Auditions Announced for Readings of New Musical by Sting

Auditions have been announced for a staged reading of Sting's new musical "The Last Ship," which tells the story of a group of shipyard workers who are inspired by a local priest to build their own ship once their shipyard has been shut down. The workers then decide to set sail on a voyage around the world. Bethany Knox of Telsey + Company is casting the readings, which will be held April 9-21 in New York City.

Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Brian Yorkey ("Next to Normal") wrote the book and Tony Award winner Joe Mantello ("Other Desert Cities," "9 to 5," "Wicked") is directing the readings. In September, Yorkey told the New York Times that Sting had written about 20 new songs for the show, which also had a tryout in early February at the Live Theatre in Newcastle, England. Mantello and producer Jeffrey Seller reportedly attended those performances.

"He’s writing great theater music," Yorkey told the Times. "It’s very, very distinctly Sting but it also is theater music. It’s not just pop music transposed into the theater."

Sting calls "The Last Ship" "a play with songs." "I'm loathe to call it a musical because I don't like that term," he told Billboard in November. The project was inspired by Sting's own childhood memories growing up in the Newcastle area before he rose to fame as the frontman of the The Police. "I was born in the shadow of a shipyard," Sting told Billboard. "I often wondered why I was exposed to this rather surreal environment when I was growing up, and I realize now it has a massive psychological and symbolic importance to me. That's the landscape of my dreams, my little home town and the house I was brought up in and the ghosts that were there."

The lead character, Gideon (which certainly sounds similar to Sting's given name, Gordon), is described as a man in his 30s who is charismatic, charming, cynical, worldly-wise, and quick to buy a round or throw a fist but slow to open his heart. He grew up around the shipyards of Newcastle, got out as soon as he could, and is coming home to come to terms with his family, his history, and his future. Other characters include Gideon's ex, her husband, and a variety of other shipyard workers. One teenage boy will play two roles, including a young Gideon.

Equity principal auditions will be held Monday, March 26, Tuesday, March 27, and Wednesday, March 28 in New York City. For more information and audition details, view the full casting notice on BackStage.com. (Subscription required.)