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Grantors

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Sponsors

Donors

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Meet Our Donors

Tributes

Tributes

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Our Tributes

Performers

Ben Bogen

*

Cadmus

Danny Ray Caraballo

*

Kade

Tiffany Engen

*

Mom

Gabriel Florentino

*

Stage Directions / Ensemble

Maria Habeeb

*

Bec

Trey Harrington

*

Dave

Mara Jill Herman

*

Della Wolfe-Williams, Gladys, Delores

Troy Iwata

*

Brandon

John Alejandro Jeffords

*

Sim

Katelyn Lauria

*

Cavegrrl94

Pilar Martinez

*

Ensemble / Swing

Chris Medlin

*

Abel

Veronica Otim

*

Simbelina

Angelo Luis Rios

*

Man 1

Amanda Robles

*

Murklurk

Ben Roseberry

*

Pastor Mike/ Lenny Bray

James Seol

*

Dad

Lily Talevski

*

Miss Maxima

Setting

There will be one 15-minute intermission

Songs & Scenes

Act I
“Can You Imagine?”
Miss Maxima & the CadSim Shippers
“Castaway Planet”
Brandon, Pastor Mike, Mom, Dad, Bec, & the CadSim Shippers
“Screw Your Sensors”
Abel & Bec
“Just Start”
Bec
“Waiting for Thursday at 8”
Dave & Company
“Light Years Away”
Mom, Dad, & Brandon
“Jonathan the Jesus Freak”
Abel & Ensemble
“King of the Assholes”
Full Company
“Can You Imagine (Reprise)”
Miss Maxima, CadSim Shippers, & Casties
“Mechanical Heart”
Brandon
Act II
“Abandon”
Miss Maxima, Brandon, Abel, Bec, Dave, CadSim Shippers, & Company
“A Plot”
Dave & Bec
“Love Finds A Way”
Ed Ransome & David Darras
“It Only Hurts If You Hit The Ground”
Abel & Brandon
“This New You”
Pastor Mike, Dad, & Mom
“It Only Hurts (Reprise)”
Abel
“Write Your Own Ending”
Miss Maxima
“Look Up”
Brandon
“God Only Knows”
Full Company

Production Staff

No items found.

Venue Staff

School Administration Staff

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Musicians

No items found.

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.

A Message from Anant Das

Though Broadway has been back for a minute, it’s not lost on any of us that there are still closures and postponements and cast absences (special shout out to understudies!). Thank you for coming and supporting the development of new work. It’s shows that are developing now that will be the hits of tomorrow, so this is always such an important part of the process that we are thankful we can continue.

Love Victor, Better Nate Than Ever, How to Get Away With Murder, A Strange Loop, La Cage, Gossip Girl, Sex Education, It’s A Sin, White Lotus, Carol, The Boys in the Band, Call Me By Your Name, Moonlight… the list, thankfully, goes on. These are shows, movies, and musicals with queer leads. And importantly, queer leads who are well rounded, complicated, and often with a love life. In the midst of “Don’t Say Gay” and anti-Trans bills that remind some in our Mechanical Heart family of their teenage years in the 90s, commercial entertainment has an opportunity and continues to guide our culture into the present and the future. LGBTQ+ confidence and joy is important to show off as normal. And possible.

Representation is important and it doesn’t have to be niche. Because as someone somewhere, maybe in this industry, said once… love is love is love, and we can all get on board with it, no matter who is doing the lovin’.

We’re so excited to present this show to you all. Thank you for joining us.

‍

Cast
Creatives
Cast
Creatives

Meet the Cast

Ben Bogen

*

Cadmus
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:
He/Him

Broadway: FROZEN. National Tour: JERSEY BOYS. TV/Film: “Pose”. Next up, Ben will be playing Mark in RENT at ACT of CT this summer. Other stage credits include: Jersey Boys (New World Stages),  Only Human. Regional: Hartford Stage, North Carolina Theatre ,  the World Premiere of Sousatzka (Toronto), Pittsburgh CLO, and Center REP. Recently, Ben wrote/directed/choreographed/produced his own one man solo show “Teenage Dream” which sold out The Green Room 42 twice in New York City.

Danny Ray Caraballo

*

Kade
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:
He/Him

He/Him. National Touring and TV credits include: Figgy in BETTOR DAYS (ESPN+), Elvin in FANDANGO FOR BUTTERFLIES AND COYOTES, Ritchie Valens in BUDDY! THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY, Night Ninja in PJ MASKS SAVE THE DAY. Regional credits include: IN THE HEIGHTS, NEWSIES, HUCK AND HOLDEN, CHICAGO, HELLO DOLLY. Cleveland, OH born. Brooklyn, NY based. BFA from Kent State University. Proud member of AEA. Prouder of my family and heritage.

Tiffany Engen

*

Mom
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:
She/Her

Broadway/Off-Bwy/Tour/Vegas credits include:  Kinky Boots (Lauren), Legally Blonde (Serena), Rock of Ages (Regina), Clueless, and the world premiere of Surf the Musical.   Tv/Film: Hairspray (Noreen), Drop Dead Gorgeous, Smash, Raising Hope, Hart of Dixie, Marvel’s Runaways, Katy Keene, and FBI.

Gabriel Florentino

*

Stage Directions / Ensemble
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:
He/Him

Gabriel Florentino (he/him) is a native Nyc artist & is honored to be apart of this new piece with this incredible talent. Some Past Credits Include- The World Premiere of “Old Man and The Sea” the play (Manolin), “Newsies” (Finch), “Camelot” (Mordred) and more. Training: BFA, Point Musical Theatre. Many thanks to his loved ones for everything.

Maria Habeeb

*

Bec
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:
She/Her

Maria is thrilled to return to the Mechanical Heart team playing Bec. She was most recently seen as Woman 1 in Songs For A New World at Village Theater. Previous credits include Amira in Abraham’s Land, Junie in the Theaterworks USA production of Junie B. Jones, various roles as a Main Stage performer on Disney Cruise Line, Percy in The Spitfire Grill, and an ensemble member in Mary Poppins and Peter Pan at Syracuse Stage. Maria has a BFA in Musical Theater from Syracuse University.

Trey Harrington

*

Dave
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:
He/Him

Trey most recently played the role of Luther Billis in Theatre Under the Stars' production of South Pacific.  Favorite credits include Roger in Grease (Totem Pole Playhouse, Royal Caribbean), Tony in Billy Elliot (The Palace Theatre), Johnny in The Civil War (TheaterWorks USA), Prouvaire/Marius u/s in Les Miserables (The Zach Theatre), and the ensembles of Ragtime, Elf, Sister Act, and The Little Mermaid at TUTS. Proud graduate of The Boston Conservatory.

Mara Jill Herman

*

Della Wolfe-Williams, Gladys, Delores
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:
She/Her

Mara Jill Herman has appeared in the International Tours of "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Disney on Classic" (Mother Gothel).  NYC/Regional: "Guys & Dolls" (Adelaide), "Rent" (Maureen), "On The Town" (Hildy), "All Shook Up" (Miss Sandra), "Love’s Labour’s Lost" (Maria) and "Sam’s Room" (Impact Award). She is featured on the concept album "How To Repair A Mechanical Heart" (Mom, Murklurk). Mara is a soloist with the vintage trio America’s Sweethearts. UArts Graduate (Young Alumni Service Award). Proud founding member: StateraArts Mentorship, NYC Chapter. Producer/Director of multiple benefit concerts and music videos. Mara received a 2021 City Artist Corps Grant for Creative Public Engagement.

Troy Iwata

*

Brandon
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:
He/Him

Film/TV: Dash & Lily (Netflix), WeCrashed (AppleTV+), New Amsterdam (NBC), Katy Keene (The CW), Ray Donovan (Showtime), Tell Me A Story (CBS), Quantico (ABC). Broadway: Be More Chill. Tours: The Lightning Thief (national).

John Alejandro Jeffords

*

Sim
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:
He/Him

John is absolutely thrilled to be on board with the Mechanical Heart crew! Previous credits include Babes in Toyland (Lincoln Center), Hello, Dolly! (Riverside Theatre), and countless productions of The Producers (Paper Mill Playhouse, Kansas City Starlight, Atlanta Theatre of the Stars, and more). Upcoming: Rock of Ages (Arts Center of Coastal Carolina). He loves the challenge, excitement, and importance of creating new works and has been lucky enough to be part of numerous shows in development, including More Than All The World, GRINDR The Opera, Raindogs, Moonshiner: A Musical Fabulism, and Bombshell Baby! Special thanks to Trent (no relation... maybe?), Jay, and Marc for this out of this galaxy experience!

Katelyn Lauria

*

Cavegrrl94
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:
She/Her

Katelyn is excited to be apart of Mechanical Heart as Cavegrrl94!! Previous credits Include, Once Bitten starting Orfeh, Cinderella (Charlotte), Beauty and the Beast (Wardrobe), The Marvelous Wonderettes (Suzy Simpson) and Sweeney Todd (Mrs. Lovett). Special Thanks you to Trent, Jay, Marc and this amazing Cast!! ❤️

Pilar Martinez

*

Ensemble / Swing
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:
She/Her

So happy to be back on this Castaway Planet! Most recently, she was seen as Simbelina at The Green Room 42 Mechanical Heart Reading. Also, she co-created a show called “Timeless” with her boyfriend, Mike Backes, which premiered at the Triad Theater. The show takes you on a musical rollercoaster ride through the timeless classics of the 40s to the 60s. Other Theatrical Highlights include Carnation in “Fat Kid Rules the World” (Theater Row), Floral Sister in “d’ILLISION The Houdini Musical: An Audio Experience,” Ensemble/ u/s Kost in “Cabaret” (American Theatre of Actors) and Snow Child/ Ensemble in “Carousel” (Walnut Street Theatre). Film Credits include “Standing Ovation” (2010), “Little Sicily” (2019) and “Neimand” (2021). Her TV Credits include “Billions” (Showtime), “Evil” (Netflix), and “Succession” (HBO). Thanks to Marc, Trent, Jay and the rest of the mechanical heart family for including her in this heartfelt project!

Chris Medlin

*

Abel
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:
He/Him

Best known for his breakout TV performance as Isaac Downey on Netflix's SWEET MAGNOLIAS, Chris has also been seen on stages across the country and in Europe. He originated the role of Graham in the original cast of Broadway's DIANA THE MUSICAL, which was filmed during the pandemic for a Netflix premiere in the fall of 2021. Chris made his Broadway debut as an original cast member of Tina Fey's MEAN GIRLS following having been part of the show's world premiere at the National Theatre in D.C.. He recently performed at The Met Gala 2021 and has been seen in the pre-Broadway world premiere of THE PROM at the Alliance Theatre, on THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, and on stage alongside Missy Elliott, Pharrell, and Daft Punk. Chris looks forward to continuing to develop roles both on screen and stage that empower the misfits and underdogs while carving out space for diverse stories and perspectives.

Veronica Otim

*

Simbelina
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:

Veronica is ecstatic to be involved in the development of this electrifying new musical. She was most recently seen in Jagged Little Pill (Broadway). Much thanks to Cynthia J. Tong & to the creative team for welcoming her into this talented cast.

Angelo Luis Rios

*

Man 1
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:
He/Him

Ángelo Luis Rios ( he, him)  - Ángelo is overjoyed to be back home onstage. He spent over 5 years with the USO performing for the US. Armed Forces. National Tours ; If This Hat Could Talk written and directed by Tony winner George Faison, Jesus Christ Superstar starring Ted Neeley. NYC Theatre; Michael John LaChuisa's Marie Christine (Jean L'Adrese), Night of The Living Dead The Musical (Ben). Theatre highlights; Rent (Collins), Dreamgirls (Curtis Taylor), Miss Saigon (John) Full Monty( Noah “Horse Simmons”, CATS( Old Deuteronomy), Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey II), Aida.

Amanda Robles

*

Murklurk
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:
She/Her

Amanda is a graduate of the University of the Arts and holds a BFA in Musical Theatre. She has recently been seen as Green Girl in SHOUT! (SCA), Florence in CHESS (11th Hour Theater Co.), Carlita in FOOD FIGHTERS (Out of the Box Theatrics), Aldonza in MAN OF LA MANCHA (Stages St. Louis), Cinderella in INTO THE WOODS (Barrington Stage Co.), Carla in IN THE HEIGHTS (Westport Country Playhouse),  Rita in a full workshop production of FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (Jerome Robbins Theater), under Sir Tim Rice and as Isabel/Tia Carmen in the World Premiere of AMERICAN MARIACHI (DCPA and The Old Globe) and at Theater Squared.  Amanda has also appeared at Walt Disney World’s Castle Stage in the opening casts of ELENA’S ROYAL WELCOME (Princess Elena) and MICKEY’S MOST MERRIEST CELEBRATION.

Ben Roseberry

*

Pastor Mike/ Lenny Bray
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:
He/Him

Broadway/ National Tour: The Lion King, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Rent. Off-Broadway: Einstein’s Dreams, Hercules, The Apple Boys, Fugitive Songs, Emma. With a special passion for developing new work, he has appeared in countless regional productions, workshops and readings. Upcoming: Dr. Neville Crane in The Secret Garden. Cast Albums include #LOVE, Beau, and the premiere recording of How to Repair a Mechanical Heart. Ben is also an award winning composer and singer songwriter. His voice and original music can be heard on The Fractured Years (album available on all streaming platforms). He had been a proud member of AEA for 14 years, and is the Associate Music Director of the TONY award winning Broadway Inspirational Voices. Thanks to his agents at Professional Artists and his wife, Sarah.

James Seol

*

Dad
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:
He/Him

James Seol is currently in Come From Away at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater. He’s done some TV and film (for the money) and is a proud graduate of the University of Virginia and the Juilliard School.

Lily Talevski

*

Miss Maxima
(
)
(
)
Pronouns:
She/Her

Lily Talevski, a Michigan native and of Macedonian descent, is an actress and musician based in New York City. She is always grateful and excited to be a part of anything How to Repair a Mechanical Heart is up to! Most recently she made her Denver Center for the Performing Arts debut in Neyla Pekarek’s new musical, Rattlesnake Kate as Brownie (cover) and Kate (understudy). Other favorite credits include Miss Maxima in How to Repair a Mechanical Heart (Green Room 42), Siri in Within Elsewhere (Stella Adler), Girl in Once (Northern Stage) and Yitzhak in Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Detroit Public Theatre). Catch her in season 4 of “FBI” (CBS) as Jamie Barker and in Ryan Murphy’s “The Watcher” as Rose Pierce on Netflix this summer. Much love always to this crazy amazing cast and creative team, Mom, Suzi and Vlad.

Meet the Team

Marc Erdahi

*

Director
(
)
Pronouns:
He/Him

Marc Erdahi is a SWANA (South West Asian / North African) artist, theatrical director and producer, who conceived and is directing the NYC-bound new musical Fat Kid Rules the World with Rob Ahrens Productions. He has recently recommitted to his Selected directing: "Camp Morning Wood: A Very Naked Musical", "Get GOT: A New Musical", "Death Party", "Hedwig & the Angry Inch", "Liner Notes, The Affair in 22B", "That’s Showbiz!" (MITF), "Wilhemstrasse" (NY Fringe), "Standby" (NY Fringe), "Really Bad Things" (NYMF), Forgiving the Franklins. Marc began his career as a stage manager and was able to hone his directing craft while studying from behind the table with some great directors. Stage managing: "50 Shades: The Original Parody", "The Very Hungry Caterpillar", "Seussical" (Nat’l Tour), "The God Committee" (Lamb’s Theatre), "All The Bad Things" (LAB Theatre), "Children’s Letters to God" (1st Nat’l Tour), among others.

Jay Falzone

*

Book & Lyrics
(
)
Pronouns:
He/Him

Jay Falzone has written the book and additional lyrics for"Cooking with The Calamari Sisters" as well as its 8 follow-up shows, all of which have beentouring the country since 2009. Other selected writing credits: "Camp Morning Wood" atPlaywright’s Horizons (Book/Lyrics), "Divorce Party, The Musical" (Lyrics / Co-writer), "DearMom" (Co-writer), "Parenting 101" (Co-writer/ Director/ Choreographer), and "You Don’tKnow Jack" (Book/Lyrics). Currently, Book/Lyrics for "Fat Kid Rules The World" (optionedfor B’way) and Book/Lyrics for a musical adaptation of the movie Once Bitten.

Trent Jeffords

*

Composer
(
)
Pronouns:
They/Them

Trent Jeffords is a performer, singer, composer, and lyricist basedin NYC. Regional performances include "Kiss Me, Kate!" (Bill Calhoun), "Hello, Dolly!"(Barnaby), “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” (J. Pierrepont Finch). As avocalist, they have performed with Holland America and Carnival Cruise lines as well aswith the band New Fashioned. As a composer and lyricist Trent’s shows include“WikiMusical” (Pearl Theatre, NYMF, Music), "The Imaginary" (Music and Lyrics, Indevelopment), "Within Elsewhere" (Music and Lyrics, the 2020 winner of the Live and InColor New Works Program), "Camp Morning Wood" (Asylum Theatre, Music), and "How toRepair a Mechanical Heart" (Music).

Jane Skapek

*

Assistant Director
(
)
Pronouns:
They/Them

Selected directing directs include Arlington (The New School), Salome (The New School), The Prisoners of Quai Dong (The Tank/Prism Stage Company), New York Mining Disaster (Hangar Theatre Lab Co.), Marat/Sade (Fordham University), The Laramie Project (Theatrical Outreach Program). Selected assistant director credits include Girls and Boys (Minetta Lane), The Lightning Thief (National Tour, Theatreworks USA), Constellations (Hangar Theatre) and Angels in America (Broadway, 2018). Jane is an Associate Member of SDC and received a MFA from the New School where they were awarded the Doug Hughes Directing Scholarship.

Scott Wasserman

*

Orchestrations
(
)
Pronouns:
He/Him

Scott Wasserman is an orchestrator, electronic music designer, and music director. Broadway credits include "Hamilton", "Dear Evan Hanson", and "The Great Comet" as Ableton Programmer, "Escape to Margaritaville" as Sub Conductor, "Annie" (2012 revival), "Leap of Faith", and "Diana" (upcoming) as Electronic Music Designer. Regional credits include "Gun & Powder" at Signature Theatre as Co-Orchestrator with John Clancy, "Becoming Nancy" at The Alliance Theatre as Electronic Music Designer, "Blackbeard" at Signature Theatre as Co-Orchestrator with David Holcenberg, and "Austen’s Pride" at ACT of Connecticut as Orchestrator. Other New York orchestration and electronic music design credits include "Other World" and The Radio City Summer Spectacular and Christmas Spectacular with Christopher Jahnke, "The Bad Years", "Invisible Thread", "To Hell and Back", "Standardized Testing - THE MUSICAL!!!!", and "21 Chump Street" with This American Life. Film/Television credits include "Fosse/Verdon", "The Greatest Showman", The 71st Tony Awards, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend", "Sesame Street", and "Wallykazam".

Anant Das

*

Producer
(
)
Pronouns:
He/Him

Anant Das is a creative producer, theatre investor, and CEO of Broadway Boxed Up, the longest-running theatre-themed subscription. He is currently a creative producer of the new musical, HOW TO REPAIR A MECHANICAL HEART, and of the Broadway Makers Marketplace, the first Broadway Pop-Up Shop, and has experience as an investor with FAIRYCAKES Off-Broadway and the Museum of Broadway. In 2022, Anant was selected as a member of the Theatre Producers of Color (TPOC) cohort and the TEDxBroadway Young Professionals cohort. He also serves as a member of the New York Theatre Workshop’s 4th Street Bar Association. With a background in financial valuation, computer science, and as a consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Anant is passionate about the intersection of theatre, tech, and finance, as well as energized to increase access to both theatrical opportunities and theatre education. He also serves as a film screener for the Washington West Film Festival.

Adam Wiggins

*

Music Director
(
)
Pronouns:
He/Him

Broadway: Caroline Or Change, A Strange Loop, The Addams Family, Million Dollar Quartet, Broadway Backwards (2012-2016), The National High School Musical Awards Off-Broadway: Want The Change (MD / Arrangements / Orchestrations), A Strange Loop (Arranger) National Tours: The King And I, Spongebob Squarepants, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory New York: White Girl In Danger (Michael R. Jackson), Another Word For Beauty (music by Grammy-winner Hector Buitrago), Railroad! (Louis St. Louis) International: The Joker’s Game (Beijing; music by Grammy-winner Louis St. Louis), The Monkey King (Beijing) Adam’s orchestrations can be heard on Michael R. Jackson’s album Dirty Laundry (2018) and his arrangements can be heard on his chart topping cast recording of A Strange Loop. His keyboard programming can be heard in Australia (Wicked), Argentina (Seussical), China (The Joker’s Game, The Monkey King).

Karen Gunn

*

Producer
(
)
Pronouns:
She/Her

Karen "Kay" Gunn  was most recently she was on the producing teamand company manager of the Off-Broadway musical “Camp Morning Wood” (2019) and onthe producing team of “Fat Kid Rules The World” in NYC. She is currently the executiveproducer of the digital documentary series “Stage Left” by Ashley Marinaccio and was aproducer on the independent film “Nicky Newark” from Feenix Films. Ms. Gunn is the ownerof Soiree Fair, Inc. a talent and literary management company she founded in 1995 based inNew Jersey serving the talent in the NY metro area.

Dina El-Aziz

*

Costume Designer
(
)
Pronouns:
She/Her

Dina El-Aziz is a British-Egyptian Costume Designer basedin New York. Born and raised in the UK, she moved to Egypt to study Art andCommunication and Media Arts at the American University in Cairo, where she discoveredher passion for costume design. A graduate of the Design for Stage and Film MFA programat NYU’s Tisch School for the Arts, Dina has worked on numerous film and theatreproductions in NYC and across the US. Regional venues include Portland Center Stage,Northern Stage, The Guthrie, The Old Globe, Williamstown Theater Festival, Actors Theatreof Louisville, and Geva Theatre. Recipient of the JS Seidman Award.

Paige Hathaway

*

Scenic Designer
(
)
Pronouns:
She/Her

Paige Hathaway is based in the Washington, DC area. She hasdesigned regionally at The Muny in St. Louis, Asolo Rep in Sarasota, Arden TheatreCompany in Philadelphia, the John W. Engeman Theatre in Long Island, People’s Light inMalvern, PA, among others. In the Washington, DC area she has designed at the KennedyCenter, Arena Stage, Signature Theatre, Round House Theatre, Theater J, Imagination Stage,Studio Theater, Woolly Mammoth, and Olney Theatre Center. Her upcoming productionsinclude "Mary Poppins" at The Muny, Dance Nation at Olney Theatre Center, and "Nathan theWise" at Theater J. She received her BFA from the University of Oklahoma and her MFAfrom the University of Maryland. She is a member of USA 829.

Aja M. Jackson

*

Lighting Designer
(
)
Pronouns:
She/Her

Aja M. Jackson is a Boston-based lighting designer. Creditsinclude "A Commercial Jingle for Regina Comet" (off-Broadway, DR2), "Hear Word!"(American Repertory Theatre and Under The Radar Festival at the Public Theater NYC),"Black Odyssey Boston" (Central Square Theatre), "Ragtime" (Wheelock Family Theatre),"We Are Proud to Present..." (Brandeis University), "Nat Turner in Jerusalem" (Actor'sShakespeare Project), "Straight White Men and Nixon's Nixon" (New Rep), "Hot Water OverRaised Fists" (Modern Connections), and "FireBird" (Abilities Dance Boston). Aja is also theResident Lighting Designer and core collaborator for site-specific movement company,HOLDTIGHT and serves as Board Chair on the Board of Directors for Brighter Boston.Brighter Boston is a live event training program that pays, trains and places Bostonteenagers in long-term internships.

Twi McCallum

*

Sound Designer
(
)
Pronouns:
She/They

Selected credits include: Broadway: "Chicken &Biscuits" (designer and co-composer), "Company" (design apprentice). Off-Broadway: "TheLast" (Atlantic Theater Company), "Little Girl Blue" (New World Stages), "A CommercialJingle for Regina Comet" (Daryl Roth Theater). Regional: "Justice" (Arizona TheaterCompany), "The Sound of Music" (Dallas Theater Center), "Frankenstein" (Kansas City Rep),"Extinction" (Baltimore Center Stage). Film/TV/Media: "The Girlfriend Experience" (STARZ;apprentice sound editor), "Dr. Death" (NBC; apprentice sound editor), and multipleaudiobooks and podcasts. Member United Scenic Artists 829 and Motion Picture EditorsGuild 700. Special thanks to Yale School of Drama.

Kyra Bowie

*

Production Stage Manager
(
)
Pronouns:
She/Her

Kyra Bowie is a multi-hyphenate artist based in Brooklyn and the co-founder of Transcend Streaming. She is incredibly grateful to be a part of this special project. Select Credits: SHOOTING CELEBRITIES (PSM | The Flea), CAMP MORNING WOOD (PSM | AsylumNYC), OSF O! Staged Reading Series (Streaming Producer), Next Chapter Podcasts (Coordinating Producer). NYU Tisch. Never-ending gratitude to her chosen family.

Sagan Chen

*

COVID Safety Manager
(
)
Pronouns:
They/He

Sagan (they/he) is an actor, filmmaker, and theatre artist, and he is thrilled to be on the Mechanical Heart team! As a queer nonbinary Chinese-American artist they center their work on uplifting underrepresented narratives onstage, onscreen, and on the page. Onstage: Joy of Painting (Clubbed Thumb), Two Mile Hollow (Yale), Six Years Old, Stone, and delicacy of a puffin heart (Corkscrew Theater Festival), Something for the Fish (CPR), Exposed Bone (The PIT Loft). Onscreen: High Maintenance (HBO), Girl Talk, Here We Wait, and Sideways Smile. Narrator of Ana On the Edge and All The Things We Don’t Talk About.

Alexander Friedland

*

Production Management Consultant
(
)
Pronouns:
They/Them

Chris Ogren

*

Production Assistant
(
)
Pronouns:
He/They

Chris Ogren is an NYU Tisch educated, LA-area native and has been supporting “Mechanical Heart” as a production assistant and more since the beginning. Thrilled to be along for the journey of a new musical. Primarily an actor, New York Theatre Guide has called him "a focused actor with a powerful enthusiasm on stage”. Chris acts with Broadway veterans, was Derek in the Off-B’way “Camp Morning Wood”, and appeared in the Public Theater's "Twelfth Night" in Central Park alongside New York Deaf Theatre. His other skills include American Sign Language and Shakespearean verse. Check out chris-ogren.com for past film roles!

MiMi Scardulla

*

Choreographer
(
)
Pronouns:
She/Her

MiMi Scardulla is a performer, director, and choreographer based in New York City. She has been seen on Broadway in Kristin Chenoweth's For the Girls and Off Broadway in We are the Tigers and Gigantic. MiMi just completed her run as Belinda in the Britney Spears musical, Once Upon a One More Time. She has worked as an associate to Chase Brock, Lorin Lotarro, and Spencer Liff. She is a fierce advocate for Size Diversity on Stage and is also a Body Positivity educator.

ShowTown Theatricals

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General Manager
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)
Pronouns:

Broadway/Tour: A Christmas Carol, In Residence on Broadway,  May We All, The Jimmy Awards, Notre Dame de Paris (Lincoln Center). Regional: American Prophet, Bruce: The Musical, Anne of Green Gables, Grace: The Musical, How to Dance in Ohio.  OB: A Sherlock Carol. Upcoming: Romy & Michele, Room, Syncing Ink, When Playwrights Kill.

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OH, MARY! Will Tour U.S. Starting This Fall
Emily Wyrwa
January 22, 2026

Mary Todd is hitting the road! The smash-hit play Oh, Mary!, written by Cole Escole, will play select cities across the U.S. beginning fall 2026. 

The production will tech and launch at The Bushnell in Hartford, CT, and will visit Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. Engagement details, additional cities, casting, and ticket information will be announced soon. 

‍Oh, Mary! opened on Broadway in July 2024 and continues to play at the Lyceum Theatre. It was the first production in the theatre’s 121-yaer history to gross over $1 million in a single week, and has broken its own box office record 12 times. It recently transferred to London’s West End, where it opened to rave reviews. Escola won a Tony Award for their performance in the play’s titular role, and director Sam Pinkleton was recognized for Best Direction of a Play in 2025.

The play is a dark comedy about a miserable, suffocated Mary Todd Lincoln in the weeks leading up to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Unrequited yearning, alcoholism, and suppressed desires abound in this one-act play that finally examines the forgotten life and dreams of Mrs. Lincoln through the lens of an idiot (playwright Cole Escola).

CHESS, Starring Nicholas Christopher, Aaron Tveit, and Lea Michele Will Release a Cast Album
Emily Wyrwa
January 22, 2026

“What a scene, what a joy!” The Broadway revival of Chess starring Nicholas Christopher, Aaron Tveit, and Lea Michele will record a Broadway cast album on Jan. 26. The album’s release date will be announced shortly. 

Chess also features Hannah Cruz, Bryce Pinkham, Bradley Dean, Sean Allan Krill. The ensemble includes Sean Allan Krill and an ensemble that includes Kyla Bartholomeusz, Daniel Beeman, Shavey Brown, Emma Degerstedt, Casey Garvin, Adam Halpin, Sarah Michele Lindsey, Michael Milkanin, Aleksandr Ivan Pevec, Aliah James, Sydney Jones, Sean MacLaughlin, Sarah Meahl, Chloé Nadon, Ramone Nelson, Fredric Rodriguez Odgaard, Michael Olaribigbe, Katerina Papacostas, Samantha Pollino, Adam Roberts, Regine Sophia, Travis Ward-Osborne, and Katie Webber.

The musical features music and lyrics by ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and Tim Rice. This revival features orchestrations by Anders Eljas and Brian Usifer, and music supervision by Brian Usifer. It includes a new book by Danny Strong, and is directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer and choreographed by Lorin Latarro.

Chess is a seductive showdown of love, loyalty, and power on a global stage. As two of the greatest chess players in the world compete for something beyond victory, the woman between them is caught in a high-stakes battle of desire and devotion.

Chess plays at the Imperial Theatre on West 45th Street in New York City. For tickets and more information, visit here.

Kids' Night On Broadway Returns February 24
Emily Wyrwa
January 22, 2026

"When I grow up" Kids’ Night on Broadway will return on Tuesday Feb. 24, allowing anyone 18 and under to attend a participating Broadway show for free when accompanied by a full-paying adult.

18 shows will participate. They include: 

  • Aladdin
  • All Out: Comedy About Ambition
  • & Juliet 
  • Buena Vista Social Club
  • Chicago 
  • The Great Gatsby 
  • Hamilton 
  • Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
  • The Lion King 
  • Maybe Happy Ending 
  • MJ 
  • Moulin Rouge! The Musical
  • Operation Mincemeat
  • The Outsiders
  • Six: The Musical
  • Stranger Things: The First Shadow
  • Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
  • Wicked

The performance dates for The Great Gatsby and Six will be Wednesday, Feb. 25. Participating shows are subject to change.

"Kids’ Night on Broadway can play an important role in introducing the magic of Broadway to young people and their families,” Jason Laks, President of The Broadway League said in a statement. “By welcoming new audiences, this program creates lasting memories, builds the next generation of theatre lovers, and reminds us of Broadway’s role as a family-friendly cultural experience.”

The event is celebrated with in-theatre activities including talkbacks, sing-alongs, art projects, Kids’ Night on Broadway activity books, and more. In addition, 16 restaurants in the Theatre District and the Museum of Broadway will offer exclusive deals for Kids' Night on Broadway ticketholders on Feb. 24, including free kids’ meals with the purchase of an adult entree. 

Kids’ Night ticketholders can also head to the Museum of Broadway and save 50% on admission on Feb. 24. The museum will host Broadway games, trivia, and interactive experience for kids of all ages. For more information, visit here. 

To find out when tickets for Kids’ Night go on sale, and for more information, 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.

‍

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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