CATCHING FIREFLIES: A NEW QUEER MUSICAL Concept Album Released By Brooklyn Artists

This past Thursday, the concept album for Catching Fireflies: A New Queer Musical was released and is now available on all streaming platforms. Previously seen this past year in workshop concerts at Feinstein's/54 Below and Don't Tell Mama's, Catching Fireflies tells the story of a queer friend group in Philadelphia stuck at a Waffle House pre-pandemic, and each of their journeys through the year, only to arrive back where they start - but with a slightly new outlook on love, sexuality, gender, and more. Written by Bella Faye, Adam Gloc, and JENA, the album also features the voices of Gabbi McCarren, Mia Cherise Hall, Shane Francis, Elena Faverio, JENA, and Hana Kurihara.

The show began as a quarantine project for composer Bella Faye in 2020, and then later a collaboration with Adam Gloc & JENA in 2021, who added orchestrations & vocals arrangements as the show progressed. This concept album was recorded and produced this past summer by New York-based engineer & musician, James Rubino, in his newly built Brooklyn studio in Crown Heights. Rubino had previously played bass on both workshop concerts over the show's development, and when Faye decided it was time to create a physical recording of the current score, they began planning recording sessions this July to lay down all 18 tracks. Five months later, the show was completely recorded, and then released in two parts.

Frustrated with the lack of authentic queer representation on Broadway, the creators aim to showcase vignettes that highlight the essence of the queer and human experience, and real issues that young artists face. Featuring lesbian, trans, & nonbinary leads, the team is excited to share this new and fresh queer story and hopes you will give it a listen. You can support by following @catchingfirefliesnyc on Instagram for more info, and by streaming the concept album on all platforms today!

Album Cover Art by Hanna Svensson