Young tops 'Myth' at O'Neill

'Jersey Boy' star to head cast of musical

By FRANK RIZZO

Young

Tony-winning "Jersey Boy" star John Lloyd Young will head the cast of "Myth," one of a series of new musicals getting staged readings at the National Music Theater Conference, to be held next week at the O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Conn.

The annual tuner tank was a part of the development process of recent Tony winner "In the Heights," as well as earlier hits "Avenue Q" and "Nine."

Pamela Myers, Marva Hicks, Paul Oakley Stovall and William Parry are also featured in John Mercurio's "Myth," which runs June 29-July 5. Jeremy Dobrish helms.

Also in this year's lineup is "Iron Curtain" (July 12-19), with Stephen Bogardus; "Max Understood" (July 11-13), with Kerry O'Malley, Matthew Gumley and Ben Roseberry; and "In Transit" (July 5 and 6), with Graham Stevens and Hannah Laird.

The National Playwrights Conference, held simultaneously in July, will also feature Gotham thesps such as Maria Dizzia and Mike Doyle in Rachel Axler's "Smudge" (July 10 and 12); Harriett D. Foy and Stephen Henderson in Regina Taylor's "Magnolia," in collaboration with Chicago's Goodman Theater (July 11 and 13); Michael Shannon and Maggie Lacey in Craig Wright's new play "Mistakes Were Made" (July 18 and 20); Johanna Day and Kevin Geer in Ann Marie Healy's "The Legend of Minnie Willet" (July 24 and 26); and Annie Parisse, Jeremy Bob, Paul Sparks and Lacey in Ursula Rani Sarma's "Without You" (July 25 and 27).

Other plays include Alex Lewin's "The Near East" (July 3 and 5), Jason Grote's "Box Americana" (July 4 and 6) and A. Rey Pamatmat's "Thunder Above, Deeps Below" (July 17 and 19).