When Life Really Is Musical
“My Life Is a Musical,” a musical comedy by Adam Overett, will have its world premiere with a five-week run at the Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor from Tuesday through Aug. 31.
The play’s protagonist is Parker, a shy accountant with one particular quirk: When he leaves his apartment every morning, he hears people singing and sees them dancing, to the accompaniment of an invisible orchestra. Nobody else knows this is happening. His life is a musical — and he hates musicals.
When his boss sends him on the road as a tour manager for a singer-songwriter named Zach, Parker at first worries his condition will be discovered. Instead, he gives Zach the songs from his own musical life, the tunes become hits, and Zach becomes a superstar.
The story takes another turn when J.T., Zach’s attractive manager, becomes enamored of Zach and his newfound artistry at the same time as Parker finds himself falling for J.T. As the tour arrives on a national stage, a nosy blogger is curious about Zach’s sudden popularity, while Parker must decide whether to keep his secret or declare himself to J.T.
“My Life Is a Musical” is the third Mainstage production chosen for the theater by Scott Schwartz, who became artistic director last fall. In December, Mr. Overett invited Mr. Schwartz to a developmental lab performance of the piece, but he was unable to attend. Word of mouth from colleagues who had seen it convinced Mr. Schwartz to read the script, and he was captivated by its humor and emotional resonance.
Mr. Overett, who is an actor as well as a writer, is responsible for the book, music, and lyrics, while Marlo Hunter will direct and choreograph the production. Last year, Ms. Hunter won the Joe A. Callaway Award for choreography from the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation. Both Mr. Overett and Ms. Hunter, who are in their mid-30s, have worked extensively on Broadway, Off Broadway, and in regional theater.
The cast features Howie Michael Smith as Parker, Justin Matthew Sargent as Zach, Kathleen Elizabeth Monteleone as J.T., and Robert Cuccioli as Randy, the blogger, with an ensemble featuring Wendi Bergamini, Adam Daveline, Danyel Fulton, and Brian Sills.