Andy’s 55th Season

The Summer of Adaptation

To our community,

To make theater is to adapt. For centuries, storytellers have turned to theater as a response to the world around them, to process change, to see what old bones will stay and what new muscles will grow and stretch from within the fresh space. In the same way theater is the art of passing a story, over and over, experimenting with the way in which it’s presented and how it’s staged and why. We have popularized adaptation so deeply that it’s all around us — a sample of an older song worked into a new pop hit, a reimagining of a classic fairytale from the perspective of a different character, a retelling of a classic story in a brand new location. To adapt our stories is to give ourselves new perspective. And how incredible is it that we crave new perspectives? What a gift. 

For all those reasons and more, we are challenging ourselves, as new Co-Artistic Directors adapting (see what we did there) to our new positions, to weave the concept of adaptation into every aspect of our programming for this 55th Summer Season: our shows, our writing, even our set build! To pay homage to what has come before us, and to give ourselves grace to embrace new perspectives. We are over the moon to spend the summer adapting with you.

Much appreciated,
Jess & SMJ

Mainstage Productions

The 24 Hour Plays: Andy’s Summer Playhouse
Performed on June 28, 2025

Featured the work of over 50 Andy’s Kids!

New Plays by a Team of Andy’s Kids, Gillian Beth Durkee, Emery Frost, Sarah Groustra, Jess Honovich & Robert Thaxton-Stevenson, and Anya Richkind
Directed by a Team of Andy’s Kids, Hope Johansen, Andie Lerner, Abby Messina, Joyah Love Spangler, and Robert Thaxton-Stevenson

Ahoy!
Performed on July 11 -19, 2025

Featured the work of over 30 Andy’s Kids!

Based on the book by Sophie Blackall
Directed & Choreographed by Colette Krogol & Matt Reeves of Orange Grove Dance
Original Music by Dylan Glatthorn
Rehearsal Director - Kevin Alan Brown

Battle of the Books
Performed on July 25 - August 2, 2025

Featured the work of over 30 Andy’s Kids!

A New Play by SMJ
Directed by Emily Bubeck

FATED
Performed on August 7 - 16, 2025

Featured the work of over 40 Andy’s Kids!

A New Musical
Book, Music, & Lyrics by Natalie Myrick
Directed & Choreographed by Mackenna Goodrich
Music Directed by Leslie Wickham

The Andy’s Studio Series

STUDIO #1: Welcome to the Hilltop
Directed by Riley Dunham, Elsa Guerra, & Oliver Keller
Performed on June 26, 2025

STUDIO #2: Andy’s Improv Troupe
Directed by Aaron Farenback-Brateman
Performed on July 14 & 15, 2025  

STUDIO #3: Repurposed: Songs of Stage and Screen
Directed by Meredith Lustig & Michael David Axtell
Performed on July 14 & 15, 2025

STUDIO #4: The School for Youth Mime Theater presents SWIFT
Directed by SMJ
Performed on July 28 & 29, 2025

STUDIO #5: John C. Russell Playwriting Lab & Festival
Facilitated by Anya Richkind
Performed on August 11, 2025

The Greenhouse Initiative

The Long Horizon
Book by Noelle Viñas
Directed by Ashley Renee Thaxton-Stevenson
Performed on July 3, 2025

Cosmic Tails
Choreographed by Haleyann Hart
Performed on July 3, 2025

EVERYTHING YOU WANTED
by Jess Honovich
Directed by Hope Johansen
Performed on August 9, 2025

Blue Eyes
by Nick Hahn
Directed by Mackenna Goodrich
Performed on August 10, 2025