Readings and WorkshopsChilina Kennedy Leads NYC Developmental Readings of Petula Clark Jukebox Musical A Sign of the Times Beginning October 24
With a score made up of '60s pop classics, the musical played a world premiere run at Goodspeed Musicals in 2016.
By
Logan Culwell-Block
October 24, 2022
The '60s jukebox musical A Sign of the Times holds a series of developmental readings at Open Jar Studios October 24–28. Featuring songs made famous by Petula Clark along with other '60s hits, the work premiered at Goodspeed Musicals in 2016 but has since been revised, with a new book by Lindsey Hope Pearlman, replacing Bruce Vilanch, still based on an original story by Richard Robin.
Gabriel Barre (Amazing Grace) is at the helm for the readings with JoAnn M. Hunter (School of Rock) choreographing and Joseph Church (The Lion King) as music supervisor and orchestrator.
Chilina Kennedy (Paradise Square, Beautiful) leads the readings as Cindy, a young woman living in 1965 New York City in the midst of women's liberation, the civil rights movement, and the Vietnam War. Also in the cast are Ryan Silverman (Side Show), CJ Pawlikowski (Jersey Boys), Caitlin Kinnunen (The Prom), Ryah Nixon (Kinky Boots), Lauren Boyd (Hamilton), Brad Bradley (The People in the Picture), Melessie Clark (After Midnight), Jeremy Gaston (Aladdin), Aaron Kaburick (Mrs. Doubtfire), Chani Maisonet (Ain’t Too Proud), Alexandra Matteo (Mrs. Doubtfire), and Ralph Meitzler (Frozen).
Among the score's songs are "Downtown," "You Don't Own Me," "Don't Sleep in the Subway," "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)," and "The Boy From New York City."
The Fred Ebb Award recognizes excellence in musical theatre songwriting, by a songwriter or songwriting team that has not yet achieved significant commercial success.