Select Theater Projects

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Widdle Women

Widdle Women is a coming-of-age story that follows four, four-inch teens, played by four, regular-sized comedians in their mid thirties. So it’s kinda like if Louisa May Alcott got high and wrote The Borrowers. Over the course of the play, we follow the very tiny Davenport sisters as they experience fundamental moments of young woman-hood, from falling in love for the first time, to masturbating to an oversized Cosmopolitan magazine. Their relationships are complicated by intense emotions and ever-changing alliances, as they try to survive growing up together under a literal couch. Having sisters is hard... but then again, so is being sucked up by a Dyson.

Written and directed by Cassie Ahiers
The Elysian Theater
2024-2025

The Mountain Digby

The Brothers Grimm collected tales of a child-gobbling witch, murderous stepmothers, and a trio of self-mutilating surgeons. But The Mountain Digby is a tale so twisted that even the unflappable Grimms found it to be, "Too fucked up to include in their collection." This one-act musical follows The Digby Brothers, two outcast worm farmers, as they fight to turn a hill into a mountain and save their land, no matter the cost — or the body count.

Workshops at The Hudson Theater MainStage, XIX Studios, MCL Theater
Directed by Cassie Ahiers
Lyrics and Book by Cassie Ahiers, Anthony Lombard, John Lombard, Alex Kliner
Music by Brad Kemp, Shadow Puppetry by Karly Bergmann
*Currently in development*

Shipping

Shipping is the story of a young woman stuck on Nantucket in the 1840s, where everyone is obsessed with killing whales and praying to Quaker god…until she makes a wish on a Barnacle Bitch and grows a blowhole of her own.

The Elysian Theater
Directed by Cassie Ahiers
Book, Lyrics by Jen Jackson, Lousia Kellogg
Music by Brian Heveron-Smith
2025

Fanny: A Classical-Punk Musical

Classical music isn’t often associated with girl-punk power trios but in Brian Heveron-Smith’s new musical, Fanny, the two mix like lemonade and six cups of coffee. Fanny tells the 100% true story (with 100% made-up scenes) of Fanny Mendelssohn - sister, editor, and muse of famed composer Felix Mendelssohn. Brian uses his classical music background to weave real music by the Mendelssohn siblings through a wild one-act, punk-rock, comedy musical.

The Elysian Theater
Directed by Cassie Ahiers
Book, Music, Lyrics by Brian Heveron-Smith
2024

Employees to Society

Clinched in the in the tight sweaty palms of the MAN, Ricky Staffieri and Jessie Prez have been in the kitchen cooking up the brutally honest and in your face sketch review “EMPLOYEES TO SOCIETY”. In this show Ricky and Jessie drag you through the dish pit in the back of the restaurant to the corporate office on the top floor as they unravel the dark truths of how American society works you to the grave.

The Lyric Hyperion
Directed by Cassie Ahiers
Written and performed by Jessie Prez and Ricky Staffieri
Original Music by GXLD (Dre Mims)
2019

The Second City National Touring Company

Photographs from a selection of shows- The Best of the Second City, Holidazed and Confused, Summer Blockbuster, Legendary Laughs, Improv Brunch, Fast Loud and Funny.

Directed by Cassie Ahiers
Music Direction by Nick Gage
Performed by Andy Bolduc, Jo Scott, Lilliana Winkworth, Dan Bazaldua, Jules Morales, Jenelle Cheyne, Laurel Kraba
2017-2019

Totally Ridiculous

A 50-minute interactive, scriptless, completely improvised show for kids, tailored to audiences ages 5-12. Everything in this show will be made up–right on the spot! All the fun of recess (with air conditioning, and none of the running).  

The Second City Chicago
Directed by Cassie Ahiers
Music Direction by Mary Mahoney
Performed by Terrence Carey, Alice Stanley Jr., Timothy Metzler, Julia DiFerdinando,  Gaby Dixon, Mark Campbell
2017

Muse

MUSE is a multidisciplinary solo performance existing as a string of vignettes/ a visual essay/ a living museum of the images of woman as muse, both her fetishizations and truth. What started as an attempt by the artist at finding a muse, turned into an examination of how easily we have come to accept and even romanticize the exploitation of the woman muse throughout history, and more importantly how passively we consume those representations. 

Links Hall
Directed by Cassie Ahiers
Choreography and Performance by Kristen Bernier
2017

Trigger

TRIGGER takes you on a hilarious exploration of chain reactions. How do the events of history impact our lives in 2016? And what price will others pay for the choices we make today? Even if you don’t know where the bullet will land, sometimes the trigger needs to be pulled.  This talented cast will lead you on a trajectory from flawed presidential nominees to kids on the south side with hoop dreams- all set off with a spark of comedy.  

The Revival Theater
Directed by Cassie Ahiers
Written and Performed by Molly Ruthenberg, Shannon Noll, Wanjiku Kairu, Aadam Keeley, Terrence Carey, Sam Taylor
2016