Playwright Kelly Trumbull takes audiences back to the ’90s with Morning Reckoning, an 8th-grade fangirl adventure premiering at the New Hazlett Theater on April 20th. The play introduces audiences to the fictional Morning Reckoning band fan club as its members navigate the perils of 8th grade. Teenage drama takes center stage when the club’s plans start to go awry.
“I think this play itself is putting the 8th grade experience under a microscope and examining it. I hope it makes people laugh and remember things. I hope it makes people cringe and remember things. I hope it makes people cry and remember things.” Trumbull states.
While the characters bond through a mutual admiration of a boy band, Trumbull creates character distinctions and dives into deeper emotional waters as friendships are tested.
“I think these moments of fragility, of higher stakes, are interwoven with the lightness of the general meetings of this club,” says Trumbull. “It’s really fun to see how these characters deal with lighter, everyday situations and then also how these characters deal with situations that are more adult, and more challenging to navigate.”
Trumbull has worked extensively in the Pittsburgh region as an actor, educator, and director. Currently, she serves on the faculties of the University of Pittsburgh’s Theatre Arts Department and Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Music, where she is committed to creating empowering, inclusive spaces for the next generation of theater artists. www.kellytrumbull.com
In addition to Trumbull’s roles as playwright and director of Morning Reckoning, she has assembled a cast of multi-talented artists to bring this production to the next level. The cast includes Jalina McClarin (Sue), Alex Manalo (Kandace), Julia Kreutzer (Nadia), Claire Sabatine (April), MaTia Martin (Trish), and Mia Kurlfink (Em).
Morning Reckoning is the final production in the Theater’s 2022/2023 season of Community Supported Art (CSA), which allows emerging artists to develop new work for the New Hazlett stage.
“We are excited to present this world premiere to our audiences as our last production of our 10th CSA season,” says Executive Director Rene Conrad. “Kelly’s exploration of the ups and downs of adolescence is something everyone can identify with…no matter what era they grew up in.”
Morning Reckoning premiers Thursday, April 20, at the New Hazlett Theater, with three performances s only: Thursday, April 20, at 8 PM and Friday, April 21, at 11 AM & 8 PM. Individual tickets are available for purchase on the New Hazlett website.
Categories: Show Previews
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