Looking for the perfect show for your school, college or community stage? We’ve curated a list of plays and musicals that are flexible, engaging and designed to bring people together. From comedies that get the whole audience laughing to heartfelt dramas that spark conversation, these titles make theatre accessible and unforgettable for every stage.
Perfect for Educational Theatre
10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse: The Musical! Book by Don Zolidis, Music and Lyrics by Billy Recce, Based on the play by Don Zolidis
When zombies attack, a ragtag group of survivors are thrown into a chaotic fight for their lives! Enter Jimmy, Christy, Susan and Sam: four not-so-qualified heroes who stumble through ten outrageous methods to survive the zombie apocalypse. As they try sacrificing friends, weaponizing song and dance, and even leaving the planet, each new promising idea keeps coming up short. With a cheeky score, sarcastic narrators and undead mayhem, this hilarious story turns the end of the world into a show-stopping, brain-eating, laugh-out-loud adventure!
Based on the play 10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse by Don Zolidis
13 Ways to Screw Up Your College Interview by Ian McWethy
When two college recruiters at a prestigious university need to fill one last spot to keep their jobs, 13 eccentric, dimwitted and slightly-insane high school seniors are eager to come in for an interview. What seems like a simple task turns into a nightmare when the applicants turn out to be a reality TV star, a practicing vampire, an amateur magician and others that are much, much worse. Each applicant’s interview hilariously illustrates what NOT to do at a college interview.
Almost, Maine by John Cariani
Welcome to Almost, Maine, a place that’s so far north, it’s almost not in the United States. It’s almost in Canada. And it’s not quite a town, because its residents never got around to getting organized. So it almost doesn’t exist. One cold, clear, winter night, as the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above, the residents of Almost, Maine find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and hilarious ways. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken. But the bruises heal, and the hearts mend – almost – in this delightful midwinter night’s dream.
Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring
Drama critic Mortimer Brewster’s engagement announcement is upended when he discovers a corpse in his elderly aunts’ window seat. Mortimer rushes to tell Abby and Martha before they stumble upon the body themselves, only to learn that the two old women aren’t just aware of the dead man in their parlor, they killed him! Between his aunts’ penchant for poisoning wine, a brother who thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt, and another brother using plastic surgery to hide from the police – not to mention Mortimer’s own hesitancy about marriage – it’ll be a miracle if Mortimer makes it to his wedding. Arsenic and Old Lace is a classic black comedy about the only thing more deadly than poison: family.
Clue (High School Edition) Based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn, Written by Sandy Rustin, Additional Material by Hunter Foster & Eric Price, Based on the Paramount Pictures Motion Picture, Based on the Hasbro board game CLUE, Original Music by Michael Holland
It’s a dark and stormy night, and you’ve been invited to a very unusual dinner party. Each of the guests has an alias, the butler offers a variety of weapons, and the host is, well, dead. So whodunit? Join the iconic oddballs known as Scarlet, Plum, White, Green, Peacock and Mustard as they race to find the murderer in Boddy Manor before the body count stacks up. Based on the cult classic film and the popular board game, Clue is a madcap comedy that will keep you guessing until the final twist.
Emma! A Pop Musical by Eric Price
Emma, a senior at Highbury Prep, is certain she knows what’s best for her classmates’ love lives and is determined to find the perfect boyfriend for shy sophomore Harriet by the end of the school year. But will Emma’s relentless matchmaking get in the way of finding her own happiness? Based on Jane Austen’s classic novel, this sparkling new musical features the hit songs of legendary girl groups and iconic female singers from The Supremes to Katy Perry. Girl power has never sounded so good!
Also available: Emma! A Pop Musical JV
Fast Food by Tracy Wells
When you’re hungry for hilarity but short on time and tight on budget, where do you turn? Why, the one-act play Fast Food, of course! From crazy customers to screwy staff, this vignette-style collection of scenes will satisfy your craving for fast food fun while offering a simple set and an entirely flexible and expandable cast.
How to Get Away with a Murder Mystery by Don Zolidis
Five mysterious color-coded guests. A mansion. A murder. Can the killer get away with it? And how will the sleuths bring them to justice? A handy guide for how to escape the law when you just happen to be a prime suspect of a mysterious murder. Told in vignettes, this show hilariously skewers the tropes of the murder mystery: an airtight alibi, a long-winded monologue by a detective with an accent, an impossibly complicated Rube Goldberg murder device? Check, check and check!
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (High School Edition) based on an original story by J. K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne
Nineteen years after saving the Wizarding World, Harry, Ron and Hermione are back on a most extraordinary new adventure – this time, joined by a brave new generation that has only just arrived at the legendary Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When Harry Potter’s headstrong son Albus befriends the son of his fiercest rival, Draco Malfoy, it sparks an unbelievable new journey for them all – with the power to change the past and future forever. Prepare for spectacular spells, a mind-blowing race through time, and an epic battle to stop mysterious forces, all while the future hangs in the balance.
Head Over Heels (High School Edition) Songs by The Go-Go’s, Based on The Arcadia by Sir Philip Sidney, Concept & Original Book by Jeff Whitty, Adapted by James Magruder
This laugh-out-loud love story is set to the music of the iconic 1980s all-female rock band The Go-Go’s, including the hit songs “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed” and “Vacation,” along with Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven is a Place on Earth” and “Mad About You.” A hilarious, exuberant celebration of love, Head Over Heels follows the escapades of a royal family on an outrageous journey to save their beloved kingdom from extinction – only to discover the key to their realm’s survival lies within each of their own hearts.
John Proctor Is the Villain by Kimberly Belflower
At a high school in a one-stoplight town in Georgia, an English class is studying The Crucible, but the students are more preoccupied with navigating young love, sex ed and a few school scandals. As the students delve into the American classic, they begin to question the play’s perspective and the validity of naming John Proctor the show’s hero. With deep wells of passion and biting humor, this comedy captures a generation mid-transformation, running on pop music, optimism and fury, discovering that their future is not bound by the past and that they have the power to change it all.
Ride the Cyclone (High School Edition) Book, Music & Lyrics by Jacob Richmond & Brooke Maxwell
In this hilarious and outlandish story, the lives of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell a story to win a prize like no other – the chance to return to life. This popular musical is a funny, moving look at what makes a life well-lived!
Silent, but Deadly by Don Zolidis
The set of the silent thriller Das Vampyr, Scourge of the Night is in desperate trouble. The director is a perfectionist, the actors are in revolt, the producers are about to pull the plug, and everyone seems to be plotting to murder the lead actress. But when one of the conspirators ends up dead instead, it’s up to famed detective Valentina Caravelli to unravel the mystery.
Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson
When Henrietta Leavitt begins work at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s, she isn’t allowed to touch a telescope or express an original idea. Instead, she joins a group of women “computers,” charting the stars for a renowned astronomer who calculates projects in “girl hours” and has no time for the women’s probing theories. As Henrietta, in her free time, attempts to measure the light and distance of stars, she also takes measure of her life on Earth, balancing her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love. The true story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt explores a woman’s place in society during a time of immense scientific discoveries, when women’s ideas were dismissed until men claimed credit for them. Social progress, like scientific progress, can be hard to see when one is trapped among earthly complications; Henrietta Leavitt and her female peers believe in both, and their dedication changed the way we understand both the heavens and Earth.
Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling
All the ladies who are “anybody” in Chinquapin, Louisiana come to Truvy’s beauty salon to have their hair done. Helped by her eager new assistant, Annelle (who is not sure whether or not she is still married), the outspoken, wise-cracking Truvy dispenses shampoo and free advice to the town’s rich curmudgeon, Ouiser, (“I’m not crazy, I’ve just been in a bad mood for forty years”); an eccentric millionaire, Miss Clairee, who has a raging sweet tooth; and the local social leader, M’Lynn, whose daughter, Shelby (the prettiest girl in town), is about to marry a “good ole boy.”
Filled with hilarious repartee and several acerbic verbal collisions, the comedy moves toward tragedy when, in the second act, the spunky Shelby (who is a diabetic) risks her life to go through with a dangerous pregnancy. Confronted with the harshness of mortality, the others draw together to find strength – and love – in the wake of tragedy.
String Book by Sarah Hammond, Music & Lyrics by Adam Gwon
After angering Zeus, the Fates – the goddess sisters who spin, measure and snip the strings of life for every human on Earth – find themselves banished to a modern office building in the mortal world, where they continue their work hidden among the mortals whose destinies they weave into one giant, glorious tapestry. When eldest sister Atropos accidentally loses her pair of scissors in the building, she meets Mickey, the building’s overnight security guard. Soon love gets the better of her, and she finds herself falling for him, stealing his string to keep him immortal and defying all of the rules she has to follow as a goddess. This exception to the rules begins to disrupt the natural order. Can the tapestry of the Universe and her sisters stand this flaw? Fall for this original, uplifting and belty musical about fate, love and the imperfections that make us human.
The Alibis by Tyler Dwiggins, Jonathan Dorf, Kathryn Funkhouser, Patrick Greene, Mora V. Harris, Jason Pizzarello, Ian McWethy, Carrie McWethy (McCrossen)
We challenged eight playwrights to find the comedy in crime in this rogue’s gallery of ten-minute plays wrapped in a classic whodunit. When eccentric billionaire J. Leslie Arlington is murdered, a clueless detective finds the suspects are all reluctant to admit their alibis… because they were all committing other ridiculous crimes at the time. Designed as a flexible build-your-own mystery, these plays can be performed in any combination, threaded together with optional interludes. You never know what’s coming next when your suspects include disgruntled chefs, teen detectives and vengeful divas, but one thing’s for certain: Every alibi is absolutely absurd.
The Audition: The Musical! Book by Don Zolidis, Music and Lyrics by Rick Hip-Flores, Based on the play by Don Zolidis
It’s everyone’s favorite time of the year: the school musical! A passionate new theater teacher is determined to take their high school’s drama program to the next level with an ambitious production of A Chorus Line. But before the curtain can rise, a cast must be chosen. What follows is a chaotic, hilarious, and heartfelt audition process filled with hopefuls of all kinds: the overachievers, the anxiety-prone, the misfits, and the stars-to-be. Through soaring songs, dizzying dance steps and personal revelations, these students bare their insecurities and dreams, discovering that the spotlight isn’t just about landing the lead, it’s about finding your voice. The Audition: The Musical! is a fast-paced, funny and deeply touching celebration of theatre, resilience and the courage it takes to put yourself out there.
Based on the play The Audition by Don Zolidis.
The Big Twist: A Musical OzVenture Book and Lyrics by Brandon Zelman, Music by Billy Recce
Tillie, crowned the Wicked Witch of the South East, was so excited for her coronation party– until no one showed up! To get the attention she feels she deserves, she teams up with Paige, a book of spells, and they flip Oz on its head with a magic tornado. With Dorothy and Toto launched back into an unfamiliar Oz, the Scarecrow and Tin Woodsperson stuck in Kansas, and the Lion alone in the forest, our heroes are forced into unlikely partnerships to restore the world to order and find their way back home.
The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon by Don Zolidis
The fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm are turned on their heads in this fast-paced, rollicking ride as two narrators and several actors attempt to combine all 209 stories ranging from classics like Snow White, Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel to more bizarre, obscure stories like The Devil’s Grandmother and The Girl Without Hands. A wild, free-form comedy with lots of audience participation and madcap fun.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time based on the novel by Mark Haddon, adapted by Simon Stephens
15-year-old Christopher has an extraordinary brain: He is exceptional at mathematics but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched, and he distrusts strangers. Now it is seven minutes after midnight, and Christopher stands beside his neighbor’s dead dog, Wellington, who has been speared with a garden fork. Finding himself under suspicion, Christopher is determined to solve the mystery of who murdered Wellington, and he carefully records each fact of the crime. But his detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a thrilling journey that upturns his world.
The Mystery of the Missing Letter by Don Zolidis
The letter Z has gone missing. And the cast of the adorable Fluppet show, Meemoo’s Universe, are all suspects. Can hard-boiled detective Jack McCracken determine if it was Reginald the Grump, Zuzu the Little Witch, or even the sugar-addicted Sweets Beast who’s responsible? A hilarious one-act murder mystery parody.
The Old Man and the Old Moon Book, Music, and Lyrics by PigPen Theatre Co.
The Old Man has kept his post as the sole caretaker of the moon for as long as he (or his wife, the Old Woman) can remember. When she is drawn away by a mysterious melody that sparks memories of their shared past, the Old Man must decide between duty (and routine) and love (and adventure). Luckily for audiences everywhere, he chooses the latter, and what follows is an imaginative sea-faring epic, encompassing apocalyptic storms, civil wars, leviathans of the deep and cantankerous ghosts, as well as the fiercest obstacle of all: change.
Also available: The Old Man and the Old Moon (Large Cast Version)
The Play That Goes Wrong (High School Edition) by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer & Henry Shields
From Mischief, Broadway masters of comedy, comes this smash-hit farce. Welcome to opening night of the Cornley University Drama Society’s newest production, The Murder at Haversham Manor, where things are quickly going from bad to utterly disastrous. This 1920s whodunit has everything you never wanted in a show: an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything (including their lines). Nevertheless, the accident-prone thespians battle against all odds to make it through to their final curtain call, with hilarious consequences! Part Monty Python, part Sherlock Holmes, this Olivier Award-winning comedy is a global phenomenon that’s guaranteed to leave you aching with laughter!
The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet by Peter Bloedel
A whimsical reinvention of Shakespeare’s tragic love story, complete with rhymed couplets, creative wordplay, and fantastical machines – similar to something Dr. Seuss might have come up with if he ever had his way with the script.
The Time Machine by Michael D. Fox
A new, freshly imagined adventure ignites from the pages of H.G. Wells! An unexpected delivery containing a puzzling box of clues leads to the Time Machine itself. Now the race is on from today’s perplexing world into the baffling past then back again in an anxious chase against time to save the world. Experience a mystical, scientific wonder that moves through the ages, chasing a coveted treasure, dubious friendship, and lost love. Can this be real? Does time travel really exist? Buckle up for a journey into the unknown!
Water for Elephants (High School Edition) Book by Rick Elice, Music and Lyrics by PigPen Theatre Co., Based on the novel by Sara Gruen
Water for Elephants, based on the bestselling novel by Sara Gruen, is a dazzling, heart-filled musical about Jacob, a young man desperate to escape his past, who jumps aboard a moving train uncertain of the road ahead. Finding himself on the ride of a lifetime, Jacob joins the colorful company of a traveling circus and is hired by the imperious ringmaster, August, as caretaker to the animals. Jacob soon develops an unspoken attraction to the star performer, Marlena, who is married to August. A last-ditch effort to save their struggling show brings an elephant into the troupe, drawing Marlena and Jacob dangerously close, forever changing the circus’s fate. Nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Water for Elephants features a book by four-time Tony Award nominee Rick Elice (Peter and The Starcatcher, Jersey Boys) and a soaring score by the acclaimed PigPen Theatre Co. (The Old Man and The Old Moon). Hailed by The New York Times as a “miracle,” Water for Elephants will fill your heart and make you feel alive.
You Can’t Take It With You by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman
The family of Martin Vanderhof lives “just around the corner from Columbia University – but don’t go looking for it.” Martin is the paterfamilias of a large and extended family: his daughter, Penny, who fancies herself a romance novelist; her husband, Paul, an amateur fireworks expert; their daughter, Alice, an attractive and loving girl who is still embarrassed by her family’s eccentricities – which include a xylophone player/leftist leaflet printer, an untalented ballerina, a couple on relief, and a ballet master exiled from Soviet Russia. When Alice falls for Tony, a handsome scion of Wall Street, she fears that their two families – so unlike in manner, politics and finances – will never come together. During a disastrous dinner party, Alice’s prospective in-laws are humiliated in a party game, fireworks explode in the basement, and the house is raided by the FBI. Frustrated and upset, Alice intends to run away to the country, until her family comes to the rescue, bringing the happy couple together and reminding Tony’s father of the true priorities in life. After all, why be obsessed by money? You can’t take it with you.
Perfect for Community Theatre
A Bronx Tale Book by Chazz Palminteri, Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Glenn Slater, Based on the Play by Chazz Palminteri
Based on the critically acclaimed play that inspired the now classic film, this streetwise musical will take you to the stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s, where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he’d love to be. Featuring a book by Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri, music by Oscar, Grammy and Tony Award winner Alan Menken, and lyrics by Grammy Award winner and Oscar and Tony Award nominee Glenn Slater, A Bronx Tale is a story about respect, loyalty, love and – above all else – family. Contains adult language and mild violence.
Also available: A Bronx Tale (High School Edition)
A Night with Janis Joplin Written & Created by Randy Johnson
The voice, the music, the legend: Spend A Night with Janis Joplin as she shares her inspirations, her story and the gift that was her talent. From her humble beginnings in Port Arthur, Texas to worldwide stardom, Janis reminisces on how music became the love of her life… a love instilled by her mother and nurtured by the greats, including Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Bessie Smith and Nina Simone. Told through a series of songs by the Chantels and Joplinaires, duets with those masters of the blues, and featuring Janis’s biggest hits “Piece of My Heart,” “Me and Bobby McGee” and more, A Night with Janis Joplin will have you rocking out and leaving the theatre with your heart full.
Fran is a pessimist who’s terrified of making decisions. Owen is a guy who sees life for what it is, finding ways to make the best of it. Both of them are lonely, and they find in each other what could be a meaningful connection. But when Fran’s sisters need her more than ever, she is faced with the most difficult choice she’s ever had to make. Brooklyn Laundry is about romance, family, joy and responsibility. Most of all, it’s a play about choosing to love and be loved.
Christmas in Connecticut Book by Patrick Pacheco and Erik Forrest Jackson, Music by Jason Howland. Lyrics by Amanda Yesnowitz
Based upon the Warner Brothers Picture
Based on the beloved Barbara Stanwyck film, this hilarious musical is destined to become a holiday tradition!
Aspiring writer Elizabeth Sanders moves to New York City wanting to change the world, but first she needs to make rent. Out of desperation, she takes a job as a columnist, doling out advice about domestic life in the country – something she knows nothing about. Under the pseudonym Liz Lane, she skyrockets to fame, writing weekly about cooking, marital bliss, and life in her bucolic farmhouse in Connecticut… all the while living alone in her city apartment. When Liz’s biggest fan, a beloved war hero, is invited to her nonexistent farm by her publisher, Liz is forced to find a house and husband in Connecticut to maintain the façade – and her job. Throw in a team of co-conspirators, madcap locals and a toe-tapping Broadway-style score, and holiday hijinks abound as Liz tries to pull off the hoax.
Growing up isn’t easy – especially with a strong-willed, Italian-American mother keeping tabs on your every move. Free-spirited Bobby has a knack for getting into trouble, and his mother, Maria, never hesitates to offer her opinion, like it or lump it. As he comes of age and builds a life for himself in New York City as a struggling playwright – is there any other kind? – Maria is always there with a phone call or check-in, following her mother’s intuition. And when Bobby begins to seek independence as a gay man, Maria stretches her own beliefs to support him. Through learning curves, life’s complications, and hard-won victories, their love for each other never diminishes, with plenty of laughs and only a few tears.
Dakar 2000 by
Boubs is serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal and is a little fed up with all the red tape. The morning after he crashes a supply truck that he has filled with misappropriated goods to aid a local village’s gardening group, he is reprimanded by Dina, the seasoned U.S. security agent now in charge in Dakar. She presents the smooth talker with an ultimatum: a one-way ticket back to the States or a make-good mission. Smitten with Dina and desperate to make an impact, Boubs jumps at the chance to redeem himself. But as Dina’s assignments and his feelings for her escalate, he unexpectedly finds himself in a moral dilemma, where he must decide how far he is willing to go to do what is right.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book by Kevin del Aguila, Music & Lyrics by Michael Mahler & Alan Schmuckler, Based on the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book Series by Jeff Kinney & the 20th Century Studios Films
Middle school, ugh. It’s the worst. But Greg is determined not to be at the bottom of the popularity chart. He’ll leave that to his weird neighbor, Fregley. Or maybe Greg’s best friend, Rowley Jefferson. But it’s not going to be Greg… no way. Jeff Kinney’s popular character takes center stage as Greg’s cartoon diary becomes a hilarious and heartfelt musical. Will Greg’s plans to become popular lead him to sacrifice his one true friend? Can anyone avoid the dreaded Cheese Touch? Grab a hall pass and don’t be late for an adventure familiar to anyone who actually survived middle school.
Also available: Diary of a Wimpy Kid (60-Minute Edition)
Flex by
The pressure is on for the 1998 Lady Train high school basketball team – on top of a battle to bring home the championship trophy, it is also college scouting season. But the team’s performance on the court is tested as it ruptures under the weight of its own infighting, and the once-tight players begin to focus on their individual futures. What does it mean to be a Black girl on the brink of freedom and womanhood in a small town in the South? Does honoring your own wants mean sacrificing your friends, family, and team? This funny and frank play about getting a full-court press from life will have audiences cheering.
Heartbreak Hotel Book by Sean Cercone & David Abbinanti, Based on a concept by Floyd Mutrux
His singular name still evokes immediate recognition from people all over the world. This official Elvis Presley bio-musical takes a closer look at the rock star and incomparable icon whose impact shaped the history of music and culture. Trapped in a moment of crisis, his younger self guides him through pivotal moments of his life that led him to become “The King of Rock and Roll.” Heartbreak Hotel features over 40 Elvis hits and iconic songs, including “That’s All Right,” “All Shook Up,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Burning Love,” “Good Rockin’ Tonight,” “Hound Dog,” “Love Me Tender,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Are You Lonesome” and “Blue Suede Shoes.”
Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville Book by Greg Garcia and Mike O’Malley, Music and Lyrics by Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville is a musical comedy featuring the most-loved Jimmy Buffett classics, including “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Margaritaville,” “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” “Fins,” “Volcano” and many more. With a book by Emmy Award winner Greg Garcia (My Name is Earl, Raising Hope) and Emmy nominee Mike O’Malley (Survivor’s Remorse, Shameless), this hilarious, heartwarming musical is the party you’ve been waiting for!
Left on Tenth by Delia Ephron, based on her memoir
After her husband of more than 30 years passes away from cancer, Delia Ephron has to deal with logistical problems large and small – among them, cancelling her husband’s landline with Verizon. The frustrating experience becomes the basis of a New York Times op-ed, which in turn becomes the basis for a new relationship. Peter, a man she briefly dated in her twenties, contacts her after reading her piece and wants to reconnect. In classic romantic comedy-style, emails become phone calls become cross-country flights become lasting love. But when Delia is faced with a devastating new challenge, her newfound relationship with Peter comes to mean more than a happy ending – it means winning the fight of her life.
LIZZIE Music by Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer and Alan Stevens Hewitt, Lyrics by Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer and Tim Maner, Book by Tim Maner, Additional Music by Tim Maner, Additional Lyrics by Alan Stevens Hewitt. Based on an original concept by Alan Stevens Hewitt and Tim Maner, Orchestrations by Alan Stevens Hewitt
Rage! Sex! Betrayal! Bloody murder!
In the heat of late summer 1892, Andrew Borden and his wife are found murdered in their house. The main suspect in the murders is Andrew’s youngest daughter from a previous marriage, Lizzie Borden. Using a searing rock score, and based on the historical record, LIZZIE explores the heady and heated days leading up to the murder, Lizzie’s controversial acquittal of all charges, and the creation of a new American myth.
McNeal by
Finally, finally, Jacob McNeal has won an award he feels appropriately honors his genius: the Nobel Prize in Literature. The award is already improving his professional life, including high expectations for his newest novel, which his longtime publisher has honored by providing an appropriately large advance. But McNeal’s career success comes at a time of great personal turmoil. His alcoholism is spiraling out of control, and his estranged son, mistress and a New York Times culture reporter threaten to ruin his reputation – something McNeal might accomplish himself with his use of Artificial Intelligence. McNeal must figure out how far he’s willing to go to tell a good story – and if the value of the message outweighs its perceived truth.
Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library by
Berlin, 1933. With martial law in effect, political activism has become a capital crime. The Gestapo has arrested a graduate student suspected of conducting illegal research. She undergoes intense questioning, and the arrival of a lawyer sent to defend her only complicates matters. But the encounter takes surprising turns as an earnest young officer must interrogate the iconic political thinker Hannah Arendt – a woman in possession of untold wit, charm and ideas. Inspired by real events, this fantastical drama delves into the life and mind of one of history’s deepest thinkers.
Peter Pan Goes Wrong by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer & Henry Shields
The newest hit from Mischief! Brace yourselves for an awfully big adventure when the inept and accident-prone Cornley Drama Society set out to present J.M. Barrie’s much-loved classic tale of Peter Pan, their most audacious production to date. Flying? Pyrotechnics? Sharp hooks? What ensues is two acts of hysterical disaster, battling technical hitches, flying mishaps and cast disputes. But will they ever make it to Neverland?
You’ll laugh; they’ll cry. Something so wrong has never been so right.
Penelope Music and Lyrics by Alex Bechtel, Book by Alex Bechtel, Grace McLean and Eva Steinmetz
Based on writings in The Odyssey by Homer
Penelope has been waiting… and waiting… and waiting for her husband, Odysseus, to return from a decade-long war. Given the rest of the soldiers came home years ago – forgive her, but she’s going to need a drink while she tells you about it. With a beautiful folk-inflected pop score backed by an onstage band of strings, piano and drums, Penelope opens up about her loneliness, her son’s disappearance, her suitors, her gods, her faith in her marriage – and ultimately, the faith that she must have in herself. So go ahead and grab a drink, too, and listen to this ancient tale made new: A woman wondering who she is if she’s alone, and discovering that she has been, is and will always be complete – with or without her husband by her side.
Staff Meal by
Mina and Ben, two strangers who frequent the same café, strike up a conversation and decide to have dinner together. But something strange is happening in the city outside: The streets are empty and a bird calls a warning. Amidst this unsettling atmosphere, Mina and Ben find themselves in the only place still open: a mysterious restaurant where service is an art, the chef may be a god, and food is a portal to other – better – worlds. Endlessly surprising and unexpectedly moving, Staff Meal is a surreal dark comedy about the stories we tell and the ways we take care of each other when the world grows dark.
Still by
It’s been nearly 30 years since their relationship ended, and now Helen and Mark are having a drink together. As they reflect on the ups and downs of their lives since their breakup, they find themselves charmed all over again, and their attraction to each other is undeniable. That is, until judgments and deep feelings surrounding past choices finally come to light, causing them to confront their beliefs and hopes for the future. Intimate and character-driven Still explores the line between the personal and political with vulnerability, wit and passion.
The Cher Show Book by Rick Elice
The Cher Show is based on the life of Cherilyn Sarkisian La Piere Bono Allman, or – as her friends call her – Cher! The kid on a tricycle, vowing to be famous. The teenage phenom who crashes by twenty. The glam TV star who quits at the top. The would-be actress with an Oscar. The rock goddess with a hundred million records sold. The legend who’s done it all, still scared to walk on stage. The wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend. The woman, looking for love. The ultimate survivor, chasing her dream. They’re all here, dressed to kill, belting out all the hits, telling it like it is. And they’re all the star of The Cher Show.
The Counter by
This warmly funny and yearning play follows the unlikely connection between Paul, a retired firefighter who goes to the same counter every morning for a few cups of coffee, and Katie, who’s always there to serve him. After many months of small talk, Paul decides it’s time for them to become real friends, and Katie gives in, sensing he needs a friend more than she does. What begins as the sharing of one secret grows into a deeply meaningful, life-affirming friendship – shocking Paul and Katie into embracing the hopes and joys born of basic human connection.
Despite spending more time drunk than sober, Steven McAlister has managed to graduate from college, create an extremely successful theatre group, get married and thrive in a dream job at one of the most prestigious regional theaters in the United States. Sure, it’s gratifying to go to an AA meeting where they reward you with a white chip just for showing up, but does he really have a problem? Even with an ailing father, a marriage on the rocks, and his professional life careening out of control, Steven has a carefully constructed balancing act that keeps it all together – until it all falls apart. Told with humor, honesty and compassion, The White Chip is about living with addiction and coming alive through recovery.
tiny father by
Overnight, Daniel’s entire life changes when his former lover gives birth to his daughter several months early. Now forced to reevaluate his previously casual relationship with his daughter’s mother, he begins to learn the ins and outs of caring for a premature baby with the help of NICU nurse Caroline. But Daniel’s initial ambivalence toward parenthood turns into a growing distrust of Caroline’s rigid adherence to hospital protocols. Caroline, in return, questions Daniel’s fitness as a father and feels as though she’s the only one properly advocating for the baby’s well-being. tiny father focuses on the tension between parents, healthcare professionals and the business of hospitals as their priorities overlap, conflict and come to a head.
We Are the Tigers Book, Music and Lyrics by Preston Max Allen
The Tigers’ high school cheerleading squad is meeting for their annual sleepover at captain Riley’s house – and they’ve brought plenty of their teenage troubles with them. Love triangles, a lustful boyfriend and hurt feelings over a now-viral cheer stunt gone wrong complicate their team-bonding activities. But so does the untimely death of one of their own in the front yard. Will that be the only murder? And who did it? With a pop-driven, belty score and a seriously silly book, We Are the Tigers will have audiences cheering for the Tigers as the Tigers learn to cheer for themselves.
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