MCC Theater (Bernie Telsey and Will Cantler, Co-Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) announced today casting for the World Premiere of Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice, written and performed by Tony Award® winner Gavin Creel (Into the Woods), directed by Linda Goodrich (Loud Nite), and originally commissioned by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice will begin performances on November 13 and will play a limited engagement through December 10, 2023 at MCC Theater’s Susan & Ronald Frankel Theater (511 W 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019).
Joining Creel will be Sasha Allen (HAIR), Madeline Benson (SIX: The Musical), Chris Peters (“Chris Peters, Grown-Up Singer”), Ryan Vasquez (MCC’s The Wrong Man) and Scott Wasserman (Hamilton).
Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice will feature scenic design by I. Javier Ameijeiras (Hamilton), costume design by Jeff Mahshie (Next to Normal), lighting design by Jiyoun Chang (Slave Play), sound design by Alex Neumann (Into the Woods), projection design by David Bengali (The Thanksgiving Play), and orchestrations and arrangements by Madeline Benson, Chris Peters, and Scott Wasserman. Madeline Benson is the Music Director and Scott Wasserman is the Electronic Music Designer. Laura Hirschberg is the Production Stage Manager and Nicole Johnson / Harriet Tubman Effect is the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant. Casting is by The Telsey Office / Rachel Hoffman, CSA.
Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice was originally commissioned by The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Live Arts Department. The show premiered at The Met in October 2021 and is now making its Off-Broadway debut at MCC Theater.
Tony and Olivier Award-winning actor and songwriter Gavin Creel had never been to The Metropolitan Museum of Art…until now. Inspired by the countless hours he spent wandering through The Met’s world-renowned collections at the invitation of the Museum’s Live Arts department for a MetLiveArts commission, Walk on Through is a thrilling new musical event featuring 17 original, infectious, pop-infused songs, each based on a different work in the collection. In his theatrical songwriting debut, Creel takes us on an intimate, relatable journey of discovery and transformation through the lens of the art that captured his imagination. Whether you are a museum lover or a fellow novice, this show invites you to take a walk with Creel and engage with art, song, and the creative process in a fresh and new way.
"Several years ago, we invited Gavin Creel to embark on a creative journey with MetLiveArts,” Limor Tomer, The Met’s Lulu C. and Anthony W. Wang General Manager of Live Arts, commented. “We suggested that he get to know the collection and let it guide him towards an innovative performance. What transpired was deeply personal and uplifting. Through close looking over many months, Gavin found not only artistic inspiration, but also a profound connection to the Museum itself. Walk on Through is a testament to the boundless spirit of creativity and originality that emerges when we open our doors to performers. This work resonates with us all—it gives everyone permission to enter into an intimate relationship with The Met.”
Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice was developed at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's 2022 National Music Theater Conference (Tiffani Gavin, Executive Director; Alexander Gemignani, Artistic Director).
The performance schedule for Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice is as follows: Wednesdays-Mondays at 7:00PM. Exceptions: There will be additional performances on Tuesdays November 14 and 21 at 7:00pm, and Saturday November 25 at 2:00pm. A student matinee will be held on December 7 at 1:00PM. There will be no performances on Wednesday November 15, Thursday November 23, and Friday November 24.
MCC will also offer an audience conversation after the Tuesday November 21 and Saturday December 9 performances. A talkback with Gavin Creel and Linda Goodrich will follow the performance on Monday November 20. An open caption performance will be held on Wednesday December 6.
Single tickets begin at $89 and priority access tickets to Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice for Patrons are on sale now. Subscriber booking will start on Thursday September 7 and general on sale will begin on Wednesday September 20, 2023.