Grantors

Sponsors

Sponsors

Donors

Tributes

Performers

Gregory Carr

*

Ali Hakim

Sharlane Conner

*

Associate Director/Associate Choreographer

Noah Cuoco

*

Ike Skidmore

Shea Grande

*

Ensemble/Ado Annie U/S

Rachel Elizabeth Grinde

*

Ensemble/Kate

Dean Marino

*

Jud Fry

Keeley Morgan

*

Ensemble

Chris Shepard

*

Andrew Carnes

Setting

Amid the sweeping plains of the Oklahoma Territory

There will be a 15 minute intermission.

Songs & Scenes

No items found.

Production Staff

Executive Director

Matt Shields

Director

Hector Flores Jr.

Music Director

Cindy Blevins

Production Stage Manager‍

Erin Alexis Markham

Assistant Stage Manager

Mohin Riego de Dios

Scenic Designer

Jimmy Ray Ward

Lighting Designer

Bill Webb

Costume Designer

Camilla Morrison

Director of Production

Savannah Woodruff

Props Designer

Matt Shields

Sound Engineer

Henry Ward

Spot Operators

Kamryn Cox Maggie Benson Sydney Blaszak

Run Crew

Izzy Council Alaya Lewis

Wardrobe

Karys Jones

Venue Staff

School Administration Staff

No items found.

Musicians

Keys

Cindy Blevins

Trumpet

Chris Magee

Reed 1 and 2

Caroline Harper

Drums

JT Fauber

Guitar/Bass

Mike Havens

Board Members

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.

Meet the Cast

Gregory Carr

*

Ali Hakim

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Gregory is thrilled to be making his Mill Mountain Theatre debut! Select Regional Credits: TIMBUKTU! (The Black Rep), HOLD ON! (The Black Rep), Godspell (Paul Bunyan Playhouse), All Shook Up! (Paul Bunyan Playhouse), Elf The Musical (Paul Bunyan Playhouse). Film/TV: Soul on Fire, Chasing Summer. He is a proud graduate of Missouri Baptist University, where he earned his BA in Theatre. He would like to thank his friends and family for all their love and support.

Sharlane Conner

*

Associate Director/Associate Choreographer

(

Dance Captain + Gertie Cummings

)

(

Dance Captain + Gertie Cummings

)

Pronouns:

She/Her

Sharlane Conner is very excited to be making her MMT debut! Her recent musical theater credits include ‘Evita’ (The REV), 'On Your Feet' (John W. Engeman Theater), ‘On Your Feet’ (Gateway Playhouse) and 'In The Heights' (Olney Theatre Center). Past stage experience: The Actor’s Fund CTFD Gala, ‘Gilded’ at the Capital Fringe Festival, ‘Broadway Bares', Bare Opera’s ‘Goyescas', and 'Apollo Club Harlem'. Recent TV credits include dancing on 'Younger’, ‘Pose’ and ‘The Tick’. This past football season she danced in her first national commercial for Geico with Emmitt Smith. All my love to Matt for his continued support and encouragement.

Noah Cuoco

*

Ike Skidmore

(

Jud Fry Understudy, Ali Hakim Understudy

)

(

Jud Fry Understudy, Ali Hakim Understudy

)

Pronouns:

He/Him

Noah Cuoco grew up in South Florida and graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre in spring of 2026. Noah is a part of the 2026 MMT Acting Apprenticeship and most recently was seen as Grandpa George/Ensemble in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory here at Mill Mountain. Noah played Jimmy Biddle in Pete the Cat. Other recent credits include Oklahoma! at Pensacola Opera (Dance Captain/Ensemble), Jesus Christ Superstar (Dance Captain/Ensemble), Sweeney Todd at the Dr. Phillip’s Center presented by UCF (Swing), and Peter and the Starcatcher at UCF (U/S Ted, Alf).

Shea Grande

*

Ensemble/Ado Annie U/S

(

Asst. Dance Captain

)

(

Asst. Dance Captain

)

Pronouns:

she/her

Shea is a Chattanooga, TN native and 2025 graduate where she obtained her BFA in Musical Theatre with minors in Dance and Arts Administration from Viterbo University in La Crosse, WI. Regional credits: Mystic Pizza (JoJo Barboza), Joseph…Dreamcoat (Benjamin), Stuart Little (Stuart), Charlie…Factory (Ensemble) and Hit Me With Your Best Shot (Principal Singer/Dancer). All the love to Mom, Bill, Grandma, Grandpa, and Barbra Streisand. sheagrande.com

Rachel Elizabeth Grinde

*

Ensemble/Kate

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

She/Her

Midwest born and raised, Rachel is making her Regional Theatre debut with this amazing production of Oklahoma! Some recent projects that she has been a part of are: back up dancer for Colombian artist, Greeicy, in Mega Mezcla at The Prudential Center in New Jersey, Black Box Movers NYC, and Jay Armstrong Johnson’s I Put A Spell On You at Webster Hall in New York City. Big love to my CSA Family, APT 3B, and my parents. I would not be here without any of the support and love you all have shown me. With light and gratitude always.

Dean Marino

*

Jud Fry

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

He/His/His

Dean Marino is a NYC-based actor, director, and theatre educator. Performing credits include: Tootsie (Theatre By The Sea), The Full Monty (North Shore Music Theatre and Mac-Haydn), Hairspray (Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Clear Space Theatre Company, and Dutch Apple), Waitress (Suncoast Broadway) and Disney Cruise Line. Directing credits include: Shrek the Musical, The Woman in Black, Murder For Two, and School of Rock Youth Edition. He is a proud alumni of Wagner College and NYU Steinhardt. Thanks to Mom and Dad for their constant love and support.

Keeley Morgan

*

Ensemble

(

Swing, Gertie U/S

)

(

Swing, Gertie U/S

)

Pronouns:

she/her

Keeley Morgan is a performer from Panama City, FL and a graduate of the University of West Florida with her BFA in Musical Theatre. She is currently the Company Manager and Social Media Coordinator for MMT. She recently performed with Mill Mountain in their productions of Cabaret (Frenchie), The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley (Mrs. Lambchop), To Kill A Mockingbird (Mayella Ewell), The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged (Daniel), Annie (Grace Farrell), Waitress (Choreographer/Ensemble), A Christmas Story (Miss Shields), and 9 to 5 (Ensemble). She is so excited to be back on MMT's stage and she hopes you all have an amazing time!

Chris Shepard

*

Andrew Carnes

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

Chris Shepard is honored to return to MMT and humbled to be surrounded by such talent. He was last seen on this stage reprising the role of Heck Tate in To Kill A Mockingbird. Most recently, Chris portrayed Thomas Jefferson in 1776 at Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest and Bill Fordham in August: Osage County. Other favorite credits include roles as Jesus in both Jesus Christ Superstar and Godspell, Juror #7 in 12 Angry Men, Berger in Hair, and Bill Sikes in Oliver!. Chris lives in Roanoke with his wife and cat, where he enjoys cooking vegetarian cuisine and dutifully poking the bear as an arguably competent and incendiary singer-songwriter.

Meet the Team

Maggie Benson

*

Spotlight Operator

(

)

Pronouns:

Maggie is thrilled to be a part of Oklahoma! as a spotlight operator. Her technical theatre credits include assistant stage manager for Puffs at Attic Productions, prop builder and substitute spotlight operator for 9 to 5: The Musical, and substitute spotlight operator for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, both at Mill Mountain Theatre. Maggie also enjoys performing onstage and most recently appeared as Medusa in The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical at Mill Mountain Theatre. She would like to thank her parents and grandmas for always supporting her and being there for her.

Kamryn Cox

*

Spot Operator

(

)

Pronouns:

She/her

Kamryn is so excited to be a spot operator for Oklahoma! She loves all things tech and is always excited to have an opportunity to help out! Kamryn has run the sound board for Gorg the Gargoyle, she has run the light board many times for shows, been a spot operator countless times, and has even assisted as an ASM for Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief! Kamryn doesn’t just do technical theater, she does acting too! She loves taking classes at MMT and participating as an actor in her school plays! Kamryn is excited to see what is next for her! Kamryn would like to thank her family for the constant support and she would like to thank Mill Mountain for always believing in her and asking her to participate in shows! She hopes you enjoy the show!

Camilla Morrison

*

Costume Designer

(

)

Pronouns:

she/her

Camilla Morrison is a Costume Designer, Draper, Artist, and Teacher. Camilla is an Assistant Professor of Practice at Virginia Tech. She earned her MFA in Costume Design and Technology at Louisiana State University and her BA in Theatre from Salisbury University in Maryland. Camilla was a 2020-2021 North Dakota Council on the Arts Individual Artist Fellow from which she created her devised work “Of the Earth: Stories of Women in North Dakota” by interviewing women from North Dakota and creating costumes based on their collective experiences surrounding aging, motherhood, relationships, and being a woman in North Dakota. Camilla was named an Emerging Artist in the 2019 USITT Exhibited Artists in the Prague Quadrennial, where her devised work, Nightmares Are Dreams, Too, was exhibited. Companies with which Camilla has worked include Empire Theatre Company, Theatre B, Black Hills Playhouse, Texas Shakespeare Festival, Serenbe Playhouse, and Hangar Theatre.

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.

BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL To Release New Cast Album August 28

Emily Wyrwa

August 27, 2026

Hold us! Bat Boy: The Musical will release a new cast album tomorrow, Aug. 28, based on the celebrated gala production last fall at New York City Center. The new album features several brand-new songs and revised book by the original creators, and expanded orchestrations for twelve musicians.

Bat Boy features a pulsing pop-rock score by Tony Award nominee Laurence O’Keefe and book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming. This new album shines fresh light on a beloved score with several brand-new songs and revised book by the original creators, and expanded orchestrations for twelve musicians by Laurence O’Keefe and Ben Green, delving deeper into the musical’s themes of identity, acceptance, and the healing power of love.

The cast features Kerry Butler (Meredith Parker), Gabi Carrubba (Shelley Parker), Andrew Durand (Rick Taylor), Mary Faber (Lorraine), Alan H Green (Bud), Evan Harrington (Ned), John-Michael Lyles (Ron Taylor/Rancher), Tom McGowan (Sheriff Reynolds), Jacob Ming-Trent (Reverend Hightower), Alex Newell (The God Pan), Olivia Puckett (Ruthie Taylor/Rancher), Marissa Rosen (Daisy), Christopher Sieber (Dr. Parker), Taylor Trensch (Bat Boy), Colin Trudell (Charley), Rema Webb (Maggie), and Marissa Jaret Winokur (Mrs. Taylor), in addition to August Bagg, Will Mann, and Stephanie Reuning-Scherer.

Theatrely has an exclusive first listen to Deer in the Headlights performed by Gabi Carrubba, Taylor Trensch, Andrew Durand, John-Michael Lyles, Olivia Puckett, Keythe Farley, Brian Flemming, and Laurence O’Keefe.

After being discovered in a cave and adopted by a local West Virginia family, Bat Boy, also known as Edgar, wants nothing more than to be accepted by his new community and works hard to appeal to their “Christian Charity.” But will his insatiable bloodlust be his undoing? Or will the bloodlust of a town searching for an easy scapegoat beat him to the punch?

Bat Boy releases on streaming platforms tomorrow, Aug. 28. To pre-save the album, visit here.

BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL To Release New Cast Album August 28

Emily Wyrwa

August 27, 2026

Hold us! Bat Boy: The Musical will release a new cast album tomorrow, Aug. 28, based on the celebrated gala production last fall at New York City Center. The new album features several brand-new songs and revised book by the original creators, and expanded orchestrations for twelve musicians.

Bat Boy features a pulsing pop-rock score by Tony Award nominee Laurence O’Keefe and book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming. This new album shines fresh light on a beloved score with several brand-new songs and revised book by the original creators, and expanded orchestrations for twelve musicians by Laurence O’Keefe and Ben Green, delving deeper into the musical’s themes of identity, acceptance, and the healing power of love.

The cast features Kerry Butler (Meredith Parker), Gabi Carrubba (Shelley Parker), Andrew Durand (Rick Taylor), Mary Faber (Lorraine), Alan H Green (Bud), Evan Harrington (Ned), John-Michael Lyles (Ron Taylor/Rancher), Tom McGowan (Sheriff Reynolds), Jacob Ming-Trent (Reverend Hightower), Alex Newell (The God Pan), Olivia Puckett (Ruthie Taylor/Rancher), Marissa Rosen (Daisy), Christopher Sieber (Dr. Parker), Taylor Trensch (Bat Boy), Colin Trudell (Charley), Rema Webb (Maggie), and Marissa Jaret Winokur (Mrs. Taylor), in addition to August Bagg, Will Mann, and Stephanie Reuning-Scherer.

Theatrely has an exclusive first listen to Deer in the Headlights performed by Gabi Carrubba, Taylor Trensch, Andrew Durand, John-Michael Lyles, Olivia Puckett, Keythe Farley, Brian Flemming, and Laurence O’Keefe.

After being discovered in a cave and adopted by a local West Virginia family, Bat Boy, also known as Edgar, wants nothing more than to be accepted by his new community and works hard to appeal to their “Christian Charity.” But will his insatiable bloodlust be his undoing? Or will the bloodlust of a town searching for an easy scapegoat beat him to the punch?

Bat Boy releases on streaming platforms tomorrow, Aug. 28. To pre-save the album, visit here.

BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL To Release New Cast Album August 28

Emily Wyrwa

August 27, 2026

Hold us! Bat Boy: The Musical will release a new cast album tomorrow, Aug. 28, based on the celebrated gala production last fall at New York City Center. The new album features several brand-new songs and revised book by the original creators, and expanded orchestrations for twelve musicians.

Bat Boy features a pulsing pop-rock score by Tony Award nominee Laurence O’Keefe and book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming. This new album shines fresh light on a beloved score with several brand-new songs and revised book by the original creators, and expanded orchestrations for twelve musicians by Laurence O’Keefe and Ben Green, delving deeper into the musical’s themes of identity, acceptance, and the healing power of love.

The cast features Kerry Butler (Meredith Parker), Gabi Carrubba (Shelley Parker), Andrew Durand (Rick Taylor), Mary Faber (Lorraine), Alan H Green (Bud), Evan Harrington (Ned), John-Michael Lyles (Ron Taylor/Rancher), Tom McGowan (Sheriff Reynolds), Jacob Ming-Trent (Reverend Hightower), Alex Newell (The God Pan), Olivia Puckett (Ruthie Taylor/Rancher), Marissa Rosen (Daisy), Christopher Sieber (Dr. Parker), Taylor Trensch (Bat Boy), Colin Trudell (Charley), Rema Webb (Maggie), and Marissa Jaret Winokur (Mrs. Taylor), in addition to August Bagg, Will Mann, and Stephanie Reuning-Scherer.

Theatrely has an exclusive first listen to Deer in the Headlights performed by Gabi Carrubba, Taylor Trensch, Andrew Durand, John-Michael Lyles, Olivia Puckett, Keythe Farley, Brian Flemming, and Laurence O’Keefe.

After being discovered in a cave and adopted by a local West Virginia family, Bat Boy, also known as Edgar, wants nothing more than to be accepted by his new community and works hard to appeal to their “Christian Charity.” But will his insatiable bloodlust be his undoing? Or will the bloodlust of a town searching for an easy scapegoat beat him to the punch?

Bat Boy releases on streaming platforms tomorrow, Aug. 28. To pre-save the album, visit here.

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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