Pamela's First Musical, by Wendy Wasserstein & More, to Make Long-Awaited World Premiere with Two River Theater

More than 20 years after the start of its development, Pamela's First Musical will have a starry world premiere production this fall at Red Bank, New Jersey's Two River Theater. The theater launches its 25th anniversary season with the long-awaited show, written by Wendy Wasserstein, Christopher Durang, Cy Coleman and David Zippel, and featuring a cast of 15 with an eight-piece band. Performances will begin in Two River's Rechnitz Theater on September 8 with an opening set for September 14.

Based on the 1996 children's book by Wasserstein, who crafted the tuner's book with Durang, Pamela's First Musical features music by Coleman and lyrics by Zippel. Developed by Two River Theater for several years, Pamela's First Musical will now be directed and choreographed by Graciela Daniele, with music supervision and arrangements by Kevin Stites.

The musical tells the story of Pamela (to be played by 12-year-old Sarah McKinley Austin), an unhappy, imaginative young girl whose mother has died. Her father (Howard McGillin), though well-meaning, doesn't fully understand his creative, unusual daughter. When Pamela's eccentric and fabulous Aunt Louise (Carolee Carmello) sweeps her away on her birthday to see her very first Broadway musical, Pamela meets many of the colorful personalities of the New York theater world, including musical comedy star Mary Ethel Bernadette (Andréa Burns), producer Bernie S. Gerry (David Garrison) and director Hal Hitner (Michael Mulheren). In meeting them and watching a clever musical-within-a-musical, Pamela discovers her tribe and the place where, as she sings, "all the pieces fit"—the world of musical theater.

Pamela's First Musical was originally scheduled to have its world premiere in 2005. That production was canceled due to Coleman's death in 2004 and Wasserstein's illness, which led to her untimely death in 2006. Two River's mounting will mark the first fully staged production of the musical.

The cast of Pamela's First Musical will also include Wesley J. Barnes, Jeanine Bruen, Mary Callanan, Nick Cearley, Erica Dorfler, Hillary Fisher, Jacobi Hall, Elizabeth Ritacco and Blake Zolfo. The creative team will feature music director Gregory J. Dlugos, orchestrator Charlie Rosen, scenic designers David Gallo and Viveca Gardiner, costume designer Gabriel Berry, lighting designer David Lander and sound designer Drew Levy.

Pamela's First Musical will play a limited engagement through October 7.