The Acting Company’s Louanna O. Carlin & John MacDonald Reading Series will continue March 6th at 7 PM at the Mainstage Theatre in New York City with a reading of Billy Strayhorn: Something to Live For.

Produced by special arrangement with Steven Tabakin/Swee Pea LLC, the evening will feature the talents of Charl Brown (Motown the Musical), Tony nominee Sidney DuPont (Paradise Square), Cory Jeacoma (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), J.D. Mollison (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), Keziah John-Paul (The Book of Mormon), Allan K. Washington (SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical), and Tatiana Wechsler (Mr. Saturday Night).

Billy Strayhorn: Something to Live For features the music and lyrics of the late jazz Billy Strayhorn; a book by Robert Zellers (The Chief) and Kent Gash (Troilus and Cressida), who also directs; and musical direction by Matthew Whitaker (Emotions & Underground!). 

The musical charts the life of openly gay jazz innovator and activist Strayhorn and his collaborations with Duke Ellington, including “Take the ‘A’ Train” and “Lush Life.” 

Casting is by Tara Rubin Casting’s Merri Sugarman. Ellie Handel serves as stage manager and Olivia Fletcher as assistant stage manager.