I had another giveaway all lined up for today.  I had finished the blog entry and everything.  And then I got a call about the reading of the new musical I’m working on, and thought . . . wait a minute . . . my readers are peeps that are interested in seeing how shows develop, right?  So, why not give away two tickets to the reading?  Because while tickets to a reading may not have a price tag attached, for the right person, they might be more valuable than a couple of tickets to INSERT NAME OF BROADWAY SHOW HERE.

Readings are a first peek at a new show.  A chance for the writers to hear what it sounds like out loud, and a chance for an audience of industry VIPs  . . . well, to judge it like a sow at a country fair.  🙂

But it’s a beginning, and I find beginnings exciting.

And one of you and a guest will be joining me at my reading of Garage Band!

It’s going to be a lot of fun, and features a killer cast including Micky Dolenz (yep, that Micky Dolenz, from The Monkees), Tony Award Winner Beth Leavel, Andy Karl, Amy Spanger, Alex Gemignani, and a whole heck of a lot more.  Jonathan Larson Award Winner Mark Allen wrote the music and lyrics, and Gillian Berkowitz will be providing the musical direction.

The book was written in the same way that I put together The Awesome 80s Prom.  I cast a bunch of actor/writers, and for three months we created characters, improvised scenes, and then we distilled all that down into a script . . . and the story that we came up with goes something like this:

When Mitch Shapiro gets fired from his Wall Street job on his 40^th Birthday, he has no choice but to move back in with his mom . . . in New Jersey.  On his first day back, his best friend from high school suggests that they “put the band back together!”  Mitch thinks his buddy is crazy.  But when Tygen Billows, a local real estate mogul and the town douchebag threatens to foreclose on Mitch’s mom unless Mitch agrees to a re-match of their infamous battle of the bands, Mitch realizes he may have no choice.

So how do you get to be a part of this (hopeful) Broadway beginning?

Tell me . . . were you in a band? If so, what was it called?  If you weren’t in a band, did you want to be?  Was a friend in a band?

Tell me your rock and roll band story, no matter what it is and I’ll pick a random winner to attend the private reading of Garage Band.

See you there!

(Oh, one more thing – the reading is this Friday at 3 PM in midtown – which means we’ll be announcing the winner on Thursay.  Stay tuned!)

(Got a comment? I love ’em, so comment below! Email subscribers, click here, then scroll down, to say what’s on your mind!)

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FUN STUFF:

– Join me at the NY Cares Soiree!  Get tix here.

– Take the Musical Boot Camp!  Click here for info and an application.

– Broadway Road Trip from DC on 4/28.  Click here.