The Blog

Meta-Musical [title of show] Opens Next

Our next and last production of the 2021-22 season is the fresh and funny musical [title of show]! And yes, the name of the next show is actually [title of show]! A musical about its own making, [title of show] is a front-row seat to the magic and mess of creativity and collaboration.

In the show, Jeff and Hunter, two struggling writers, hear about a new musical theatre festival. However, the deadline for submissions is a mere three weeks away. With the help of their friends Susan, Heidi and Larry, the pair decide to write a musical about writing a musical. [title of show] – taken from the space on the festival’s application form which asks for the “[title of show]” – is a love letter to musical theatre, friendship, and the joy of collaboration.

Mark Jones is directing ACT’s production of [title of show]. Mark has been acting, directing, and teaching theatre in Western North Carolina and Virginia for more than three decades. At ACT, he recently directed The Fantasticks, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, and Seussical, and was seen onstage as The Tin Man in the 2019 production of The Wizard of Oz.

Our production of [title of show] stars a cast of four. Graham Podraza, a recent graduate of AC Reynolds High School and a current student at East Carolina University, is starring in his first Mainstage show, though he has long been active at ACT as an actor, an assistant in youth programming, and as a backstage volunteer. Rounding out the cast are Joby Lavery, Carolyn Reeves, and Jamie Wilken, all of whom are making their ACT debuts!

The fifth “character” in [title of show] is Rob Blackwell, the music director. In addition to teaching and conducting the music, Rob will also be onstage in the role of Larry. Rob has conducted The Full Monty, Avenue Q, and The Fantasticks for ACT.

We are offering audio-described performances of [title of show] on Friday, July 22, Saturday, July 23 at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, July 24 at 2:30 pm. Audio description is provided by DASI (Descriptive Audio for the Sight Impaired). An ASL-interpreted performance will be held on Saturday, July 30, 2022. For the ASL-interpreted performance, seating has been reserved for deaf and hard of hearing patrons in order to give the best sight lines to follow the interpretation and the action on stage.

Get your tickets today!