Casting Announced for Annual Summer Play Festival at the Public

Casting has been announced for the eight original works—seven plays and one musical—featured in New York City’s yearly Summer Play Festival (SPF) at the Public Theater.

Kevin Christopher Snipes’ The Chimes, which is set in a New England boarding school circa World War II, will feature Elan Moss Bachrach, Richard Bekins, Brian C. Johnson, Graeme Malcolm, John O’Creagh, Andy Phelan, Peter Van Wagner and Jeff Ward. Adam Immerwahr directs.

Christopher Gattelli—a Tony-nominated choreographer (South Pacific) who has dabbled in directing (How to Save the World and Find True Love in 90 Minutes)—helms Dougal Irvine’s musical Departure Lounge. Nick Blaemire (Cry-Baby), Doug Kreeger (Rooms: A Rock Romance), Alex Tonetta and Jonathan B. Wright (Spring Awakening) play a quartet of secret-spilling guys who somehow encounter Kathleen Monteleone (Grease—You’re the One That I Want!).

Ken Urban’s looking-for-love-in-NYC-themed Happy Sad, directed by Trip Cullman (The Drunken City, Dog Sees God), features Christopher Abbott, Sue Jean Kim, Maulik Pancholy (best known as Alec Baldwin’s adoring assistant on 30 Rock), Peter Scanavino (subUrbia, Shining City), Heidi Schreck, and two of Cullman’s God co-stars, American Pie’s Eddie Kay Thomas and Ari Graynor (The Little Dog Laughed), who made her big-screen breakout going a drunken binge in Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.

Zayd Dohm’s Reborning—a dark comedy centering on a baby-doll sculptor—brings offbeat Hedwig and the Angry Inch replacement Ally Sheedy back to the NYC stage; her costars include Greg Keller and Katherine Waterston. Zayd Dohrn directs.

The Sacrifices, by Alena Smith, takes audiences on a Caribbean cruise; Gabe Ebert, Mimi Lieber (Brooklyn Boy), Mackenzie Meehan and LAByrinth Theater Company co-artistic/executive director John Gould Rubin are directed by Sam Gold.

Nicki Bloom’s suspense drama Tender (directed by Daniella Topol) focuses on a family and a random act of violence. Betsy Aidem (Celebration), Kerry Bishé, Michael Cullen and Matt Dellapina are featured. 

A hostage situation and a hit Moscow musical are inextricably entwined in Tim J. Lord’s We Declare You a Terrorist. Niegel Smith directs David Bishins, Keira Keeley and Katie Sigismund.

Aya Cash (From Up Here, Offices), Andrew Garman, Matthew Montelongo, Sean T. Parker and Fully Committed star Mark Setlock compose the cast of Rick Viede’s provocatively titled Whore. Stephen Brackett directs.

SPF runs July 7 through August 2 at the Public Theater.