History

PREMIERES' inaugural season took place at the Clark Studio Theater at Lincoln Center in May and June of 2001 with staged readings of Ed Dixon's Richard Cory, Darrah Cloud and Kim D. Sherman's Heartland, and Noa Ain and Gerard Edery's Song of the Turtledove.  

From 2002 to 2004, we presented staged readings of several Richard Rodgers Award winning musicals, including Maryrose Wood and Andrew Gerle's The Tutor, Daniel Frederick Levin and Jonathan Portera's To Paint the Earth, and Sam Carner and Derek Gregor's Unlock'd.  

In 2006, we produced a workshop of Lauren Robert's .22 Caliber Mouth, winner of the Georgia Bogardus Holof Award at the O'Neill Theater Center in 2005.  The workshop was directed by Diane Paulus at the Ohio Theatre in Soho.  

In 2008, inspired by Alan Bennett's Talking Heads, we initiated a new and innovative form of music theater entitled Inner Voices, and commissioned three new teams to write original sung-through monologues.  Our first production included Tres Ninas by Ellen Fitzhugh and Michael John LaChiusa, directed by Jonathan Butterell,  Alice Unwrapped by Laura Harrington and Jennifer Giering, directed by Jeremy Dobrish, and A Thousand Words Come to Mind by Michele Lowe and Scott Davenport Richards, directed by Jack Cummings III. Presented at the Zipper Factory Theatre in May of 2008, these works starred Victoria Clark, Jennifer Damiano and Barbara Walsh.  

Two new teams were then commissioned by PREMIERES to create Inner Voices and in April of 2010, directed by Jonathan Butterell,  we produced Mosaic by Cheri Steinkellner and Georgia Stitt, starring Heidi Blickenstaff, and Whida Peru: Resurrection Tangle by David Simpatico and Josh Schmidt, starring Judy Blazer at 59 East 59th Street Theaters.

In January of 2011, we produced a three-week workshop of Buddy's Tavern, winner of a Richard Rodgers Award and written by Raymond De Filitta, Alison Louise Hubbard and Kim Oler.  The workshop featured Shuler Hensley, Andrea Burns and Laura Osnes, directed by Warren Carlyle.  

In November and December of 2012, PREMIERES produced the next production of Inner Voices at the 30th Street Theater.  This production included commissioned works by Martin Moran and Joseph Thalken (Borrowed Dust), starring Hunter Foster and directed by Jonathan Butterell, Victor Lodato and Polly Pen (Arlington), starring Alexandra Silber and directed by Jack Cummings III,  and Nilo Cruz and Jim Bauer (Farhad or the Secret of Being), starring Arielle Jacobs and directed by Saheem Ali. Digital and Hard Copies of CD for Borrowed Dust and Farhad or the Secret of Being available. Contact us for information on how to receive.

In October of 2014, our fourth production of Inner Voices was presented at TBG Theater in New York. This production was a double bill of commissioned works by Charlayne Woodard and Kirsten Childs (Grace), starring Andrea Frierson and directed by Shirley Jo Finney, and Mark Campbell and Marisa Michelson (The Other Room), starring Phoebe Strole and directed by Ethan Heard.

Again in October of 2016, our fifth production of Inner Voices took place at the TBG Theatre with three new commissioned works including Just One Q by Ellen Fitzhugh and Ted Shen starring T. Oliver Reid, with direction by Brad Rouse and music direction by Andrew Resnick; The Pen by Dan Collins and Julianne Wick Davis starring Nancy Anderson, with direction by Margot Bordelon and music direction by Alexander Rovang; and The Booty Call by Saheem Ali and Michael Thurber starring Michael Thurber and directed by Saheem Ali.

In 2017 Premieres presented two public readings of a new musical entitled Rapture, written and composed by Edward Trach. The readings took place during a four-week workshop at the TBG Theatre with Kelly Robinson as director and Kenneth Gartman as music director. There were 21 actors in the cast. Rapture is a contemporary story about love and spiritual belief. It centers on a community in Short Creek, Utah that still practices plural marriage, or polygamy.

In October and November of 2018 the sixth production of ‘Inner Voices’ took place at the TBG Theater. This production included commissioned works by Deborah Zoe Laufer & Daniel Green, Daniel Zaitchik, and Jeff Blumenkrantz.

In August of 2022, Premieres presented LOS OTROS by Ellen Fitzhugh & Michael John LaChiusa, directed by Noah Himmelstein Off-Broadway at ART/New York Theatres in a landmark production as the off-broadway community bounced back from the pandemic. 

PREMIERES is especially proud that all six of our ‘Inner Voices’ productions were selected by Lincoln Center on Film and Tape, and all are available for viewing.

  • A.R.T./New York Theatres

    Premieres NYC & Mary J. Davis Present:

    Los Otros
    A New Musical

    Book and Lyrics by Ellen Fitzhugh

    Music By Michael John LaChiusa

    Directed by Noah Himmelstein and Music Direction by J. October Navarro

    Orchestrations by Bruce Coughlin

    CAST:

    Lillian — Luba Mason
    Carlos— Caesar Samayoa

    Scenic Design - Junghyun Georgie Lee

    Costume Design - Alego Vietti

    Lighting Design - Adam Honoré

    Sound Design - Ken Travis

    Production Stage Manager - Robert Bennett

    Assistant Stage Manager - Karen Evanouskas

    Executive Producer - Joey Monda

    General Management - Dailey-Monda Management

    Press Representative - Richard Hillman Public Relations

    Assistant General Manager - Greg Kamp

    “Tres Niñas,” one story of Los Otros, was originally commissioned, developed, and presented by PREMIERES in New York City.
    Paulette Haupt, Artistic Director

    Los Otros was fully commissioned and produced by
    Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum
    Michael Richie, Artistic Director; Charles Dillingham, Managing Director, Los Angeles, CA

    The re-conceived version of Los Otros was commissioned and originally produced in Spring 2017 by Everyman Theatre in Baltimore, MD (Vincent M. Lancisi, Founding Artistic Director; Jonathan K. Waller, Managing Director)

  • At the TBG Theatre

    WINDOW TREATMENT

    Words by Deborah Zoe Laufer
    Music by Daniel Green
    Director: Portia Krieger
    Music Director: Paul Masse
    Actress: Farah Alvin
    Musician: Brandon Wong (Vibraphone)

    A lonely New Yorker plans her glorious future with the stranger across the courtyard.

    THE COSTUME

    Words & Music by Daniel Zaitchik
    Director: Noah Himmelstein
    Music Director: Deborah Abramson
    Actor: Finn Douglas
    Musician: Patti Kilroy / Ludovica Burtone (Violinists)

    Halloween, 1954: 10 year old Leo is given the unexpected task of caring for an injured bird overnight.

    SCAFFOLDING

    Words & Music by Jeff Blumenkrantz
    Director: Victoria Clark
    Music Director: Benji Goldsmith
    Actress: Rebecca Luker
    Musician: Yari Bond (Cello)

    A single mom's relationship with her brilliant only son is tested when he interviews for the college of his choice.

  • At the TBG Theatre

    RAPTURE

    Four week rehearsal period and two invited staged readings.

    Co-produced and presented with Dailey-Monda Management.

    Words and music by Edward Trach
    Directed by Kelly Robinson
    Music directed by Kenneth Gartman

  • At the TBG Theatre

    JUST ONE “Q”

    By Ellen Fitzhugh and Ted Shen
    Directed by Brad Rouse and Music Direction by Andrew Resnick
    Starring T. Oliver Reid
    Orchestrations by Andrew Resnick
    Bass – Mary Ann McSweeney | Reeds – Harry Hassell

    THE PEN

    By Dan Collins and Julianne Wick Davis
    Directed by Margot Bordelon and Music Direction by Alexander Rovang
    Starring Nancy Anderson
    Orchestrations by Julianne Wick Davis, Tom Monkell and Dan Erben
    Guitar – Tom Monkell/Dan Erben

    THE BOOTY CALL

    By Saheem Ali and Michael Thurber
    Directed by Saheem Ali
    Starring Michael Thurber

  • At the TBG Theatre

    GRACE

    By Charlayne Woodard and Kirsten Childs
    Directed by Shirley Jo Finney and Music Direction by Rona Siddiqui
    Starring Andrea Frierson
    Bass – Maurice Belle

    THE OTHER ROOM

    By Mark Campbell and Marisa Michelson
    Directed by Ethan Heard and Music Direction by Ian Axness
    Starring Phoebe Strole
    Cello – Brian Sanders

  • Inner Voices 2012

    At Urban Stages

    BORROWED DUST

    By Martin Moran and Joseph Thalken
    Directed by Jonathan Butterell and Music Direction by Paul Masse
    Starring Hunter Foster
    Cellist – Leo Grinhauz

    ARLINGTON

    By Victor LoDato and Polly Pen
    Directed by Jack Cummings III and Music Direction by Kenneth Gartman
    Starring Alexandra Silber

    FARHAD OR THE SECRET OF BEING

    By Nilo Cruz and Jim Bauer
    Directed by Saheem Ali and Music Direction by Matt Hinkley
    Percussion – David Rosenblatt
    Oud – Brandon Terzic

  • At the Hudson Guild Theatre

    * BUDDY’S TAVERN

    Book by Raymond DeFelitta • Lyrics by Alison Louise Hubbard • Music by Kim Oler
    Directed by Warren Carlyle and Music Direction by Ray Fellman
    With Shuler Hensley, Laura Osnes and Andrea Burns, John Jellison

    * Winners of a Richard Rodgers Development Award

  • At 59 East 59th Street Theaters

    MOSAIC

    By Cheri Steinkellner and Georgia Stitt
    Directed by Jonathan Butterell and Music Direction by Steve Marzullo
    Starring Heidi Blickenstaff

    WHIDA PERU: RESURRECTION TANGLE

    By David Simpatico and Josh Schmidt
    Directed by Jonathan Butterell and Music Direction by Andy Boroson
    Starring Judy Blazer

  • At the Zipper Factory Theatre

    INNER VOICES

    Commissioned, developed and produced by PREMIERES

    TRES NINAS

    By Ellen Fitzhugh and Michael John LaChiusa
    Directed by Jonathan Butterell and Music Direction by Todd Almond
    Starring Victoria Clark

    ALICE UNWRAPPED

    By Laura Harrington and Jenny Giering
    Directed by Jeremy Dobrish
    Music Direction by Julia McBride
    Starring Jennifer Damiano

    A THOUSAND WORDS COME TO MIND

    By Michele Lowe and Scott Davenport Richards
    Directed by Jack Cummings III and Music Direction by John DiPinto
    Starring Barbara Walsh

  • At the Ohio Theatre in Soho

    .22 CALIBER MOUTH

    Words and Music by Lauren Robert
    Directed by Diane Paulus and Music Direction by Ray Fellman
    With Lauren Robert, Tim Warmen, Paul Oakley Stovall, Ted Brunetti

  • At The Abingdon Theatre

    * UNLOCK'D

    Words by Sam Carner • Music by Derek Gregor
    Directed by Will Pomerantz and Music Direction by Cynthia Hoxie
    With Laura Bell Bundy, Kate Wetherhead, John Lloyd Young

    * TO PAINT THE EARTH

    Words by Daniel Frederick Levin • Music by Jonathan Portera
    Directed by Doug Moser and Music Direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell
    With Stephen Berger, Aaron Berk, Jonathan Hammond, Lee Zarrett

    * Winners of a Richard Rodgers Development Award

  • At New Dramatists

    * THE TUTOR

    Words by Maryrose Wood • Music by Andrew Gerle
    Directed by David Schweizer and Music Direction by Benjamin Toth
    With Jeff Blumenkrantz, John Jellison, Barbara Walsh

    * Winner of a Richard Rodgers Development Award

  • At the Clark Studio Theater at Lincoln Center

    RICHARD CORY

    Words and Music by Ed Dixon
    An adaptation of the play by A.R. Gurney
    Directed by Jack Cummings III and Music Direction by Constantine Kitsopoulos
    With Stephen Bogardus, Lynn Wintersteller, Maureen Moore, Mary Beth Peil

    HEARTLAND

    Words by Darrah Cloud • Music by Kim D. Sherman
    Directed by Susan H. Schulman and Music Direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell
    With Beth Fowler, Kerry O'Malley, Lynnette Perry, J. Robert Spencer

    SONG OF THE TURTLEDOVE

    Libretto by Noa Ain • Music by Noa Ain and Gerard Edery
    Directed by Eleanor Reissa
    With Rex Benincasa, Trudy Ellen Craney, George Mgrdichian

PRODUCTION STAFF: 2001 - 2018

  • Saheem Ali

    Margot Bordelon

    Jonathan Butterell

    Warren Carlyle

    Victoria Clark

    Jack Cummings III

    Jeremy Dobrish

    Shirley Jo Finney

    Ethan Heard

    Noah Himmelstein

    Portia Krieger

    Doug Moser

    Diane Paulus

    Will Pomerantz

    Eleanor Reissa

    Kelly Robinson

    Brad Rouse

    Susan Schulman

    David Schweitzer

  • Michael Aarons

    Deborah Abramson

    Todd Almond

    Ian Axness

    Maurice Belle

    Rex Benincasa

    Yari Bond

    Andy Boroson

    Ludovica Burtone

    Mary-Mitchell Campbell

    Cole David

    John DiPinto

    Bruce Doctor

    Meghan Doyle

    Gerard Edery

    Dan Erben

    Ray Fellman

    Kenneth Gartman

    Benji Goldsmith

    Leo Grinhauz

    Rachel Handman

    Harry Hassell

    Matt Hinkley

    Cynthia Hoxie

    Simon Kafka

    Patti Kilroy

    Constantine Kitsopoulos

    Steve Marzullo

    Paul Masse

    Julia McBride

    Marcus McLaurine

    Mary Ann McSweeney

    Barbara Merjans

    George Mgrdichian

    Tom Monkell

    J. Oconer Navarro

    Andrew Resnick

    Alexander Rovang

    David Rosenblatt

    Brian Sanders

    Marc Schmied

    Rona Siddiqui

    Brandon Terzic

    Benjamin Toth

    Louis Tucci

    Bernard Ullrich

    Brandon Wong

  • Toby Jaguar Algya

    Brooke Cohen Brown

    Nick Campano

    Jon Carter

    Andy Evan Cohen

    Rocco D'Santi

    Jason Fitzgerald

    Anthony Freitas

    Sean Hagerty

    Adam Honoré

    Nick Hussong

    Neil Peter Jampolis

    Dane Laffrey

    Junghyun Georgie Lee

    Andrew Rubenoff

    Jennifer Schreiver

    M. Meriwether Snipes

    Ilona Somogyi

    Aaron Spivey

    Jacob Subotnick

    Reid Thompson

    Walter Trarbach

    Ken Travis

    Alejo Vietti

    Oliver Wason

    Randy Weiner

  • Robert Bennett

    Cyrille Blackburn

    John Michael Crotty

    Karen Evanouskas

    Aaron Gonzalez

    Laura Jessica Klein

    Randy Lawson

    Christine Lemme

    Donald William Myers

    Robert A. Sherrill

    Shanna Spinello

    Rachel Zack

  • Farah Alvin

    Nancy Anderson

    Joan Barber

    Katie Birenboim

    Judith Blazer

    Heidi Blickenstaff

    John E. Brady

    Alison Briner

    Ted Brunetti

    Andrea Burns

    Dan Cassin

    Victoria Clark

    Jennifer Damiano

    Finn Douglas

    Wally Dunn

    Adrienne Eller

    Jennifer Evans

    Jarid Faubel

    Hunter Foster

    Andrea Frierson

    Alan H. Green

    Shuler Hensley

    John Herrara

    Mary Illes

    Arielle Jacobs

    Cori Jaskier

    John Jellison

    Laura Jordan

    Mark Lotito

    Rebecca Luker

    Mary Mattison

    Luba Mason

    Kyle McArthur

    Max Meyers

    Adam Munoz

    Laura Osnes

    Erin Leigh Peck

    T. Oliver Reid

    Lauren Robert

    Steve Routman

    Caesar Samayoa

    Dan Sharkey

    Alexandra Silber

    Maureen Silliman

    Paul Oakley Stovall

    Phoebe Strole

    Michael Thurber

    Allie Trimm

    Barbara Walsh

    Timothy Warmen

    Violet Young