Patti Murin, Jackie Burns, Claire Kwon and More Featured in 18th Season of New York Theatre Barn's New Works Series

New York Theatre Barn will kick off the 18th season of its award-winning New Works Series on Monday, March 31, 2025.

The presentation will feature excerpts from two original musicals centering untold queer history and narratives, Orchids and Skin, as well as a conversation with the writers moderated by Artistic Director Joe Barros and producer Harmony Harris. 

The original musical Orchids has a book by T.C. Lind, music by Derek Gregor (Unlock'd, Island Song), lyrics by Phoebe Kreutz (The Nice List), and is directed by Telly Leung (Allegiance, Aladdin). Set in the 1950s in Florida, Orchids follows Evelyn Pierce, a fiercely intelligent English professor, who secretly falls in love with the strident new dean at her university, Betty Kincaid. The two women set off on a path of self-discovery while a state committee investigates claims of communism at the university, threatening their careers. Orchids spotlights an untold moment in American queer history. The cast features Patti Murin (Frozen, Lysistrata Jones) and Jackie Burns (Wicked, If/Then) as Evelyn and Betty, with Brooks Bennett, Rylee Carpenter, Christian Clausnitzer, Aaliyana Garcia, Teddy Huff, Henry Thomas Lange, Reagan Minnette, and Sophie Stromberg.

“At a time of increased attacks and incendiary laws against LGBTQIA+ citizens across our country, we couldn't be more inspired to share this often-untold moment in history that highlights the resiliency of the queer community against all odds,” said co-creators Lind, Gregor, and Kreutz.

Set on the West Australian coast, the original musical Skin has a book and lyrics by Andrew Strano and music by Yuriko Shibata. While cleaning out their mother Cath's old house, Siobh discovers an album filled with pictures of Cath and her ex-lover Heather. Siobh feels betrayed - they never knew. Cath deliberately cut herself off from her past and hid her queerness from Siobh, despite Siobh's desperate need for connection and care. Skin asks Cath to choose: protect herself by continuing to deny her past, or allow herself to be swept up by the rising tide of painful, joyful memories to save her relationship with her child. The presentation has direction by Strano and music direction by Shibata, and the cast features Lynn Craig (Lazarus), Chibueze Ihuoma (Hadestown), Sara James, and Claire Kwon (Maybe Happy Ending).

The New Works Series will be presented at 7PM ET at the Five Angels Theater in NYC (789 Tenth Ave. – the theatre is located on the 2nd floor) and will also be available for live streaming. Click here to purchase tickets.