Whitney Bashor (The Bridges of Madison County) and Jessica Vosk (Wicked) will lead two private industry readings of the new musical Beaches October 13. Lonny Price and Matt Cowart will direct.

Joining Bashor as Bertie and Vosk as Cee Cee will be Heather Ayers, Charlotte Sydney Harrington, Jessie Hooker-Bailey, Anne L. Nathan, Matthew Saldivar, Analise Scarpaci, Elizabeth Teeter, Mackenzie Wilder, Azalea Wolfe, and Jared Zirilli.

Based on the novel by Iris Rainer Dart, the musical features music by Grammy winner Mike Stoller, lyrics by Dart, and a book by Dart and Thom Thomas, developed in collaboration with David Austin. Joseph Thalken serves as music supervisor with Katie Coleman as music director.

Beaches, which was made into a blockbuster film starring Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey, follows two friends through 30 years of camaraderie, laughter, sorrow, and love.

Previous developmental productions of Beaches were presented at the Signature Theatre in Washington, D.C., and the Drury Lane Theatre in Chicago. Alysha Umphress and Mara Davi starred in Washington, while the Chicago cast was headed by Shoshana Bean and Bashor.

The readings are produced by Jennifer Maloney-Prezioso, Douglas McJannet for Arden Entertainment, and Alison Spiriti for Right Angle Entertainment.

Theatre Calgary will present the international premiere of Beaches the Musical beginning May 18, 2024. Visit TheatreCalgary.com.