| Last Days of Summer | |
| Music: | Jason Howland |
| Lyrics: | Steve Kluger |
| Premiere Date: | September 7, 2018 |
| Premiere Location: | Kansas City Repertory Theatre |
Last Days of Summer is a musical with music by Jason Howland and lyrics and a book by Steve Kluger. Based on the 1998 epistolary novel of the same name written by Kluger, the musical made its world premiere try-out at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri in September 2018. The musical centers on Joey Margolis, a young boy living in 1940s Brooklyn and his relationship with Charlie Banks, the all-star third baseman for the New York Giants.
The musical is based on the 1998 book Last Days of Summer by Steve Kluger. A musical adaptation was announced in December 2017 immediately prior to a workshop being held in New York City.[1] Derek Klena, Jackie Burns, and Anthony Rosenthal starred in the industry reading.
It was announced in August 2018 that the musical would premiere at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri in September 2018 with Corey Cott and Emily Padgett slated to star.[2]
It was announced in April 2019 that the musical would open at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey in October 2019.[3]
The musical began previews at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 7, 2018, for a limited engagement until September 30, 2018. The official opening was on September 14. The production was directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun. The production's design team included scenery by Jason Sherwood, costumes by Loren Shaw, lighting by Jens Schriever, and sound by Ken Travis.[4]
The musical ran in New Brunswick, NJ from Oct 15, 2019 until November 10, 2019. Direction and musical staging by Jeff Calhoun.[5]
| Character | Workshop (2017) | Kansas City Repertory Theatre (2018) | George Street Playhouse (2019) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie Banks | Derek Klena | Corey Cott | Bobby Conte Thornton | |
| Hazel MacKay | Jackie Burns | Emily Padgett | Teal Wicks | |
| Joey Margolis | Anthony Rosenthal | Robbie Allan Berson | Julian Emile Lerner | |
| Joe Margolis | Danny Binstock | |||
| Craig Nakamura | Jim Kaplan | Parker Weathersbee | ||
| Stuke | Drew Gehling | Chris Dwan | Will Burton | |
| Ida Margolis | Melissa Van Der Schyff | Lauren Braton | Mylinda Hull | |
| Aunt Carrie | Abby Mueller | Katie Karel | Christine Pedi | |
| Rabbi Lieberman | Daniel Jenkins | Gary Neal Johnson | Don Stephenson | |
| Rachel | Julia Antonelli | Josephine Pellow | Jeslyn Zubrycki | |
| Gordon Bierman | Christopher Paul Richards | Ben Priestland | Sabatino Cruz | |
| Chucky Margolis | Gilberto Moretti-Hamilton | |||