Playbill
Chilina Kennedy, Crystal Lucas-Perry, Ryan Silverman, More Set for Sign of the Times Reading
By Andrew Gans
October 10, 2023

An industry reading of the new musical A Sign of the Times, featuring the songs of Petula Clark and other pop hits of the 1960s, will be presented October 20 at 2 PM at the Baryshnikov Arts Center.

Gabriel Barre (Almost Maine, The Wild Party) will direct the reading, presented for potential investors in a 2024 New York City production that features revised material since the 2018 Delaware Theatre Company staging.

The upcoming reading will feature Chilina Kennedy (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) as Cindy, Tony nominee Crystal Lucas-Perry (1776) as Tanya, Ryan Silverman (The Phantom of the Opera) as Brian, Justin Matthew Sargent (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) as Matt, and Alex Joseph Grayson (Parade) as Cody, with Melessie Clark, Jeremy Gaston (Aladdin), Tyler Hanes (Cats), Maggie McDowell (Disaster!), Lindsay Moore, Greg Sim, Paige Catherine Smallwood (Hamilton), and Edward Staudenmayer (Girl from the North Country).

Featuring a book by Lindsey Hope Pearlman (Roar!) and two-time Emmy winner Bruce Vilanch (Divine Madness), based on an original story by Richard J. Robin, A Sign of the Times also has choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter (School of Rock) and music direction and orchestrations by Joseph Church (The Lion King).

Set during the progressive era of Women’s Liberation, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Vietnam War protests, A Sign of the Times follows Cindy, a young woman from Middle America, who comes to New York City in 1965, where she finds her voice. Songs include “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,” among others.

The musical had its world premiere at Goodspeed Musical’s Norma Terris Theatre in 2016 and subsequently played at the Delaware Theatre Company in 2018.

The executive producer for A Sign of the Times is Richard J. Robin, Wells Street Productions LLC.

The post Industry Reading Set For Bruce Vilanch’s Jukebox Musical, Sign Of The Times first appeared on We Got Bruce!.

Full Casting Set for Bruce Vilanch-Penned A Sign of the Times Musical
Casting is complete for the new ’60s musical A Sign of the Times, appearing at Delaware Theater Company from November 28 through December 23. Newly announced cast members include Lauren Boyd, Brad Bradley, Melessie Clark, Steven Grant Douglas, Natalie Charle Ellis, Stacia Fernandez, Phoebe Gavula, Louis James Jackson, Sarah Jenkins, Aaron Kaburick, David LaMarr, Alexandra Matteo, Ralph Meitzler, Nick Picknally and Dave Schoonover. They join the previously announced Beautiful alum Chilina Kennedy, Drew Seeley, Crystal Lucas-Perry and Ryan Silverman. Featuring a book by Emmy-winning Broadway alum Bruce Vilanch (Hairspray), direction by Gabriel Barre (Amazing Grace) and choreography JoAnn M. Hunter (School of Rock), Sign of the Times tells the story of Cindy (Kennedy), a young woman pursuing her passion and finding her voice in New York City in 1965. The score features such classic songs as “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.” A Sign of the Times was first seen in a world premiere engagement at Goodspeed Musicals in 2016.

The post This Is Exciting: Full Casting Set for Bruce Vilanch-Penned A Sign of the Times Musical first appeared on We Got Bruce!.

Chilina Kennedy, who recently departed the titular role in Broadway’s “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” has signed on to lead “A Sign of the Times” as part of Delaware Theater Company’s 40th anniversary season. The musical, which had its world premiere at Goodspeed Musicals in 2016, features the songbook of recording artist Petula Clark, and a book by six-time Emmy Award winner Bruce Vilanch. Gabriel Barre directs the production, which will also star Drew Seeley, Crystal Lucas-Perry, and Ryan Silverman. Performances will begin Nov. 28 and are slated to run through Dec. 23.

The post Delaware audiences are in for a theatrical treat. Bruce Vilanch’s Musical “A Sign of the Times” Is Coming! first appeared on We Got Bruce!.