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Grantors

Sponsors

Donors

Donors

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Meet Our Donors

Tributes

Tributes

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Our Tributes

Performers

Marci Duncan

*

Angela

Setting

A Modern Day Basement in America
This performance will be 70 minutes long with no intermission. There will be a talk-back following the performance.

Songs & Scenes

No items found.

Production Staff

Producing Managing Director
Matthew Shields
Director
Ginger Poole
Scenic Designer
Matthew Shields
Props Designer
Trenten Woods
Lighting Designer
Savannah Woodruff
Sound Designer
Samuel Wood
Mohin Riego De Dios*
Production Stage Manager
Carpenters
Trenten Woods Samuel Wood
Electrician
Trenten Woods
Crew
Maggz Day
MMT Production Photographer
Richard Clompus
MMT Production Videographer
Richard Maddox

Venue Staff

School Administration Staff

No items found.

Musicians

No items found.

Board of Directors

President

Doris Rogers

Vice President

Amanda Nelson

Treasurer

Robyn Hakanson

Secretary

Macy Ware

Board Members

Amy Bridge Jeremy Butterfield Kerry Edmonds JT Fauber Linda Garbee Robyn Hakanson, MD Anthony LaMantia, PhD Lindsey Law Cassandra Laymon William L. Lee Mark Nayden Amanda Nelson, PhD Nancy F. Reynolds Doris Rogers Edward Smith Macy Ware Sherrene Wells Christine Workowski

Student Advisory Board

Credits

Lighting equipment from PRG Lighting, sound equipment from Sound Associates, rehearsed at The Public Theater’s Rehearsal Studios. Developed as part of Irons in the Fire at Fault Line Theatre in New York City.

Special Thanks

*Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Actors’ Equity Association (“Equity”), founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 actors and stage managers, Equity fosters the art of live theatre as an essential component of society and advances the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Actors’ Equity is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an International organization of performing arts unions. www.actorsequity.org

United Scenic Artists ● Local USA 829 of the I.A.T.S.E represents the Designers & Scenic Artists for the American Theatre

ATPAM, the Association of Theatrical Press Agents & Managers (IATSE Local 18032), represents the Press Agents, Company Managers, and Theatre Managers employed on this production.

Cast
Creatives

Meet the Cast

Marci Duncan

*

Angela
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:
She/her

Marci J. Duncan is an accomplished actress, educator, and creator of the Artists at Play acting technique, a framework rooted in play, presence, and truthful storytelling. A native of Florida, she has starred in numerous stage productions and independent films and television shows, earning acclaim for her powerful performances. She is known for her work(actor/playwright) in Dissonance: The Play, a thought-provoking production that explores themes of race, identity, and social justice. Duncan is also a dedicated professor of acting at the University of West Florida, where she mentors aspiring performers. With an MFA in Acting, she strives to inspire through her work on stage, screen, and in the classroom, grounding her practice in the Artists at Play technique—where artists lead in love through play.  

Meet the Team

Maggz Day

*

Crew
(
)
Pronouns:
she/he

Maggz (She/He) is currently a Sophomore at Hollins University in Roanoke VA (USA)
and is pursuing a Bachelors in Theatre and Film. She grew up in Williamsburg, VA and
graduated high school a year early to further her higher education. Her acceptance to
Hollins University at 16 has pushed her to learn and grow more than ever in the past
two years.
Maggz' focus is mainly in Stage Management and Production. Since starting at Hollins,
she has had the opportunity to work as an organizer at the Virginia Theatre Association
Conference as well as intern at Mill Mountain Theatre in Roanoke. She's won awards in
playwriting with the Virginia Theatre Association and was also a State Qualifier in the
2024 Virginia High School Forensics League (public speaking). Her play Ghastly
Alibi was produced in Williamsburg and debuted on stage in 2023. She is also proudly a
member of the Hollins Chapter of Alpha Psi Omega.
Her passions for production stand alongside her love for acting. Most recently Maggz
has performed in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Mitch
Mahoney), Matilda (Trunchbull Understudy), A Charlie Brown Christmas (Charlie
Brown), Eurydice (Nasty Man/Child/Ruler of the Underworld), Clue (Cook
Understudy), Dunegon&d: Burglars, Bastards, and Benny (Hedical Halpractice), The Guy
Who Didn't Like Musicals (Ted), Seven (Abused Woman), and Seed (Holler).
As a filmmaker Maggz is working with Early Dystopian, an Indie Film Company based in
France. She has been their Marketing Director and Website Designer since July of
2025.
In 2025 she went with members of the Hollins Theatre Department to the Edinburgh
Fringe Festival where she found a desire to produce her own fringe piece. With help
from peers, faculty, and industry professionals she has created Great Dayne
Productions and will be returning to Scotland in 2026 with Seed. 

Ginger Poole

*

Director
(
)
Pronouns:
She/Her

Ginger Poole is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association and an Associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Union. She has studied, taught, choreographed, and performed throughout the U.S. She has worked in GA, HI, FL, MS, SC and VA with, Theatre in the Square, The Alliance City Series, Theatre Gael, Synchronicity Performance Group-GA, Mill Mountain Theatre-VA and SC Children’s Theatre. Originally from Atlanta, she has worked with the N.F.L. and The Atlanta Falcons as their director and choreographer and The Atlanta Opera. Prior to coming to Mill Mountain Theatre, she was based out of North Carolina where she has worked with Flat Rock Playhouse, the State Theatre of North Carolina, in over 25 productions. She was a part of the Education program at Flat Rock Playhouse for 5 years where she taught for their Apprentice Companies and their Conservatory Program in Acting, Dance, and Musical Theatre. Ginger has taught at The University of Southern Mississippi, Western Carolina University, William Carey College, Mississippi University for Women, and currently teaches at Hollins University. With Ginger’s strong background in dance she finds herself not only acting and dancing on stage but also directing the choreography and classroom skills for her students. Ginger holds her M.F.A. in Acting Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi and continues to teach acting and dance.  She has worked with students that range in age from kindergarten through professionals.

Ginger has worked in commercials, voice-overs, film, stage, and the classroom, and was profiled in the book FIRESTARTERS as “the actor”.

Ginger serves on the following Board of Directors: South Eastern Theatre Conference (SETC Secretary, Second Term), Junior League of the Roanoke Valley (Past President and Current Nominating Committee, Second Term), Burton Performing Arts Advisory Board, The Roanoke City Public Schools Education Foundation, and she has served on the Review Panel for theVirginia Commission for the Arts. She was the recipient of the DePaul’s Women of Achievement Award in the Arts in 2013 and was named the 2016 Kendig Award recipient for Individual Artist. Ginger is also a guest host with WSLS, the NBC affiliate, Daytime Blue Ridge television show, and is the host of the new Mill Mountain Theatre Podcast, Meet Me at Mill Mountain. She is very proud to be a member of the Mill Mountain Theatre team and looks forward to its continued growth, success, and artistic influence in the region.

Mohin Riego de Dios

*

Production Stage Manager
(
)
Pronouns:
He/Him

Mo Riego de Dios is thrilled to be part of Natural Shocks at Mill Mountain Theatre! Previous MMT credits include: Flat Stanley and Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus as Touring SM, Shrek TYA as PSM, and A Christmas Story as ASM. He would like to thank everyone involved in the production for their work and his family and friends for their continued support! 

Matt Shields

*

Managing Director
(
)
Pronouns:
he/him

Matt Shields is a native of Virginia. Having grown up in Loudoun County, he first moved to the region in 2013 to attend school at Radford University where he graduated with a BS in theatre. After working for a few other companies, Matt is happy to call MMT his artistic home. In the past few years Matt has served in a variety of jobs around Mill Mountain, including Props Master, Costumes Manager, Teaching Artist, Scenic Designer, and Company Manager. Matt is very happy to now be serving MMT as the Production Manager and is grateful to MMT for all the faith they have put in him over the years.

Samuel Wood

*

Sound Designer
(
Carpenter
)
Pronouns:
He/Him

I am a sound designer and engineer based in Lynchburg, Virginia with extensive experience in theatrical audio and live production. I graduated from Radford University, where I designed and engineered sound for every main-stage production produced by the university while I was there. I also worked on many regional productions, building a strong foundation in mixing, wireless microphone systems, cueing software, and both digital and analog soundboards. For the past two years, I have worked at Mill Mountain Theatre, where I have built sets for every show and run the sound board for all performances. I am known for being reliable, detail-oriented, and collaborative, and I bring a practical, well-rounded approach to creating clear, impactful sound and supporting high-quality live theatre.

Savannah Woodruff

*

Director of Production
(
Lighting Designer
)
Pronouns:
They/she

Savannah was born and raised in Southern Pines, North Carolina but is happy to now consider Roanoke, Virginia their home. They are a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where they recieved a BFA in Technical Production. Since joining the staff of Mill Mountain Theatre, Savannah has served in a variety of roles, most recently becoming the Director of Production. Savannah is grateful for the never-ending support of their partner and their family (and their cats) in their endeavors, and for the trust placed in them by MMT. 

Trenten Woods

*

Props Designer
(
Carpenter & Electrician
)
Pronouns:
he/him

Trenten Woods has spent most of his life just outside of Richmond, Virginia. Prior to coming to Mill Mountain, He graduated from Longwood University in 2021 with a B.A. in Theatre. Besides this, Trenten has worked professionally as a carpenter both in and out of the theatre. He would like to thank his family for their support. Trenten is super excited to join the Mill Mountain team and continue to work and grow.

Media

No items found.
2021 National Touring Cast

Pre-Show Snack or
Post-Show Dinner?

Don’t let the evening end when the curtain comes down. With The Marquee Local, you can find the perfect place for a pre-show snack, an evening meal, or a post-show cocktail. Enjoy exclusive deals from our local partners as you catch up, discuss the show, and create memories to last a lifetime.

Grab a Bite
Pre-show or post-show, our local partners have your dining needs covered
Raise a Glass
Settle into that post-show glow with a stellar drink in hand

Grab a Bite

Fortunato

Italian
|
104 Kirk Ave SW

Located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Roanoke, Virginia, Fortunato is the region's only traditional Italian kitchen & Neapolitan style pizzeria.

Fortunato

Italian
|
104 Kirk Ave SW

Located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Roanoke, Virginia, Fortunato is the region's only traditional Italian kitchen & Neapolitan style pizzeria.

Marquee Deal!

Have a group ticket? Show your MMT Ticket stub to receive 10% off your meal! Valid for one-time use only at participating restaurants.

Martin's

Tavern
|
413 1st St SW

Casual dining on burgers, BBQ & other bar food in an open tavern setting with live music & a patio. ‍

Martin's

Tavern
|
413 1st St SW

Casual dining on burgers, BBQ & other bar food in an open tavern setting with live music & a patio. ‍

Marquee Deal!

The Hangry Bulldog

Burgers and Bratwurst
|
32 Market Square SE #134 inside.

We are a family-orientated business who enjoy sharing our culinary combinations! Get 15% off when you show your ticket stub from any Mill Mountain show!

The Hangry Bulldog

Burgers and Bratwurst
|
32 Market Square SE #134 inside.

We are a family-orientated business who enjoy sharing our culinary combinations! Get 15% off when you show your ticket stub from any Mill Mountain show!

Marquee Deal!

Get 15% off your meal when you show your ticket stub or ticket from your phone for any Mill Mountain Theatre production.

The Pine Room

American
|
110 Shenandoah Ave NE

From the snack n' share options and hearth flatbreads to the farmland offerings and signature items, The Pine Room features American Rustic cuisine that presents simplistic, sustainable, and high-quality ingredients in an inviting presentation.

The Pine Room

American
|
110 Shenandoah Ave NE

From the snack n' share options and hearth flatbreads to the farmland offerings and signature items, The Pine Room features American Rustic cuisine that presents simplistic, sustainable, and high-quality ingredients in an inviting presentation.

Marquee Deal!

Have a group ticket? Show your MMT Ticket stub to receive 10% off your meal! Valid for one-time use only at participating restaurants.

The Regency Room

American
|
110 Shenandoah Ave NE

Enjoy dining al fresco! Spring is here and it's patio season! The Regency Room and The Pine Room Pub are the perfect place to enjoy dinner or drinks on the patio with spring in the air!

The Regency Room

American
|
110 Shenandoah Ave NE

Enjoy dining al fresco! Spring is here and it's patio season! The Regency Room and The Pine Room Pub are the perfect place to enjoy dinner or drinks on the patio with spring in the air!

Marquee Deal!

Have a group ticket? Show your MMT Ticket stub to receive 10% off your meal! Valid for one-time use only at participating restaurants.

Corned Beef & Co‍

Gastropub
|
107 S Jefferson St

Sports bar serves sandwiches & pub grub in expansive digs equipped with pool tables & countless TVs.

Corned Beef & Co‍

Gastropub
|
107 S Jefferson St

Sports bar serves sandwiches & pub grub in expansive digs equipped with pool tables & countless TVs.

Marquee Deal!

Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint

Hamburger
|
210B Market St SE

Bar chain serving creative burgers & a lengthy list of beers in a casual, funky space.

Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint

Hamburger
|
210B Market St SE

Bar chain serving creative burgers & a lengthy list of beers in a casual, funky space.

Marquee Deal!

Nawab Indian Cuisine

Indian
|
118A Campbell Ave SE

Indian classics & all-you-can-eat buffet lunches, served in a low-key traditional dining room.

Nawab Indian Cuisine

Indian
|
118A Campbell Ave SE

Indian classics & all-you-can-eat buffet lunches, served in a low-key traditional dining room.

Marquee Deal!

Wasabi's

Japanese
|
214 Market St SE

Casual Japanese restaurant offering a large sushi menu, plus maki, traditional entrees & bento.

Wasabi's

Japanese
|
214 Market St SE

Casual Japanese restaurant offering a large sushi menu, plus maki, traditional entrees & bento.

Marquee Deal!

Raise a Glass

Sidecar

Tavern
|
413 1st St SW

Casual dining on burgers, BBQ & other bar food in an open tavern setting with live music & a patio.

Sidecar

Tavern
|
413 1st St SW

Casual dining on burgers, BBQ & other bar food in an open tavern setting with live music & a patio.

Marquee Deal!

Have a group ticket? Show your MMT Ticket stub to receive 10% off your meal! Valid for one-time use only at participating restaurants.

Three Notch'd Brewing Co.

European
|
411 1st St SW

The food menu features traditional European foods like handmade sausages in traditional German, Polish, and English styles, as well as Belgian hand-cut fries, mussels, steak frites, and Polish pierogies.

Three Notch'd Brewing Co.

European
|
411 1st St SW

The food menu features traditional European foods like handmade sausages in traditional German, Polish, and English styles, as well as Belgian hand-cut fries, mussels, steak frites, and Polish pierogies.

Marquee Deal!

‍Have a group ticket? Show your MMT Ticket stub to receive 10% off your meal! Valid for one-time use only at participating restaurants.

Twisted Track Brewpub

Pub
|
523 Shenandoah Ave NW

In addition to hand crafted beer, we offer pub fare with yet another twist and a selection of wines, ciders and soft drinks – something for everyone.‍

Twisted Track Brewpub

Pub
|
523 Shenandoah Ave NW

In addition to hand crafted beer, we offer pub fare with yet another twist and a selection of wines, ciders and soft drinks – something for everyone.‍

Marquee Deal!

Have a group ticket? Show your MMT Ticket stub to receive 10% off your meal! Valid for one-time use only at participating restaurants.

Benny Marconi's

Pizza
|
120 Campbell Ave SE

Serving huge slices of pizza in downtown Roanoke, VA. Established in 2012.

Benny Marconi's

Pizza
|
120 Campbell Ave SE

Serving huge slices of pizza in downtown Roanoke, VA. Established in 2012.

Marquee Deal!

Billy's

American
|
102 Market St SE

Buzzy dining room with a full wooden bar plating refined American cuisine such as lobster Alfredo.

Billy's

American
|
102 Market St SE

Buzzy dining room with a full wooden bar plating refined American cuisine such as lobster Alfredo.

Marquee Deal!

Fork in the Market

American
|
32 Market Square SE

Quirky, independent eatery offering updated comfort food, a full bar, a patio & live music nightly.

Fork in the Market

American
|
32 Market Square SE

Quirky, independent eatery offering updated comfort food, a full bar, a patio & live music nightly.

Marquee Deal!

Texas Tavern

American
|
114 Church Ave SW

Family-owned since 1930, this 24/7 diner offers breakfast, burgers, sandwiches & its popular chili.

Texas Tavern

American
|
114 Church Ave SW

Family-owned since 1930, this 24/7 diner offers breakfast, burgers, sandwiches & its popular chili.

Marquee Deal!

While You Wait

With the help of our friends at Theatrely.com, Marquee Digital has you covered with exclusive content while you wait for the curtain to rise.

New App Stage Door Pass Allows Fans To Engage With Artists
Emily Wyrwa
February 12, 2026

We’ve all been there: it’s a cold New York City day, and you’re standing outside, bundled up, cheering at the top of your lunges every time a little door opens, waiting to see if your favorite star has a moment to say hello. You’re talking with the people next to you — from all corners of the world — about this love you share for the show. It’s the magic of the stage door, and it’s just gone digital. 

Stage Door Pass is a new software that allows Broadway fans to track the shows they see with immense detail (down to what swings and understudies they saw), leave their thoughts, connect with other fans, and interact with their favorite artists. It’s all your favorite parts of the stage door without having to brave the elements after a show.

“I'm a big Letterboxd fan, and so it's essentially a Letterboxd, but for live theater,” founder Jeff Whiting told Theatrely in an interview.

Whiting is a director-choreographer and theatre entrepreneur who runs Open Jar Studios. Whiting is often looking for “digital solutions to little industry gaps,” as he put it. 

He founded Stage Write Software — a platform where directors and choreographers can track blocking and technical elements — about 14 years ago. He later added the Stage Door Network, where industry professionals can post job opportunities and network. Stage Door Pass is the latest addition to his network, and his first fan-facing platform. 

The idea came about when Whiting’s business partner, Mike Wheeler, stopped by one of Open Jar Studios’ weekly Friday afternoon tours. When he got home, Wheeler sent Whiting an email with the idea for a granular way to track the shows he saw digitally, and allow audiences to connect with their favorite stars. 

For Whiting, the idea also presented an opportunity to give artists a new way to engage with fans. 

“Having done a lot of Broadway shows myself, I just know there's always discussion about what happens at the stage door, the real stage door when you're leaving the theater,” Whiting said. “Do the artists have an obligation to their fans? Do the fans have the expectation? And so there's been a lot of discussion around how you want to thank your fans, but I've always been very aware of that challenge. In doing this, I thought, ‘well, this is an opportunity for the artists who are aware of and of course are grateful for their fans but allows them to kind of manage the way that they engage.’” 

Through the app, fans can share their opinions on the shows they see, earn badges as they continue to share, and artists can engage with them through the platform. It’s a way to share mutual appreciation for the work. Each time a fan logs a show, they get a souvenir video created by the production that is easily shareable to social media, as well. The system is easily flexible for both iPhone and Android devices. 

“Word of mouth is so key,” Whiting said. “Any artists, particularly the young artists who are coming, fans of shows, who come and wanna share with their friends, their thoughts about the show, we're trying to make these tools super easy for them to be able to share these stories with their fans and followers.”

To learn more about Stage Door Pass, visit here.

Come Celebrate BURNOUT PARADISE And Win A Free Treadmill
Kobi Kassal
February 10, 2026

Where else on earth can you get special preview pricing for an awesome new production, and possibly win a new treadmill? The Astor Place Theatre Box Office, that’s where. 

The hilarious global hit Burnout Paradise, which landed on our Best Of List for 2024, has announced a special, in-person giveaway event on Thursday, February 12 from 12-4pm at the famed Astor Place Theatre Box Office.  All preview tickets will be available for an endorphin pumping $26.20 and one lucky purchaser will walk (or run) away with a free, brand-new Echelon Stride 6s Auto-Fold Treadmill (valued at $1999.99), in addition to other on-site giveaways – including gift cards for free lemonade at Raising Cane’s.

The special ticket price applies exclusively to preview performances running February 18 – March 4 and is available in person only, while supplies last or until the Box Office closes at 4:00 PM. Tickets are limited to two per person, with seating based on availability at the discretion of the Box Office. The treadmill winner will be randomly selected from eligible entrants, and shipping will be coordinated directly with the winner.

Created and performed by the award-winning Australian theater collective Pony Cam, the show begins previews on February 18, and opening night is set for March 5, 2026, for a limited engagement through June 28, 2026. Tickets are on sale at burnoutparadise.com.

Five performers. Four treadmills. One chance to beat the clock. The theatrical phenomenon from award-winning Australian collective Pony Cam is taking Off-Broadway by storm. It’s a live show you’ll never forget, as the people onstage make a desperate attempt to complete a series of escalating tasks, like cooking a three-course meal and filling out a grant application... all while running on treadmills. And if they don’t complete their to-do list in one hour’s time? You can get your money back. Burnout Paradise is part comedy, part endurance feat, part theatrical explosion – but more than anything, it’s a euphoric, visceral celebration of our tendency to run full tilt towards life’s endless challenges.

Acclaimed for their experimental works that subvert well-known forms in non-traditional performance spaces, and for inviting audiences into their work in unexpected ways, Pony Cam is comprised of Claire Bird, Ava Campbell, William Strom, Dominic Weintraub and Hugo Williams. They began developing Burnout Paradise in 2024 as part of Melbourne Fringe Festival and with seasons at Sydney's Bondi Festival and Melbourne's international arts festival, RISING, prior to debuting to rave reviews at Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The five-star reviews there included The Scotsman, who deemed the show “magnificently chaotic, breathlessly frenetic fun.” Time Out declared it to be “one of the most uproarious shows you will ever experience… unravelling wildly differently every night…sheer bedlam in the most magnificent way.” After catching it at the Fringe, the renowned St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn programmed the show into their season five weeks later, in November 2024. 

The production is produced by No Guarantees. 

Come Celebrate BURNOUT PARADISE And Win A Free Treadmill
Kobi Kassal
February 10, 2026

Where else on earth can you get special preview pricing for an awesome new production, and possibly win a new treadmill? The Astor Place Theatre Box Office, that’s where. 

The hilarious global hit Burnout Paradise, which landed on our Best Of List for 2024, has announced a special, in-person giveaway event on Thursday, February 12 from 12-4pm at the famed Astor Place Theatre Box Office.  All preview tickets will be available for an endorphin pumping $26.20 and one lucky purchaser will walk (or run) away with a free, brand-new Echelon Stride 6s Auto-Fold Treadmill (valued at $1999.99), in addition to other on-site giveaways – including gift cards for free lemonade at Raising Cane’s.

The special ticket price applies exclusively to preview performances running February 18 – March 4 and is available in person only, while supplies last or until the Box Office closes at 4:00 PM. Tickets are limited to two per person, with seating based on availability at the discretion of the Box Office. The treadmill winner will be randomly selected from eligible entrants, and shipping will be coordinated directly with the winner.

Created and performed by the award-winning Australian theater collective Pony Cam, the show begins previews on February 18, and opening night is set for March 5, 2026, for a limited engagement through June 28, 2026. Tickets are on sale at burnoutparadise.com.

Five performers. Four treadmills. One chance to beat the clock. The theatrical phenomenon from award-winning Australian collective Pony Cam is taking Off-Broadway by storm. It’s a live show you’ll never forget, as the people onstage make a desperate attempt to complete a series of escalating tasks, like cooking a three-course meal and filling out a grant application... all while running on treadmills. And if they don’t complete their to-do list in one hour’s time? You can get your money back. Burnout Paradise is part comedy, part endurance feat, part theatrical explosion – but more than anything, it’s a euphoric, visceral celebration of our tendency to run full tilt towards life’s endless challenges.

Acclaimed for their experimental works that subvert well-known forms in non-traditional performance spaces, and for inviting audiences into their work in unexpected ways, Pony Cam is comprised of Claire Bird, Ava Campbell, William Strom, Dominic Weintraub and Hugo Williams. They began developing Burnout Paradise in 2024 as part of Melbourne Fringe Festival and with seasons at Sydney's Bondi Festival and Melbourne's international arts festival, RISING, prior to debuting to rave reviews at Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The five-star reviews there included The Scotsman, who deemed the show “magnificently chaotic, breathlessly frenetic fun.” Time Out declared it to be “one of the most uproarious shows you will ever experience… unravelling wildly differently every night…sheer bedlam in the most magnificent way.” After catching it at the Fringe, the renowned St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn programmed the show into their season five weeks later, in November 2024. 

The production is produced by No Guarantees. 

Theatrely News
EXCLUSIVE: Watch A Clip From THEATER CAMP Starring Ben Platt, Noah Galvin, and Molly Gordon
Theatrely News
READ: An Excerpt From Sean Hayes Debut YA Novel TIME OUT
Theatrely News
"Reframing the COVID-19 Pandemic Through a Stage Manager’s Eyes"
EXCLUSIVE: Watch A Clip From THEATER CAMP Starring Ben Platt, Noah Galvin, and Molly Gordon
By: Maia Penzer
14 July 2023

Finally, summer has arrived, which can only mean one thing: it's time for camp! Theater Camp, that is. Theatrely has a sneak peak at the new film which hits select theaters today. 

The new original comedy starring Tony Award winner Ben Platt and Molly Gordon we guarantee will have you laughing non-stop. The AdirondACTS, a run-down theater camp in upstate New York, is attended by theater-loving children who must work hard to keep their beloved theater camp afloat after the founder, Joan, falls into a coma. 

The film stars Ben Platt and Molly Gordon as Amos Klobuchar and Rebecca-Diane, respectively, as well as Noah Galvin as Glenn Wintrop, Jimmy Tatro as Troy Rubinsky, Patti Harrison as Caroline Krauss, Nathan Lee Graham as Clive DeWitt, Ayo Edebiri as Janet Walch, Owen Thiele as Gigi Charbonier, Caroline Aaron as Rita Cohen, Amy Sedaris as Joan Rubinsky, and Alan Kim as Alan Park. 

Theater Camp was directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman and written by Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman & Ben Platt. Music is by James McAlister and Mark Sonnenblick. On January 21, 2023, Theater Camp had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

You can purchase tickets to the new film from our friends at Hollywood.com here.

READ: An Excerpt From Sean Hayes Debut YA Novel TIME OUT
By: Kobi Kassal
29 May 2023

Actor Sean Hayes is what we in the biz call booked and blessed. On top of his Tony-nominated performance as Oscar Levant in Good Night, Oscar, Hayes has partnered with Todd Milliner and Carlyn Greenwald for the release of their new YA novel Time Out

Heralded by many as Heartstopper meets Friday Night Lights, Time Out follows hometown basketball hero Barclay Elliot who decides to use a pep rally to come out to his school. When the response is not what he had hoped and the hostility continually growing, he turns to his best friend Amy who brings him to her voting rights group at school. There he finds Christopher and… you will just have to grab a copy and find out what happens next. Luckily for you, Time Out hits shelves on May 30 and to hold you over until then we have a special except from the book just for Theatrely:

The good thing about not being on the team the past two weeks has been that I’ve had time to start picking up shifts again at Beau’s diner and save up a little for college now that my scholarship dreams are over.

     The bad part is it’s the perfect place to see how my actions at the pep rally have rotted the townspeople’s brains too.

     During Amy’s very intense musical theater phase in middle school, her parents took her to New York City. And of course she came back home buzzing about Broadway and how beautiful the piss smell was and everything artsy people say about New York. But she also vividly described some diner she waited three hours to get into where the waitstaff would all perform songs for the customers as a way to practice for auditions. The regulars would have favorite staff members and stan them the way Amy stans all her emo musicians.

     Working at Beau’s used to feel kind of like that, like I was part of a performance team I didn’t know I signed up for. The job started off pretty basic over the summer—I wanted to save up for basketball supplies, and Amy worked there and said it was boring ever since her e-girl coworker friend graduated. But I couldn’t get through a single lunch rush table without someone calling me over and wanting the inside scoop on the Wildcats and how we were preparing for the home opener, wanting me to sign an article in the paper or take a photo. Every friendly face just made the resolve grow inside me. People love and support the Wildcats; they would do the same for me.

     Yeah, right.

     Now just like school, customers have been glaring at me, making comments about letting everyone down, about being selfish, about my actions being “unfortunate,” and the tips have been essentially nonexistent. The Wildcats have been obliterated in half their games since I quit, carrying a 2–3 record when last year we were 5–0, and the comments make my feet feel like lead weights I have to drag through every shift.

     Today is no different. It’s Thursday, the usual dinner rush at Beau’s, and I try to stay focused on the stress of balancing seven milkshakes on one platter. A group of regulars, some construction workers, keep loudly wondering why I won’t come back to the team while I refuse proper eye contact.

     One of the guys looks up at me as I drop the bill off. “So, what’s the deal? Does being queer keep ya from physically being able to play?”

     They all snicker as they pull out crumpled bills. I stuff my hands into my pockets, holding my tongue.

     When they leave, I hold my breath as I take their bill.

     Sure enough, no tip.

     “What the fuck?” I mutter under my breath.

     “Language,” Amy says as she glides past me, imitating the way Richard says it to her every shift, and adds, “even though they are dicks.” At least Amy’s been ranting about it every free chance she gets. It was one thing when the student body was being shitty about me leaving the team, but the town being like this is even more infuriating. She doesn’t understand how these fully grown adults can really care that much about high school basketball and thinks they need a new fucking hobby. I finally agree with her.

     [She’s wearing red lipstick to go with her raccoon-adjacent eyeliner as she rushes off to prepare milkshakes for a pack of middle schoolers. I catch her mid–death glare as all three of the kids rotate in their chairs, making the old things squeal. My anger fades a bit as I can’t help but chuckle; Amy’s pissed-off reaction to Richard telling her to smile more was said raccoon makeup, and her tolerance for buffoonery has been at a negative five to start and declining fast.

     I rest my arms on the counter and try not to look as exhausted as I feel.

     “Excuse me!” an old lady screeches, making me jump.

     Amy covers up a laugh as I head to the old lady and her husband’s table. They’ve got finished plates, full waters. Not sure what the problem is. Or I do, which is worse.

     “Yes?” I say trying to suppress my annoyance.

     “Could you be bothered to serve us?”

     Only five more hours on shift. I have a break in three minutes. I’ll be with Devin at Georgia Tech tomorrow. “I’m sorry, ma’am,” I say, so careful to keep my words even, but I can feel my hands balling into fists. “What would you—?”

     And suddenly Amy swoops in, dropping two mugs of coffee down. “Sorry about that, you two,” she says, her voice extra high. “The machine was conking out on us, but it’s fine now.”

     Once the coffee is down, she hooks onto a chunk of my shirt, steering us back to the bar.

     “Thanks,” I mutter, embarrassed to have forgotten something so basic. Again.

     “Just keep it together, man,” she says. “Maybe you’d be better off with that creepy night shift where all the truckers and serial killers come in.”

     Honestly, at least the serial killers wouldn’t care about my jump shot.

     It’s a few minutes before my break, but clearly I need it. “I’ll be in the back room.”

     Right before I can head that way though, someone straight-up bursts into the diner and rushes over to me at the bar. It’s a middle-aged dad type, sunburned skin, beer belly, and stained T-shirt.

     “Pickup order?” I ask.

     “You should be ashamed,” he sneers at me. He has a really strong Southern accent, but it’s not Georgian. “Think you’re so high and mighty, that nothing’ll ever affect you? My kid’ll never go to college because of you and your lifestyle. Fuck you, Barclay Ell—”

     And before this man can finish cursing my name, Pat of all people runs in, wide-eyed in humiliation. “Jesus, Dad, please don’t—”

      I pin my gaze on him, remembering how he cowered on the bench as Ostrowski went off, how he didn’t even try to approach me. “Don’t even bother,” I snap.

     I shove a to-go bag into his dad’s arms, relieved it’s prepaid, and storm off to the break room.]

     Amy finds me head in my arms a minute or two later. I look up, rubbing my eyes. “Please spare me the pity.”

     She snorts and hands me a milkshake. Mint chocolate chip. “Wouldn’t dare.” She takes a seat and rolls her shoulders and neck, cracks sounding through the tiny room. “Do you want a distraction or a shoulder to cry on?”

For more information, and to purchase your copy of Time Out, click here.

Reframing the COVID-19 Pandemic Through a Stage Manager’s Eyes
By: Kaitlyn Riggio
5 July 2022

When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared a national emergency in the United States in March 2020, Broadway veteran stage manager Richard Hester watched the nation’s anxiety unfold on social media.

“No one knew what the virus was going to do,” Hester said. Some people were “losing their minds in abject terror, and then there were some people who were completely denying the whole thing.”

For Hester, the reaction at times felt like something out of a movie. “It was like the Black Plague,” he said. “Some people thought it was going to be like that Monty Python sketch: ‘bring out your dead, bring out your dead.’”

While Hester was also unsure about how the virus would unfold, he felt that his “job as a stage manager is to naturally defuse drama.” Hester brought this approach off the stage and onto social media in the wake of the pandemic.

“I just sort of synthesized everything that was happening into what I thought was a manageable bite, so people could get it,” Hester said. This became a daily exercise for a year. Over two years after the beginning of the pandemic, Hester’s accounts are compiled in the book, Hold Please: Stage Managing A Pandemic. Released earlier this year, the book documents the events of the past two years, filtering national events and day-to-day occurrences through a stage manager’s eyes and storytelling.

When Hester started this project, he had no intention of writing a book. He was originally writing every day because there was nothing else to do. “I am somebody who needs a job or needs a structure,” Hester said.

Surprised to find that people began expecting his daily posts, he began publishing his daily writing to his followers through a Substack newsletter. As his following grew, Hester had to get used to writing for an audience. “I started second guessing myself a lot of the time,” Hester said. “It just sort of put a weird pressure on it.”

Hester said he got especially nervous before publishing posts in which he wrote about more personal topics. For example, some of his posts focused on his experiences growing up in South Africa while others centered on potentially divisive topics, such as the 2020 election and the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Despite some of this discomfort, Hester’s more personal posts were often the ones that got the most response. The experience offered him a writing lesson. “I stopped worrying about the audience and just wrote what I wanted to write about,” Hester said. “All of that pressure that I think as artists we put on ourselves, I got used to it.”

One of Hester’s favorite anecdotes featured in the book centers on a woman who dances in Washington Square Park on a canvas, rain or shine. He said he was “mesmerized by her,” which inspired him to write about her. “It was literally snowing and she was barefoot on her canvas dancing, and that seems to me just a spectacularly beautiful metaphor for everything that we all try and do, and she was living that to the fullest.”

During the creation of Hold Please, Hester got the unique opportunity to reflect in-depth on the first year of the pandemic by looking back at his accounts. He realized that post people would not remember the details of the lockdown; people would “remember it as a gap in their lives, but they weren’t going to remember it beat by beat.”

“Reliving each of those moments made me realize just how full a year it was, even though none of us were doing anything outside,” he adds. “We were all on our couches.” Readers will use the book as a way to relive moments of the pandemic’s first year “without having to wallow in the misery of it,” he hopes.

“I talk about the misery of it, but that’s not the focus of what I wrote... it was about hope and moving forward,” Hester said. “In these times when everything is so difficult, we will figure out a way to get through and we will move forward.”

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