Open, Stay

Off The Lane’s ColLab program, Uproar Theatrics, and LDK Productions welcome you to our pop-up production of Open, Stay.

“Watching Open, Stay grow from afternoons alone in school practice rooms to over 1 million views on TikTok and 330K album streams on Spotify has been the ride of a lifetime— I couldn’t be more excited to witness my music’s continued evolution on stage! Open, Stay (originally conceived as a song cycle) has been developed with an open invitation for creative teams to reorder the songs, reimagine the story and characters, and write an original libretto custom-tailored to each unique production, using my music and lyrics as a skeleton. This flexible, “build-your-own-musical” model was made possible with the unwavering support of the licensing team at Uproar Theatrics— chief among them being Kyle Holmes, co-founder and librettist of this new site-specific production. Guided by Mindy Cooper’s innovative vision and direction, it’s been an honor to watch this phenomenal cast bring this new shape of the show to life. Thank you so much for joining us at the Kismet Cafe today— sit back, sip slow, and enjoy the show!” —Anna DeNoia (Composer)

Setting: Kismet Café, Brooklyn, NYC, October 4th, 2024

Run Time: 75 minutes, no intermission

MUSICAL NUMBERS

The Arizona Song………………………….Victoria
Paranoid (Voicemail #1)………………….Quinn
How You Thought It Would Be………..Carson
Timing……………………………………………….Alex
Paranoid (Voicemail #2)……………………Quinn
Who Do You Think You Are?……………Carson
Stars…………………………………………………Parker
The Devil I Don’t……………………………Quinn, Carson, Victoria
I Thought I Heard a Voice………………Alex
Anyway, Anymore…………………………Parker, Carson
Paranoid, Anyway (Voicemail #3)……Quinn, Victoria
Open, Stay.……………………………………..Parker, Carson
Finale……………………………………………..Company

MEET THE COMPANY

SOPHIE BRUBAKER (Quinn) is a bubbly, NYC-based performer, producer, and event host. She slips and slides between immersive theatre, pop and coastal cowgirl music, emceeing interactive and artistic events, and producing for both Off the Lane and the company she co-founded, In Confidence (secret shows + unlikely places). Sophie is currently an actor in the Murder Mystery Company with American Immersion Theater. If you see a pair of stray googly eyes around the city, that was probably her doing ;). Thank you to everyone involved (both old and new friends/colleagues) who made this musical immersive coffee shop dream come true. @sophiebrubaker ; sophiebrubaker.com

XAVIER CORNELL (Parker) is a current senior BM Musical Theatre major at Manhattan School of Music. Credits include: Film/TV: NBC’s The Voice Season 21 Theatre: Nine (Guido), Forget Me Not (Pete), Paperboy (Mr. Spiro), Godspell (Jesus). He has 3 Summers of professional a cappella singing on Cape Cod with The Hyannis Sound. Welcome to our little coffee shop and enjoy this magical piece! Social: @xaviertcornell (all platforms!)

OLIVIA HELLMAN (Alex) is so excited to be telling the beautiful story of Open, Stay! Originally from San Francisco, she just received her BFA in Drama at NYU Tisch School of the Arts at the New Studio on Broadway. Favorite credits include Bonnie in Applause, Brooklyn in BKLYN, and Marcy Park in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Olivia is also a singer-songwriter, and her new song “Highway 17” and accompanying music video is out on all platforms! Thanks to the cast and creative team, and all the love to Joel, Mommy & Dy! @oliviarhellman

MALIA MCLELLAN (Victoria) is thrilled to be a part of this pop-up production of Open, Stay. She is a Junior BFA Musical Theatre major at Texas State University and her professors graciously allowed her to miss her first two weeks of classes to be a part of this special process. Eat ‘em up Bobcats! Most recently, she has been in Urinetown (Josephine “Ma” Strong) and Rent (Swing/Mimi u/s) at TXST, and was part of the staged reading of Ranked (Lily) at SXSW. Malia would like to thank her family, friends, and faculty for their unwavering support! IG: @malia.mclellan 

NATALIE MYRICK (Carson) is an actor/musician/writer who is especially passionate about new works in development. In addition to performing regionally and Off-Off Broadway, she has studied musical improv, toured theatre for young audiences in South Korea, composed pieces sung at 54 Below and Joe’s Pub, written a monthly indie pop music newsletter on Substack, and played in a classic rock cover band on an Alaskan cruise ship. Much love to this starry-eyed group! Select credits: Bridges of Madison County (Bucks County), Rent (Milton), SWAY (Fled Collective), I’m Fine Though (Ars Nova ANTFest). www.nataliemyrick.com ~ @noots.mcgoots

LISON TUNICK (Swing) is thrilled to be the swing for Off The Lane’s production of Open, Stay. Recent credits include Pump Up The Volume (Paige, Adirondack Theatre Festival), Wollstonecraft in Hyena in Petticoats (Eliza, NYU Tisch), and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime (Chris Boone, NYU Tisch). Also harboring a passion for songwriting, Lison both composed for and performed in the group-written Once More: An Original Musical (New York Theater Festival). She graduated from NYU Tisch in 2024 with a BFA in Drama.

ANNA DENOIA (Composer) Anna is an NYC-based theatre creator, as well as a passionate performer, producer and prankster. Songwriting experience includes the Johnny Mercer Songwriter’s Project, the Orchard Project, and the BMI Musical Theatre Writing Workshop.  Original musical theatre works include the viral song cycle Open, Stay, which has been produced by nationwide through Uproar Theatrics, as well as the new musical Grace and the Ghost, which was a NMTC semi-finalist in 2023. Studio cast recordings of both Open, Stay and Grace and the Ghost— written by, produced by, and featuring Anna— are available on all streaming platforms. @anna_denoia

JOSHUA VILLA (Arranger and Orchestrator) Joshua Villa is a Virginia native composer, arranger, orchestrator, music director, musician, and educator. Joshua completed his BM in Music Composition at James Madison University where he has shown to be an outstanding writer and musician in many different styles: from classical contemporary to big band jazz, and musical theatre. Other songwriting training includes the 2022 Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriter’s Project at Northwestern University. Joshua has been on the writing team for two original musicals: Open, Stay and Grace and the Ghost in collaboration with Anna DeNoia. Joshua currently resides in Northern Virginia and teaches Music at the Lowell School in Washington DC.

KYLE HOLMES (Book Writer) is a playwright, educator, and co-founder of Uproar Theatrics, an all-digital theatrical licensing company. He spent a decade as a high school theatre director and co-authored the California K-12 Visual and Performing Arts Standards, providing a statewide blueprint for theatre arts education. His musical, Ranked, has been licensed and performed by over 100 schools around the world and is the subject of the HBO documentary “My So-Called High School Rank.” He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, ASCAP, and a proud alumni of artEquity’s first National Board Training cohort. @kylepholmes / kpholmes.com

MINDY COOPER (Director) As a Director, Choreographer and Performer in the Broadway community for over 4 decades, her passion for new works has always steered her career. Starting as a performer on Broadway in Chicago (Original Revival Cast),Titanic (Original Cast), Beauty And The Beast, and Song & Dance, she segued to creating works early in her career. For Broadway- Dracula-The Musical, Wrong Mountain. For Off-Broadway/ National Touring-50 Shades-The Musical Parody, The Eternal Space, Mars/Venus Live, Soul Doctor, Five Course Love, Hoi Polloi, Being Seen (FringeNYC), Deployed (NYMF), and multiple Broadway By The Years (Town Hall). Recent Readings and Commissions- Mothers (NNPN), My Friend Hafiz, The Thing About Time, and Ocean In A Teacup. Her extensive regional work has won multiple Broadway World Awards, Bay Area Theater Critics Awards, and Theatre Bay Area Awards. She is Stage Director of Ranked, whose trajectory is followed in My So-Called High School Rank, an HBO Documentary. Multi-Media works include Long Time Coming, Tomorrow I May Be Far Away (with Rita Dove), collaborations with Recording Artist/NPR host Lara Downes, Still Will Be Heard (Peak Performances), Songs From Eagle Pond with composer Graham Sobelman, and Juliet And Romeo with Writers/Composers Paul Gordon and Curtis Moore. Other works include NBC’s Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and numerous commercials, benefits and corporate shows around the world. She is Co-Founder/Co-Director of Catalyst: A Theatre Think Tank(C3T) a new works festival.mindycooper.com @mcoopergrenke

EPHRAT ASHERIE (Choreographer) Ephrat Asherie is a Bessie Award winning NYC-based choreographer.  As Artistic Director of Ephrat Asherie Dance (EAD), Asherie has received numerous awards to support her work including Dance Magazine’s Inaugural Harkness Promise Award and two National Dance Project Awards. Asherie’s work has been presented on stages nationally and internationally with commissions from companies including Malpaso, Philadanco! and Parsons Contemporary Dance and additional commissions from Vail Dance Festival, Fall for Dance, Works & Process at the Guggenheim and the Kennedy Center.  Asherie is forever grateful to NYC’s underground dance community for inspiring her to pursue a life as an artist. www.ephratasheriedance.com @ephratasheriedance

GRAHAM SOBELMAN (Musical Director) (he/him) Graham is delighted to again be a part of the Open, Stay team. MD: Forbidden Broadway; I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Broadway Sacramento); The Behavior of Broadus (Capital Stage), Passion, Little Fish, It’s Only Life, tick, tick…BOOM!; [title of show] (New Helvetia Theatre); Tell Me On a Sunday (Ensemble Theatre Company), The Next Big Thing (Edinburgh Fringe).  Composer: Love Is Eternal (song cycle), Lily (short film score), Songs From Eagle Pond (song cycle). Recordings: Jane Kenyon Sessions, Vols. 1-4 (with Maggie Hollinbeck), like as the waves (with Omari Tau). grahamsobelman.com

GEORGE LUTON (Vocal Director/Additional Arrangements) (they/he) is excited to be working with Anna DeNoia and Joshua Villa again after music directing and accompanying the 54 Below concert and studio recording of their musical Grace and the Ghost last year. Additional NYC music directorial credits include Off-Broadway projects with Prospect Theatre Company (Move Meant) and the York Theatre Company (More Than this World), as well as every Off The Lane musical to date (Ghost Quartet, Truth Dare or Lesbian, Hootenanny Tonight). Most recently, George has been arranging songs for the Amazon Prime show Hazbin Hotel. Learn more on socials @GeorgeLuton.music and at www.GeorgeLuton.com

ANVITA GATTANI (Assistant Director) is a director, actor and singer who studied at NYU Tisch. She was the Oscar Academy’s Student Speaker in 2022, featured in HBO’s My So-Called High School Rank and recently completed an Off-Broadway run as Kelly in The Office! based on the hit TV show. Additionally she directed the Dystopian Film Alone, Alone, Alone on a Wide, Wide Sea which premiered at Tasveer, the world’s only South Asian Oscar-qualifying film festival. In Hindi, Anvita means to bridge the gap and it is her mission to utilize storytelling to bridge the gaps between different groups of people. anvitagattani.com, @anvitagattani

STEPHANIE NIELSEN (Assistant Choreographer) is a multidisciplinary performer originally from Benicia, California. She began her dance training at age seven, and has since trained in ballet and modern techniques at the University of California, Davis, where she graduated with a B.A. in Theatre and Dance and a minor in Communications in June 2021. Throughout her education at UC Davis, Stephanie also trained as an actor and singer, and has choreographed multiple original works. She is currently based out of New York City. Stephanie joined the Stoopid Dance Company, part of the TICM Dance/Theater Company, in Fall 2020 as one of its original company members. Her most recent project, Funeral for a Dog, was performed at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. @stephaniekatenielsen

MARISSA COUNCILL (Production Stage Manager) is a New York City-based Freelance Stage Manager. Previous Credits- Tour:  Sex N’ The City (A Super Unauthorized Musical Parody) (Tour/Deck Stage Manager), Girls’ Night: The Musical (Tour/Deck Stage Manager). Regional: A Comedy of Tenors* (Swing SM), Beguiled Again* (Swing SM), Little Shop of Horrors (Production Stage Manager). Workshops: Open, Stay (Production Stage Manager, NYC Presentation). Shadow: Kimberly Akimbo (Broadway), Hamilton (Broadway), Wicked (North American National Tour). Member of SETC Stage Management Committee (2019-Pres.), Proud Member of the SMA. Website: marissacouncill.com *AEA Production

ALEC GOULD (Assistant Stage Manager) (he/they) is a New York and Pennsylvania-based artist. He is making his Stage Management debut! He is a Junior BA Theatre Major at Muhlenberg College. Select performance credits: Original Cast of The Haunting of Hartfield Hall (Reading and Premiere at Muhlenberg College), Spring Awakening (Ernst), Bare: a Pop Opera (Jason), In The Heights (Graffiti Pete). Alec is the vocalist in the band NFU and you can listen to their debut single “Scars on My Heart” on all streaming platforms. He’s just happy to be here!

CONNOR O’SULLIVAN (Musician) Connor O’Sullivan is thrilled to be working with Off The Lane after living abroad since 2015. Connor is a lifelong musician, playing violin and guitar in numerous projects worldwide. He has led children’s ensembles, fronted bands, and busked in city squares across Europe. Based in New York for the past year, Connor is the lead guitarist for the indie band Sweetboy, accompanies musical theater productions, and performs as a solo artist. His musical style draws from traditional Irish and Appalachian folk influences, while encompassing a wide range of modern American styles and world music.

STEPHANIE KLAPPER CASTING (Casting) Stephanie Klapper (Casting Director)’s award-winning work is frequently seen on Broadway, Off-Broadway, regionally, on concert stages, film, tv and streaming media. She, and her extraordinary team, are dedicated to the growth of arts education, the development of new talent, new work, and the reimagining of established works. SKC is known for their limitless imagination and creativity, as well as connecting creative, caring people to each other to make extraordinary things happen. We are committed to expanding diversity, education, equity, and inclusion in the business.  www.klappercasting.com

LDK PRODUCTIONS (General Manager) is a NYC-based theatrical general management and production firm founded in 2007 by Lisa Dozier Shacket. Select recent credits: Cellino V. Barnes, The Life and Slimes of Marc Summers, White Rose: The Musical, The Night of the Iguana (2024 Off Broadway revival, Patrick Olson’s Emergence: Things Are Not As They Seem, Anthony Rapp’s Without You, Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground, Little Girl Blue, Katsura Sunshine’s Rakugo, Be More Chill, the immersive theatrical adaptation of the film Sideways, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, A Letter to Harvey Milk. LDKProductions.com

OFF THE LANE (Producer) Founded by artists for artists, Off The Lane’s mission is to enrich and engage the creative community through accessible artistic resources, opportunities, and events; continued education; and the production of new, experimental work. Off The Lane’s ColLab program was founded in 2022 with the goal of challenging NYC artists to create new, interactive and/or interdisciplinary live performance work to be workshopped and presented in the Off The Lane performance space.

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