Gay Bride of Frankenstein recently selected the cast for its New York debut, but not before a publicized controversy over the casting director’s use of Twitter during the first round of auditions.

Executive producer Billy Butler wrote many of the songs for the rock musical during the RPM Challenge, a local initiative that encourages people to record an album in a month every February. The production sold out shows at the Players’ Ring in Portsmouth last fall and has since become an official selection of the New York Musical Theatre Festival. It opens Sept. 28, and runs at The Barrow Group Theatre through Oct. 11.

Another round of auditions was held last week because the casting director for the New York production, Daryl Eisenberg, was sending out cell phone Twitter messages about the actors during the first audition. Some of the messages were unflattering and many people complained. The incident and the etiquette of Twitter were covered by the New York Times and other publications and Web sites.

The issue was settled after a meeting with the Actors’ Equity Association, where auditions were held. “We resolved it,” Butler said in a recent interview with The Wire. “It was a mess and too bad it happened.”

He decided to hold another set of auditions, which he attended, but kept Eisenberg on the job. “I’m not going to fire someone for putting me in the New York Times,” he said.

Aside from the controversy, Butler said the casting director did her job well. “She made a mistake,” he said. “That doesn’t mean everything she does is a mistake.”

About half of the cast members for Gay Bride of Frankenstein have professional Broadway experience. “Can you fucking believe that? What?” Butler said.

The cast includes Emma Hunton (“Spring Awakening”), Darryl Winslow (“Avenue Q,” “Evil Dead,” “Unlock’d”), Jeremiah James (“Carousel”), Dana Aber, Christian D. White, Christopher Hudson Myers and Ashley Kate Adams. It will be directed by Stephen Nachamie.

Butler said the festival is an opportunity to introduce new talent in the city with the hopes of a commercial run off or on Broadway. Rehearsals begin after Labor Day and the original studio production band is coming to New York, including local musicians Tim McCoy, Jon McCormack and Jamie Perkins.

Gay Bride of Frankenstein is billed as a graphic novel that comes alive onstage. It’s an unorthodox love story with the magic and mystery of Halloween when high school friends get together for a night of rock music that raises the dead.
Butler wrote the music and lyrics and Dane Leeman co-wrote the story. The creative team also includes comic book artist Dan Drew of Severed Head Comics.

Tickets to festival events will go on sale to the general public on Sept. 1, available at 212-352-3101 or www.nymf.org. For more information, visit www.gaybrideoffrankenstein.com.