Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) has announced the casting for its upcoming world premiere musical, DOGFIGHT.  The company will feature Annaleigh Ashford (RENT, WICKED, LEGALLY BLONDE), Becca Ayers (THE ADDAMS FAMILY, AVENUE Q), Steven Booth (GLORY DAYS), Dierdre Friel (LEAP OF FAITH), Adam Halpin (GLORY DAYS), F. Michael haynie (CARRIE), Derek Klena (CARRIE), Lindsay Mendez (GODSPELL, EVERYDAY RAPTURE), James Moye (MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET), Josh Segarra (LYSISTRATA JONES) and Nick Blaemire (GODSPELL, CRY-BABY).

Featuring music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, a book by Peter Duchan, choreography by two-time Tony nominee Christopher Gattelli, and directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello, DOGFIGHT will begin previews on Wednesday, June 27 and officially open on Monday, July 16 at Second Stage’s Tony Kiser Theatre (305 West 43rd street).

It’s November 21, 1963.  On the eve of their deployment to a small but growing conflict in Southeast Asia, three young Marines set out for one final boys’ night of debauchery, partying, and maybe a little trouble.  But when Corporal Eddie Birdlace (Derek Klena) meets Rose (Lindsay Mendez), an awkward and idealistic waitress he enlists to win a cruel bet with his fellow recruits, she rewrites the rules of the game and teaches him the power of compassion.  

DOGFIGHT is based on the Warner Bros film with screenplay by Bob Comfort starring River Phoenix and Lili Taylor. DOGFIGHT is the winner of the 2011 Richard Rodgers Studio Production Award, administered by the American Academy of Arts and Letters.  Costume and set design are supported by a grant from the Tobin Theatre Arts Fund.

DOGFIGHT will feature scenic and costume design by David Zinn, lighting design by Paul Gallo, sound design by Fitz Patton, hair design by Josh Marquette, and make-up design by Ashley Ryan.  The music director is Bryan Perri.  Orchestrations are by Michael Starobin.

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul current projects include A CHRISTMAS STORY (National Tour 2011, 5th Ave Theatre 2010) and JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH (Goodspeed 2010).  Other works include EDGES (licensed by Music Theatre International, with over 150 productions worldwide from South Korea and Australia to South Africa and the Philippines), ‘Sesame Street’, ‘Johnny & the Sprites’ (Disney TV series), ‘Duck for President and If You Give a Pig a Pancake’ (Theatreworks USA).  In addition to the 2011 Richard Rodgers Award for Musical Theatre, which they received for DOGFIGHT, they have received the 2011 Sundance Institute Fellowship, 2011 ASCAP Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award, 2011 ASCAP Songwriters Fellowship Award, 2007-2008 Dramatists Guild Fellowship, 2007 Jonathan Larson Award, 2010 Fred Ebb Award Finalists, Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project, and "50 to Watch" from Dramatist Magazine. They both received BFAs from the University of Michigan in Musical Theatre.