the painting

by Téa Wolk
Fall 2026

It’s Passover. Talulah wants to commit intellectual suicide. James is moving to Denver. And Pop Pop brought the painting.

Four Plays And produced a developmental reading in Chelsea, featuring Chip Zien, David Rossmer, Purva Bedi, Nadia Bowers, Felix Teich, Mia Fowler, Bianca Rogoff, and Charlotte Polk.

Photography by Scott Huffman.

POCKET UNIVERSE

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Ted Bushman
Additional Lyrics by Meredith Brandt
Fall 2026

Sixteen-year-old June lives an idyllic life with her father in a picture-perfect suburban town. What she doesn't know is that her dad is actually a wizard — and that six years ago, he created the town inside a pocket universe to protect her from something terrifying. But June is growing up fast and asking questions. When she crosses the wall at the edge of town and lets something in, she encounters a familiar stranger and is forced to make universe-altering decisions about her life—and the world beyond the one she's always known.

Pocket Universe is a new musical by Ted Bushman, with additional lyrics by Meredith Brandt. SÆBØ Arts produced a developmental reading at A.R.T./New York Studios in NYC, featuring Megan Colton, Ted Bushman, and Nora Palka. Jason Weisinger was our music director, and B.T. Hayes assistant directed and read stage directions.

Photography by Rebecca Reed.

the after wife

by Sophie McIntosh
Original music by Michael Lepore
Lyrics by Sophie McIntosh
Fall 2024

It’s 1963, and Nora is the perfect housewife. She was built to be. The most authentically humanoid robot prototype yet created, she’s undergoing a trial run in the home of robotic engineer Martin and his teenage kids, Ruth and Wally. But Ruth can’t get over how much Nora looks like her own mother Lillian, who has disappeared without a trace. Martin faces surging pressure from his employers to make Nora the new and improved model for motherhood, and Ruth is forced to work against her father and the powerful corporation behind him as she desperately tries to track down her real mother.

LaGuardia Performing Arts Center presented a developmental reading in Long Island City, New York. The reading starred Simone Policano, Michael Lepore, Anna Aubry, and Ruchir Khazanchi. Sarah Joyce read stage directions.

Photography by Ryan Prado.

Wakeman

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jenn Grinels
Fall 2023

Wakeman is a new folk-rock musical that tells the true story of Sarah Rosetta Wakeman / Lyons Wakeman, a gender-nonconforming Union soldier. The musical is grounded in Wakeman’s real-life letters home while they served in the 153rd New York Infantry and features a truly gorgeous original score by singer-songwriter Jenn Grinels.

TBD Theatricals produced a developmental 29-hour reading at Sunlight Studios in NYC. The presentation starred Ari Notartomaso (Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies) as Wakeman and Beth Malone (Tony nominee, Fun Home) as the Prisoner. The cast also included featured were Alaina Anderson, Merideth Kaye Clark, Brandon Delgado, Danny Germino-Watnick, Rohit Gopal, Teddy Grey, David Mattle, and Gian Perez.

The reading was made possible by Tina Cocumelli, along with Blossom Benedict, Jared Miller, and Merideth Kaye Clark. Matthew Matulewicz provided stage management, with assistance from Sarah Hartmann, and Sarah Joyce read stage directions. Gillian Berkowitz served as our music director, with Ross Seligman on guitar and Jamie Eblen on percussion. Aaron Jodoin was our music copyist.

Eleven months of nuclear summer

by Sophie McIntosh
Summer 2022

After an unfortunately-timed nuclear apocalypse strands the staff of Camp Aster in the Maine wilderness, the team of young employees must fight for survival while navigating shifting hierarchies of leadership and disaster after endless disaster.

Breaking & Entering Theatre Collective produced a one-day rooftop reading starring Gabby Policano, Marianna Gailus, Frankie Placidi, Caro Grogan, Samanthia Norman, and Naomi Goodheart.