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