Playwrights Horizons to Produce Musical Version of Movie Saved

Playwrights Horizons will present the world premiere of Saved, a musical adaptation of the 2004 movie starring Mandy Moore, Jena Malone and Macauley Culkin. The show will feature music and lyrics by Michael Friedman four shows with The Civilians, including Gone Missing; the upcoming production of Romeo and Juliet for Shakespeare in the Park and book and lyrics by Olivier Award nominee John Dempsey The Witches of Eastwick, The Fix, Zombie Prom and Obie Award winner Rinne Groff The Ruby Sunrise, TV's Weeds, based on the movie script by Brian Dannelly and Michael Urban. Directed by Gary Griffin The Color Purple, The Apple Tree, Saved will open in Spring 2008 at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater.

In Saved, good girl Mary and her domineering best friend Hilary Faye are starting their senior year at the top of the social food chain at American Eagle Christian High School—that is, until Mary's boyfriend tells her he thinks he's gay. When Jesus appears in a vision, and Mary heeds his message "to do everything she can to help him," her good deeds are met with dire consequences, and Mary is forced to question everything she's ever believed. Through it all, she finds faith in unexpected places and learns what it truly means to be saved.

All casting and dates for Saved will be announced in the coming months. Playwrights Horizons has developed a number of new musicals, including Grey Gardens now on Broadway, James Joyce's The Dead, Floyd Collins, Assassins and Sunday in the Park with George.