Exclusive! Michael Wartella to Headline Dion Musical The Wanderer at Paper Mill Playhouse

Talented stage alum Michael Wartella will portray singer-songwriter Dion DiMucci in the world premiere musical The Wanderer at Paper Mill Playhouse this spring. The previously announced production, directed by Kenneth Ferrone, will run at the Millburn, NJ theater from May 28 through June 28.

Wartella has been seen on Broadway in Wicked, Tuck Everlasting and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, during which he vlogged for Broadway.com. Last year, he appeared at Paper Mill as Mickey Rooney in the Judy Garland bio-musical Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz.

Wartella will be joined in The Wanderer by the previously announced Joey McIntyre in the role of Johnny. Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

Penned by Charles Messina, The Wanderer is described as the musical journey of Dion DiMucci (Wartella), a troubled young man turned teenage heartthrob and rock-and-roll icon told in intimate and no-holds-barred detail. Dion's lifelong battle with addiction shed a stark light on the darker side of fame and success. The new musical tackles both subjects head-on, set to the iconic sound of an incomparable era in American music. Dion's hit songs include "Runaround Sue," "I Wonder Why," "A Teenager in Love" and "The Wanderer."