Epic news: Broadway favorites Matt Bogart, Sierra Boggess and Dick Latessa will star in an industry reading of the new musical drama Wallenberg, based on the life of real-life Holocaust hero Raoul Wallenberg. Directed by Karen Carpenter (Love, Loss and What I Wore), the musical features a book and lyrics by Laurence Holzman and Felicia Needleman and a score by Benjamin Rosenblulth. The reading will be held November 18 and 19 at the Clurman Theatre.
Wallenberg tells the inspirational story of Raoul Wallenberg, one of the greatest heroes of the twentieth century. In July 1944, the 32-year-old businessman from Stockholm left the safety of neutral Sweden for Nazi-occupied Hungary. During a six-month stay, he saved over 100,000 lives—more than any other individual, organization or government during the Holocaust. Prior readings of the new musical have been held at Symphony Space, New World Stages and the Jewish Community Center.
This is a big day for Boggess, who has just been tapped to play Sarah Brown in the Guys and Dolls concert at Carnegie Hall in April 2014. Her Broadway credits include The Little Mermaid, Master Class and The Phantom of the Opera. She also played Christine at the Phantom 25th anniversary gala in London, Phantom in Las Vegas and Love Never Dies in the West End.
Bogart has appeared on Broadway in Jersey Boys, Aida, The Civil War, Smokey Joe’s Cafe and Miss Saigon, and off-Broadway in Wish You Were Here.
Latessa won a Tony Award for his performance in Hairspray. His many additional Broadway credits include The Lyons, Promises, Promises, Cabaret, Proposals, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Damn Yankees, The Will Rogers Follies, Rumors, Broadway Bound, Rags, Awake and Sing!, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Passione, Chapter Two and Follies.
