Tess' Last Night premieres Jan. 16-Feb. 9 at New York City's Mazer Theater of the Educational Alliance. David L. Williams, who wrote the book with a score by Joel Weiss, will direct the musical.
A woman of pure heart and great spirit, Tess finds herself in over her head when she leaves Canada to pursue her double dream of finding fame and true love in the Big Apple's children's theatre community. With luck and pluck, she ends up playing all seven dwarves, netting herself a marriage with her director and making her the hit of NYC. Then she loses everything, only to find it again in Buffalo in the arms of a puppeteer.
Weiss is best known for his art song cycle, "Subway Songs," based on poetry in New York's subways. Williams is the author of the plays Ampersand and Lesbian School and the one-acts Near Tragedy and Ingulf.
Carrie Libling, director of children's theatre for Vital Theatre, is Tess. Also in the cast are Erin Sega, Leigh Williams, Robby Sharpe, Jeremey J. Sullivan, Breanna Pine, Peter R. Thewes, Michelle Doucet, Shanara Gabrielle, Tommy Labanaris, Ajlan Larock, Mindy Raf, David Shih and Ryan Vaughn.
Tickets are $20. The Mazer Theater of the Educational Alliance is located at 344 East 14th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues. For reservations, call (212) 206-1515.
