Grantors

Donors

Mill Mountain Theatre would like to thank the generous gifts from our Donors. We would not be here without you!

Tributes

Mill Mountain Theatre is honored to acknowledge gifts made in tribute or memory of special friends. To make such a gift please contact John Levin at (540) 342-5761 or development@millmountain.org.

Performers

Shannon Sharkey

Camae

E.B. Smith

Martin Luther King Jr.

Setting

The Lorraine Motel, April 3rd, 1968

There will not be an intermission for this performance. If you need to use the facilities during the show, please be aware of the exit and use the main doors gracefully.

Songs & Scenes

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Production Staff

Director

Marci J. Duncan

Producing Artistic Director

Ginger Poole

Production Stage Manager

Bill Muñoz*

Sets/Costume Designer

Matt Shields

Lights & Sound Designer

Savannah Woodruff

Run Crew

Samuel Wood

Venue Staff

School Administration Staff

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Musicians

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Board of Directors

President and Treasurer

David Allen

Vice President

William L. Lee

Secretary

Doris Rogers

Board Members

David Allen Amy Bridge Kerry Edmunds Lauren Ellerman Linda Garbee Robyn Hakanson Larry Kufel Anthony LaMantia Cynthia Lawrence* Beverly Learman William L. Lee Elizabeth Rice Martin Laura McKeage J. Lee Osborne Doris Rogers Edward Smith Judy Tenzer Will Trinkle* Armida Valles-Klute Sherrene Wells Maxwell Wiegard

*Past President Board of Directors

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

In honor of Black History Month, MMT would like to give a special shout out to our special collaboration with The Harrison Museum of African American Culture in sponsoring this show.

https://harrisonmuseum.com/

*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.

Message from the Director

Hello to you all,

This is a full circle moment for me. In 2014 I performed in this powerful play, and I never would have imagined that I would be able to tell this story from a different perspective almost 10 years later. I have always loved Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Not just the activist, but the man. Whenever I hear his voice or look into his eyes in pictures and videos, I feel so connected to him. Strange I know. It almost brings me to tears now just thinking about it. I have always been fascinated by the man, the real man. Outside of the important work he is known for. What would it be like, to imagine what he was really like? This play does just that. It explores a reimagination of Martin the man. Martin the human. Martin, the night before he transitions to be with Thee King, in heaven. In my telling of this story, I explore with the actors the relationship between a man and a woman who are equally matched. Neither of them perfect, neither of them feel worthy to carry their call, but both are willing to rid their earthly ideals and exchange them for a greater purpose. Sit back and relax as we see them give each other the light they need to pass on to the other side.

Enjoy.

Marci J. Duncan, Director

Meet the Cast

Shannon Sharkey

*

Camae

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

She/Her

Shannon Sharkey is thrilled to be in Roanoke making her Mill Mountain Theatre debut in Katori Hall’s stirring production, THE MOUNTAINTOP. She is an Atlanta-based actor, model, arts educator, and diversity, equity, & inclusion (DEI) consultant. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Shannon is a proud graduate of Cleveland State University, where she obtained bachelor’s degrees in both the fields of theatre and communication. Spending almost a decade acting professionally in her hometown, Shannon is honored to have been employed by and/or cast by (oftentimes concurrently) some of the nation’s oldest and most historic theatres: Karamu House and Cleveland Play House, just to name a few. True to form and her innately social-justice leaning inclinations, one of Shannon’s favorite roles was when she embodied the incomparable Angela Davis at Cleveland Public Theatre during the National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere of Panther Women: An Army for the Liberation. She is represented by The Talent Group and Heyman Talent and is so deeply excited to bring in Black History Month sharing this moving story of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with you all!

E.B. Smith

*

Martin Luther King Jr.

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

He/Him

E.B. Smith is thrilled to make his Mill Mountain Theatre debut, revisiting the role of Martin Luther King Jr., which he first played at the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario, and again at Karamu House in Cleveland, Ohio. Other selected credits include Guiderius in Cymbeline, Lear in King Lear, Othello in Othello, Orsino in Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, Bellievre in Mary Stuart by Friedrich Schiller, Eilif in Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht, Brucie in Sweat by Lynn Nottage, Bono in Fences and King in King Hedley II by August Wilson, and Ira Aldridge in Red Velvet by Lolita Chakrabarti. He has performed at the Stratford Festival, Cleveland Play House, Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Theatre Aquarius, Karamu House Theatre, The Grand Theatre, and many others. Film/TV credits include The Beast (Sony Pictures Television), King John (Stratford Festival/Melbar Entertainment Group), Ask Gilby (PBS Television), and others. His podcast with co-host Addae Moon, Old Heads: A Deep Dive into the Struggle from Behind the Theatre Curtain, is debuting its third season this spring. E.B. is a Partner and Managing Director of HC Smith Ltd, an executive search and consulting firm. He holds a BFA in Acting and a Master of Arts Administration from Ohio University. He is a Ph.D. candidate in Organizational Development and Leadership from the Forbes School of Business at the University of Arizona Global Campus.

Meet the Team

Ginger Poole

*

Producing Artistic 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.

Matt Shields

*

Technical Director

(

Director of Production

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Matt Shields is an arts leader and theatre professional, currently serving as the Executive Director of Mill Mountain Theatre in Roanoke, Virginia. A graduate of Radford University, Shields has built his career through a wide range of hands-on roles at Mill Mountain Theatre, including Carpenter, Designer, Technical Director, Director of Production, and Company Manager. This breadth of experience has given him a deep understanding of both the artistic and operational sides of regional theatre. Shields is an avid believer in Servant leadership and strives to support those around him by working side by side with them

In addition to his leadership at Mill Mountain Theatre, Shields serves as the Co-Chair of the Careers and Hiring Committee of the Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC), where he contributes to the advancement of young theatre professionals across the region. He has worked in a variety of theatrical roles around the country, bringing a broad perspective to his work, but is proud to call Roanoke home. When he is not at the theatre, you can find him enjoying Roanoke’s beautiful hiking trails or on his paddle board floating down the river.

Savannah Woodruff

*

ATD/Sound Designer

(

Sound Operator

)

Pronouns:

she/they

Savannah Woodruff was born and raised in Southern Pines, North Carolina, where she was encouraged to become involved in technical theatre in high school. Savannah is a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and received a BFA in Technical Production. Prior to joining the Mill Mountain Theatre staff, she worked as a member of Weston Playhouse Theatre Company’s Intern Company. Savannah is grateful for the support of her family (and especially her cats) in her endeavors, and is thrilled to be able to continue working and growing with Mill Mountain Theatre.

Marci Duncan

*

Director

(

)

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.

Trenten Woods

*

Spotlight Operator

(

Carpenter

)

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

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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

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.

Awful Arthur's‍

Seafood

108 Campbell Ave SE

Modern tavern offering varied seafood, bar bites & a raw bar plus sports on TV & live music.

Awful Arthur's‍

Seafood

108 Campbell Ave SE

Modern tavern offering varied seafood, bar bites & a raw bar plus sports on TV & live music.

Marquee Deal!

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!

Crescent City Bourbon and Barbecue

Barbecue

19 Salem Ave SE

The smoked meat is made with care and passion in a stick burner smoker and indoor wood burning smoker.

Crescent City Bourbon and Barbecue

Barbecue

19 Salem Ave SE

The smoked meat is made with care and passion in a stick burner smoker and indoor wood burning smoker.

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

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.

Heidi Blickenstaff Returns To The New York Stage; Full Company of THE HEART Announced

Alan Koolik

August 20, 2026

It seems The Heart has found its company. Today, it was announced that the New York premiere production of The Heart with book and additional lyrics by Kait Kerrigan (The Great Gatsby), music and lyrics by Anne Eisendrath (aka electronic music artist Anniee) and Ian Eisendrath (KPop Demon Hunters), music supervision by Ian Eisendrath, choreography by Mandy Moore (Taylor Swift’s Eras tour) and direction by Tony Award-winner Christopher Ashley (Come From Away) based on Maylis de Kerangal's novel Réparer les vivants has found the cast.

As previously announced, the new musical will begin preview on Thursday, October 8, 2026 with an official opening set for October 29 at the Laura Pels Theatre in the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre. The engagement runs through Sunday, December 6, 2026.

The production will feature Heidi Blickenstaff (Jagged Little Pill, Something Rotten!) as “Claire,” Lincoln Clauss (Fly, Bat Out of Hell) as “Thomas Driscoll,” Nick T. Daly (MJ: The Musical) as “Simon Lamar,” Drew Gehling (& Juliet, Almost Famous) as “Dr. Breva,” Bre Jackson (The Book of Mormon, MJ: The Musical) as “Cordelia Owl,” Tony Award-winner Joaquina Kalukango (Paradise Square, Slave Play) as “Marianne Lamar,” Max McKenna (Rent, Cabaret) as “Juliette Brooks,” Wren Rivera (Jagged Little Pill, Teeth) as “Marthe,” and Jason Tam (Be More Chill, If/Then) as “Sean Lamar.” Daniel Brackett, Gareth Keegan, Q. Smith and Emily Somé round out the cast as the understudies.

Roundabout is also pleased to announce additional creative and design team for the production which will include music direction by Wendy Bobbitt Cavett (Come From Away), scenic design by Robert Brill (Hell’s Kitchen), costume design by Sarafina Bush (The Outsiders), lighting design by Amanda Zieve (Proof), sound design by Gareth Owen (BOOP! The Musical), video design by Lucy Mackinnon (All Out: Comedy About Ambition), hair and wig design by Drama Desk Award-nominee Alberto “Albee” Alvarado (The Rocky Horror Show), and music production by Juan Ariza and Elin Sandberg. Casting is by The TRC Company - Tara Rubin, CSA. Associate direction by Jacole Kitchen and associate choreography by Ashley Andrews.

THE ASK Returns Off-Broadway This Fall

Kobi Kassal

August 19, 2026

It was recently announced that five-time Golden Globe Award nominee Marilu Henner and Shannon Purser (Barb from Stranger Things) will team up and star together on stage this fall in the Off-Broadway commercial premiere of The Ask, by Matthew Freeman and directed by Jessi D. Hill. The Ask had a previous run at The Wild Project back in 2024. This production marks Purser’s New York stage debut.

In The Ask, a donor meeting in an Upper West Side apartment erupts into a gripping battle of wills. Greta (Henner), a longtime donor with strong progressive views, meets with Tanner (Purser), a young ACLU fundraiser sent to secure a significant gift. As the two confront each other with wit, conviction and wariness, their shared ideals give way to unexpected divisions, exposing the cultural and emotional fault lines that separate their generations.

Previews begin Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at Theater 555 with an official opening night set for October 13. The production is set to run through November 22.

The production will feature set design by Craig Napoliello, costume design by Nicole Wee, lighting design by Venus Gulbranson, and sound design by Ben Scheff. Casting is by Geoff Josselson Casting.

For tickets and more information, visit www.TheAskPlay.com

On The Scene: PARANORMAL ACTIVITY Has Made Its Way To Broadway

Kobi Kassal

August 18, 2026

Late in Act II of Paranormal Activity’s first preview, there’s a fun jump scare that get’s the audience pretty good. Screams and cries echoed around the August Wilson for a few moments before subsiding back down. A few beats later, a man towards the back of the orchestra just yelled out “Shit!” and the whole audience erupted in laughter again.

As a true horror aficionado, I’ve been patiently waiting years for a truly terrifying play to come to New York. We’ve had a few pop up here and there but when whispers of a stage adaptation of Paranomal Activity was in development a few years back, I had high hopes.

Written by Levi Holloway, who gave us Grey House on Broadway back in 2023, Paranormal has had an interesting journey to Broadway. First premiering at the Leeds Playhouse in 2024, the show next went on to play a mini tour across the US with stops at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, the Ahmanson at CTG in Los Angeles, Shakespeare Theatre Company in DC, and finally American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco before setting its sights on the August Wilson.

The play is an original story set in the Paranormal universe that follows newly married couple James and Lou who move from Chicago to London for a fresh start. As their lives get turned upside down, they must work together to confront whatever is inside that house…

I was fortunate enough to first catch the production in Los Angeles late last fall. Walking in with two colleagues, none of us knew what we were about to experience. On the other side, we all agreed that it was the most fun we have had seeing a show in years.

__wf_reserved_inherit — **The August Wilson Theatre | Photo: Laurel Hinton**

Now on Broadway, I caught the first preview where we celebrated the Broadway debuts of Cher Álvarez, Travis A. Knight, Shannon Cochran, and Bobby J. Howlett. Eva Kaminsky also stars in the production, alongside understudies Caron Buinis, Caroline Hendricks, and Michael Holding.

Before the curtain even went up on Friday night, a woman sat down in the row in front of me gripping her sweater. When I leaned over and asked how she was doing, “Not well” was the response… as the evening went on, I would say “not well” was her general disposition.

At intermission, I checked the app for my Oura Ring and saw for the last hour my heart rate was at a pretty consistent 120 BPM, and I had already seen the show before…

I spoke with a few folks as they entered the theatre and it was clear, everyone was there to be scared, and boy does it deliver. The rush of adrenaline pumping through your veins lets you experience this visceral piece of theatre that is truly unlike anything we have seen on Broadway ever before.

Now of course the question is: just how scary is it? Signs near the box office say this is not for anyone under the age of 15. Everyone’s horror tolerance is different, but you will certainly get some jumps here and there no matter what. And what can be more glorious than 1,200 people all screaming in unison.

Paranormal Activity is now in performances at the August Wilson Theatre through Janaury 3, 2027.

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.

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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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