The Headliners
WORLD PREMIERE
By Jeffrey Neuman
Directed by Nick Sugar
Music direction by David Nehls
Scenic design by Tina Anderson
Costume design by Linda Morken
Lighting design by Emily A. Maddox
Sound design by Max Silverman
Stage management and prop design by Kia Heafner
Produced by Susie Snodgrass
May 5–21, 2023
“The stage don’t stop at the footlights”
At the turn of the 20th century, two premier celebrities beard convention with a new act of defiance. As stars Eva Tanguay and Julian Eltinge straddle their on- and off-stage personas, their latest engagement satirizes gender, respectability, and marriage. Is it a publicity stunt or something more personal? Acclaimed local playwright Jeffrey Neuman infuses vaudeville song and show into a surprisingly timely story that explores the explosive crossroads of gender, fame, sexuality, and power.
Developed at the Denver Center’s inaugural Playwrights Group (2019–20); Finalist, O’Neill Award (2021); Finalist, Woodward/Newman Award (2022).
Photos by Olga Lopez