Earlier this September, we were thrilled to produce a pop-up production of the new musical Open, Stay. Our artists transformed Meaux Space into an immersive coffee shop, welcoming audiences to the Kismet Cafe, where private and public moments converge, over a favorite Lavazza beverage. We caught up with the mind behind the music and lyrics, Anna DeNoia, the book writer, Kyle Holmes, and director Mindy Cooper to reflect on the experience.
Want to follow and learn more about Open, Stay? Visit their website.
What was your favorite part of developing Open, Stay as an immersive coffee shop experience at Off The Lane?
Anna: The immersive staging of this production allowed me the rare pleasure of observing the audience throughout the whole performance— it was such a thrill to watch them react, to see how things landed, and receive that unspoken feedback in real-time!
Kyle: The space that Off the Lane provides is stunning, and provided a warm and inspiring home for us to develop the piece. I think that carried over into welcoming the audience into the space as well – everyone was ready to cozy up in a coffee shop together.
Mindy: Finally having the cast in the space, our cast coffee shop improvs, and creating the space and actor business!
What is one of your favorite moments in the show?
Anna: Hearing this cast perform the finale was an emotional experience for me every time. Since I began developing the show during the pandemic, much of my work was done in isolation— even on the cast recording, each vocal line had to be recorded separately and edited together after the fact. Being in a room with a group of phenomenal vocalists blending so beautifully, delivering that song just how I’d always imagined it could sound, was first for me and was such an incredible moment.
Kyle: I have a lot of favorite moments throughout, but my favorite moment of watching the audience is when Parker (Xavier Cornell) sings Stars. We’re a little over the halfway point in the show and he still hasn’t sung yet, so the audience has no idea that Xavier has this beautiful, endearing voice. Combine that with the audience really wanting to learn more about what happened between Parker and his ex, and it made for a very earned moment that really resonated with the audience.
Mindy: The stillness created by the song “I Thought I Heard A Voice.” The heartfelt quietude.
What do you hope audiences took away from the show?
Anna: The word “time” is scattered all across this score, with “you can take your time” being the final lyric of the show. I hope people left our production affirmed in their own journey, their own timeline. Love and trust and romance manifest differently for every individual, but I believe they are innate and inevitable— they leave no one behind!
Kyle: That new theatre in unexpected places can be exciting and engaging, and that places like Off the Lane are perfect for incubating new experiences that bring us together and surprise us.
Mindy: Shared human kindness, and laughter that heals.
What inspires you as a creator/leader of new work in theatre?
Anna: I am SO inspired by rebirth and collaboration—Open, Stay is a journey I’ve been on for five years, and it still inspires me endlessly to see how each new production can move and surprise its audience in new ways!
Kyle: I am always inspired by anyone who takes a chance on a new play or musical. So much of the relationship between theatre and its audience is about trust, so anytime someone is willing to trust me as a storyteller, that I might share something with them of value, I am very grateful.
Mindy: Creating new theatrical work from the ground up gives me the same adrenaline rush as plowing headlong into a field of untrodden snow! Take the plunge, see where it takes you, enjoy the journey!
Production photography by Lisa Bettencourt – @lisabmedia