J. T. Harding is known for writing and co-writing songs recorded by Darius Rucker, Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Uncle Kracker, Dierks Bently, and Florida Georgia Line. But his relationship with Peter Zinn predates the Billboard chart by several decades.

“We met on the playgrounds of Grosse Pointe, Michigan,” Harding said. “We’ve known each other since eighth grade. We would try to figure out a Rubik's Cube together, and we were friends.”

The two shared a passion for music way back then. “J.T. took me to my very first concert,” said Zinn. “I was 13 years old; it was KISS in Detroit. He made us wear the makeup.”

In high school, they diverged. Harding’s music took him to Los Angeles, while Zinn became a writer based in New York. “Throughout the years, I’ve listened to his music, and we’ve kept in touch,” Zinn said. “The songs are so good.”

And inspirational. “Peter hooked up with me years ago and said, ‘Hey, I wrote a story around your songs,’” said Harding, who’s also written a few original songs for Music City. “I’ve been excited as a kid on Christmas for years working on this.”

Musicals, just like Rubik’s Cubes, take time to solve. The first reading of Music City was over a decade ago, according to Drew Bastian and Jonathan Judge-Russo, who’ve been with the show from the get-go.

“We’re the OGs. It’s been almost 13 years,” said Bastian. His audition led to an initial reading at the Players Club and an early showcase performance at the Arclight Theatre on the Upper West Side.

The show’s creators, including scenic designer Clifton Chadick, appreciate the power of place. Hence, the Wicked Tickle at St. Luke’s Theatre is a fictional, but fully functional, dive bar serving up beers, open mics, and drama. The production takes pride in having an eye, ear, and even a nose for authenticity, right down to the stale beer aroma.

“You’re going to step off the street into a Nashville honky-tonk with blinding neon lights and two working bars,” said Harding. “The cast are all through the bar.”

The Wicked Tickle is a total vibe, per Stephen Michael Spencer, who plays hotshot songwriter T.J. “It looks like people have been playing music in it for 100 years,” he said.

Bastian echoed that sentiment. “It’s a dive bar where you're not sure the last time they dusted or cleaned, and you can't be positive that your cup isn't going to stick to the bar,” said Bastian. “There’s that smell. You’re not sure why they have Christmas decorations up even in the middle of the fall.”

“That's how you walk in,” Bastian added. “And then, somehow, by the time you walk out, you're like, ‘I don't think I want to leave.’”

An open mic lets aspiring artists perform live to test original songs and entertain crowds. You never know who might show up with a hidden talent — even in your audience.

“There’s a real open mic night before every show,” said Harding, “so sign up if you're a singer or songwriter. We have the piano, the guitar, whatever you need.”

How can you get in on the act? “People can sign up ahead of time,” said Rothenberg. “They can get up and do whatever they want. Some people have come up and done stand-up or told a story.”

This participatory session precedes a noteworthy open-mic moment in Zinn's script once the show gets underway. Casey Shuler’s character, who’s called 23, catches the attention of T.J. when she performs at the Wicked Tickle's open mic.

“They have this literal Romeo and Juliet-like moment,” Shuler said. “That's how they meet.” Things get complicated for the pair, like in a Shakespeare play — or a country song.

The open mic isn't all amateurs. Zinn said there’s an “interesting mix of musical theatre talent, along with singer/songwriter talent from Nashville” that drops in from time to time.

Some of these pros are famous, some are rising stars, and some are aspiring. Old Dominion, a Grammy-winning country-pop group known for hits like “Break Up with Him,” participated, per the show’s creators.

“One of the actor’s girlfriends came, Katrina,” said Harding, referring to The Band’s Visit Tony Award winner Katrina Lenk. “She did a whole open mic set by herself, so you never know what's going to happen.”

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Photo credit: Music City off Broadway. (Photos by Ashley Garrett)