runaways Will Return to New York for City Center's Encores! Off-Center

Runaways, the innovative 1978 musical by the late Elizabeth Swados, will return to New York as part of City Center's Encores! Off-Center 2016 season. The announcement comes just two days after Swados’ passing; she was 64.

Sam Pinkleton will direct the summer production, with Ani Taj as choreographer. Both were students of Swados’ at NYU Tisch. Additional information, including exact dates, will be announced later.

“When I came to Encores! Off-Center, Runaways was at the top of my list of shows to present,” said Artistic Direcotr Jeanine Tesori in a statement. “I have always wanted to honor Liz’s work and thank her for the extraordinary contributions she made as a theater artist. She was a woman to look up to and made room for other artists like myself.” She added, “Since we can’t do Runaways with her, we’ll now do it for her.”

Much like how Swados assembled a team of creators and performers from actual runaways, Tesori, Pinkleton and Taj cast the new production from an open call to high schoolers in New York.

The original production featured 28 teens, who told their personal stories through songs, monologues and spoken word pieces. The revue was nominated for five Tony Awards: one for Best Musical and four for Swados, who directed and choreographed in addition to penning the book and score.