Sean McDermott, Cady Huffman, Nellie McKay Featured in Two Readings at Inge Center, 11/3

Nellie McKay, Cady Huffman, Sean McDermott, and additional guest artists contribute their talents to the public reading of a new play and musical at the William Inge Center for the Arts. The readings are at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sat. Nov. 3 at the William Inge Theatre at Independence Community College, Independence, Kansas.

The first of the plays is a saucy and sexy musical comedy, “My Base and Scurvy Heart,” by Inge House Playwright in Residence Adam Szymkowicz, with music by Dan Schreier and Matt Sherwin, lyrics. The second production is a drama, “The Benders,” by Inge House resident Anne Phelan.

“The Benders” is directed by New York-based director Tamara Fisch. “My Dark and Scurvy Heart” is directed by Inge Center Artistic Director, Peter Ellenstein. The musical director is Max Mamon.

Admission is free to both readings. The public is invited to join the play development process, providing valuable feedback to the creators in post-show discussions with the creative teams and actors.

For more information, visit www.ingecenter.org.

Cady Huffman returns to Independence, having performed in Sheldon Harnick’s “A Doctor in Spite of Himself” at the 2011 William Inge Theater Festival. Her Broadway credits include “The Producers” (Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards), “The Will Rogers Follies’ (Tony nomination), the original production of “La Cage Aux Folles,” “Steel Pier,” “Dame Edna: The Royal Tour” and Bob Fosse’s last original musical “Big Deal.”

Her television credits include The Good Wife, Curb Your Enthusiasm, 10 seasons as a judge on Iron Chef America, Frasier, Law & Order: CI, Law & Order: Trial By Jury, Law & Order: SVU, Mad About You and One Life To Live. Her film work includes The Company Men, The Nanny Diaries, Romance & Cigarettes, Hero and Dare.

Nellie McKay’s music is tuneful and clever as the best of the Great American Songbook - part cabaret, part “sparkly pop.” Nellie's first album was produced by Geoff Emerick, the man who engineered The Beatles' albums from “Revolver” through “Abbey Road.” McKay signed on as co-producer and they recorded 18 songs together, forming the double album “Get Away From Me.”

As a composer, her music has been heard on “Weeds,” “Grey's Anatomy,” “NCIS,” Privileged,” “Nurse Jackie,” and “Mad Men.” On stage, she won she won a Theatre World Award for her Polly in the Broadway production of “The Threepenny Opera,” also acting and singing in the film “PS I Love You” and writing and performing the song score for the Rob Reiner film “Rumor Has It.” McKay has also appeared on numerous prime-time TV shows.

Among her recordings is “Normal As Blueberry Pie: A Tribute to Doris Day;” music for the Grammy-winning “Boardwalk Empire” soundtrack album, and two songs in the Emmy-winning documentary “Gasland.” She is a recipient of The Humane Society's Doris Day Music Award in recognition of her dedication to animal rights.

Sean McDermott was one of four Broadway singers handpicked by Barbra Streisand to replace "Il Divo" and sing alongside her on her nine week European tour. He has traveled the world performing with some of the most celebrated Symphony Orchestras and has shared the stage with Bernadette Peters, Johnny Mathis, Mandy Patinkin, Elaine Stritch, HAl Holbrook and Robert Goulet.