The world premiere of Swept Away, an original musical featuring the music of Grammy-nominated folk-rock band The Avett Brothers, begins January 9. The production, which was originally scheduled to premiere in June 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic, plays at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.
The production stars Tony winner John Gallagher, Jr. (Spring Awakening) as Mate, Tony nominee Stark Sands (Kinky Boots) as Older Brother, Adrian Blake Enscoe (Apple TV+’s Dickinson) as Little Brother, and Wayne Duvall (1984) as Captain. The quartet play the four survivors—a young man in search of adventure, his older brother who has sworn to protect him, a captain at the end of a long career at sea, and a worldly first mate who has fallen from grace—of a whaling ship disaster off the coast of Massachusetts in 1888.
WATCH: Stark Sands and Adrian Blake Enscoe Sing ’Murder in the City’ From Swept Away
Rounding out the company are Taurean Everett, Cameron Johnson, Brandon Kalm, Coleton Schmitto, Ben Toomer, Vishal Vaidya, Ryan Watkinson, and Jacob Keith Watson.
Swept Away is written by John Logan and directed by Michael Mayer with choreography by David Neumann. The creative team also features scenic designer Rachel Hauck, costume designer Susan Hilferty, lighting designer Kevin Adams, and sound designer Kai Harada. Music arrangements and orchestrations are by Chris Miller and Brian Usifer, with music direction by Julie Wolf and music supervision by Usifer. The show is produced by special arrangement with Matthew Masten, Sean Hudock, and Madison Wells Live.
The engagement was recently extended for a second time and will now play through March 6.
