It’s with great pride and humility I am able to announce that I have been asked to direct a production of Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical at Pride Performing Arts in Sayville, New York! Auditions are September 13 & 14, and the performances are December 8-10.

I was first introduced to the show via my friend Josh Kurzban, an incredible Brooklyn-based professional magician and fellow theater geek. We met through a Broadway group on Facebook and then in person at a show we both enjoyed called Islander, which was playing at Playhouse 46, where I am currently Head Usher (yes, it’s all connected, ask me sometime). We regularly see shows together (because two people entering ticket lotteries increase your chances, duh!), and earlier this year during a really rough time after a bad breakup I went through, Josh quite literally saved my life.

After Islander closed, the next show to move into the space was Stranger Sings! I had seen advertisements for it around the city, but it was Josh that finally convinced me to go and check it out, which I did. From the opening ominous synthy notes, I immediately fell in love with the campy 80’s vibe, the music and the cartoonish exaggerations of the Stranger Things plotlines from which the musical draws its inspiration. Upbeat, silly and full of laughs, I ended up seeing it several times. So much so, I ended up volunteering to usher the show as much as I could.

Coincidentally, I ushered as a volunteer so many times, the venue hired me as a staff usher. I worked for the rest of the Stranger Sings! run, seeing the show well over 40 times. When Playhouse 46 filled out their slate for the rest of 2023 and 2024, I was asked to come back as Head Usher, which I excitedly agreed to do. Playhouse 46 is one of my “homes away from home” here in New York City, and I’m excited to be filling that role for a place I really love.

But on top of that, it was my familiarity with Stranger Sings! that led me to directing what I believe is going to be a really fun, over-the-top production full of neon colors, big-tease hair and interdimensional monsters!