Andrew Barth Feldman (Dear Evan Hansen) and Hailey Kilgore (Once On This Island) will lead a private industry reading of the new rock musical Pump Up The Volume. Based on the 1990 coming-of-age film starring Christian Slater, the work features a book and lyrics by Jeremy Desmon and music by Jeff Thomson. Dave Solomon will direct.
Pump Up The Volume follows a shy outsider named Mark living in a strict, small town. When he launches his own radio station straight out of his bedroom, he transforms into an edgy alter ego, his radio persona "Hard Harry." But when tragedy strikes the school, "Hard Harry" is blamed, and others attempt to shut the radio show down, leaving Mark to decide whether to allow them to silence him or to pump up the volume.
Feldman and Kilgore will be joined by Mateus Leite Cardoso, Brianna Gentilella, Katy Geraghty (Into The Woods), James Gish (Wicked), Erica Ito, Michael Morley, Bryan Munar, Lucy Panush, Michele Ragusa (Flying Over Sunset), and Graham Rowat (Dear Evan Hansen).
Music direction is by James Sampliner, casting is by Benton Whitley and Micah Johnson-Levy of Whitley Theatrical, and Rachel Bauder serves as production stage manager. The reading will be presented by Christopher Maring/CM Stage Productions, with executive producer Joe Christopher and general management by RCI Theatricals.