New Musical ANNA KARENINA: A RIFF Now Available For International Licensing

Theatrical licensing agency Broadway DNA has acquired international licensing rights for the new musical Anna Karenina: a riff. Written by Gwen Kingston and featuring an original, folk-punk score by Christie Baugher, Teresa Lotz, Yan Li and Will Turner, this fresh adaptation of Tolstoy's novel was co-created by Notch Theatre Company, who produced the 2019 world premiere directed by Ashley Olive Teague. Set in 1880s Russia and dripping with Eastern European ennui, this comedic reimagining of the classic tale moves at the speed of a runaway train as it examines the consequences of female rebellion and its echoes today. The musical is now available for professional and amateur licensing outside of the United States.

Creator Gwen Kingston said, "Whether you've read it or not, Anna Karenina is a part of the literary landscape - it's taught in high schools and colleges - it's in our artistic water. Knowingly or not, we've absorbed these cultural ideas about marriage and loyalty, female virtue or immorality. This play is one attempt to gather up the useful pieces of the story, the ones we want to carry forward, and leave the rest behind."

Notch Theatre Company's Ashley Olive Teague said, "We use theatre to re-live, to unearth and to collectively dream forward into possible futures. We can't rewrite history, but in the re-telling of it, maybe we can, one word at a time, create a new story together. I hope this irreverent and wild show not only makes Tolstoy roll over in his grave, but also leaves new audiences considering how 1880's Russia resonates for all of us in today's world."

"Featuring some of the best original off-Broadway writing in recent memory, Anna Karenina possesses a subtle, universal beauty that hits you between waves of wit and hilarity, " adds Natalie Rine, CEO of Broadway DNA. "The musical has haunted me for years as a show deserving to be seen again and again, and I'm thrilled to now be able to bring the wacky yet endearing world this team has created to new artists and audiences around the world."

The show is now available for international licensing outside the US, some restrictions may apply. Please visit the Broadway DNA show page for more information.

About the Artists:

Gwen Kingston is a writer and actor hailing from the California Bay Area and living in Brooklyn, NY. She holds BAs in Performance Studies and Linguistics from UC Berkeley, and an MFA in acting from Brown University/Trinity Rep. As a playwright she tackles questions of power, privilege and protest with a focus on uncovering untold stories and lifting unheard voices. Her work has been performed at Brown/Trinity, La Mama Studios, White Heron Theatre in Nantucket, Culture Park in Boston, as well as FaultLine Theater and Piano Fight in San Francisco. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column, and her memoir Did I Ever Tell You? will be released in May, 2024.

Notch Theatre Company creates community-responsive cultural work to drive change around the pressing issues of our time, offering communities around the US a platform to tell their stories and be their own change makers. The work engages populations that brick and mortar theaters are not reaching, personalizes important social issues for people on all sides of a conversation, raises awareness in a compelling way, drives change on a national scale, and prompts meaningful, lasting engagement at a grassroots level. www.notchtheatre.org

Ashley Olive Teague is recipient of the Embark Award for Social Innovation in Entrepreneurship and founding Artistic Director of Notch Theatre. Her plays and partnerships have presented at the Children's Defense Fund Advocacy Conference, the National Performance Network's Conference, the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture's Creative Strategies for Commemorative Justice Salon, the Ubumuntu Festival in Rwanda, The Appalachia Studies Conference, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Chautauqua Institute, The Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center, White Heron Theatre Company, Trinity Repertory Theater, FSU/Asolo Repertory Theatre, Brown University, Amherst College, UNC Chapel Hill, Live@Jacks in Denver, HB Studios, New Ohio Theater, La Mama Studios and The Flea Theatre in New York City, among others. Teague worked on such films as Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Tyler Perry's For Colored Girls, Gus VanSant's Promised Land, and Tina Chism's Peeples. She has received numerous awards including Broadway World awards for Best Director/Choreographer and Best Musical. Her writing has been published in Bedlam Magazine, in Theater Artists Making Theatre With No Theater, on HowlRound. Current interviews found on Broadway World, Monument Lab and the HB Insight Series.

About Broadway DNA:

Broadway DNA is a boutique theatrical producing and licensing agency dedicated to connecting theatremakers of all career stages to cultural exchange and passive income through strategic distribution in global markets.

Founded by international theatrical producer, licensor, and critic Natalie Rine, BDNA acts as a show creator's partner, advocate, and global strategist, taking the guesswork and gatekeeping out of your show (and pocketbook)'s future. Exclusive representation and expertise includes global markets across Asia, Europe, Latin America, and more. BDNA maintains its global headquarters in New York City.

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