Any Other Way
May 22, 2015
Entertainment & Arts Management (EAM) professor Brannon Wiles brings his creative work into his “Producing for Live Entertainment” course, in which students spend a term putting together the many moving parts of a professional show. Over the course of this spring term, they’ve been engaged in the development and staged reading of the new musical ANY OTHER WAY, featuring Broadway veteran Caissie Levy (LES MIS, GHOST THE MUSICAL, HAIR, RENT, HAIRSPRAY, WICKED). Created by New York writer David Reiser, ANY OTHER WAY explores the question of what might happen if a couple meets at a completely different moment in their lives. What role does fate play versus the choices we make? The staged reading is directed by Drexel Theatre professor Bill Fennelly and will take place on May 29th (8:00pm) and 30th (2:00pm) at the SkyBox @ The Adrienne Theater in Philadelphia (20th and Sansom Streets). Click here for tickets. Admission is free and open to the public.
Professor Wiles’ students participated in the creative development process through discussions with the writer and director, witnessing the script’s evolution. The class focused on creating a “safe” space for the artists to work on something brand new, without the pressures of an impending production, and the students have the experience of working with professional actors over the course of the rehearsal week and seeing the kinds of changes which continue to happen during that period. EAM senior Caitlin Pinick has undertaken the class and the production as her senior project, serving as Wiles’ teaching assistant and associate producer.
Characters Rob and Rebecca go through the difficulties and joys of meeting for the first time … twice. The four-person musical is inspired, in part, by Reiser and Levy’s own relationship, which began when they met outside the stage door of Philadelphia’s Merriam Theatre while Levy was on tour with HAIRSPRAY. Three other New York actors will join Levy onstage.
For more information about the event, please contact Brannon Wiles at mw686@drexel.edu, and follow along on Twitter @DrexelEamProd.