CATCHING FIREFLIES: A NEW QUEER MUSICAL Joins The Players Theater 2025 Season

"Catching Fireflies: A New Queer Musical" joins The Players Theatre 2025 Season, a new musical written by Finnigan B. Faye, one of the new Players Artists in Residence, with orchestrations & music direction by Adam Gloc and direction by E Gomez. The show will run from January 9th-26th, 2025 in the Steve and Marie Sgouros Theatre.

Catching Fireflies is a folk musical that centers on a trans writer and his queer friend group of artists stuck together in Philadelphia over the 2020 pandemic, and follows each of their journeys of self discovery in an exploration of love, sexuality, gender and identity. Through intertwining love triangles and questioning of common queer stereotypes, each artist achieves a new perspective on the lifelong adventure of connecting to authenticity. "Drunk Monroe," one of the iconic songs from the show, was most recently awarded as a Top 10 Finalist for Taylor Louderman's Write Out Loud Songwriting Contest 2023. With two workshop concerts in 2021 & 2022, and a full concept album produced by James Rubino's Lorien Sound, this run will feature a new script and new songs from the team. The production will include returning cast members Gabbi McCarren & Shane Francis, who both have been a part of every staged iteration since its conception. Full cast to be announced in the fall.

"The piece started as a quarantine project, as a sort of musical time capsule of life in Philadelphia during 2020, woven by the experiences of people close to me, as well as my own," Faye states, "As I'm sure many can agree, that time forced us to confront a lot of unspoken parts of our identity, both present & past. Especially in the queer community, it's about learning to accept those hidden facets within yourself, and how uncomfortability leads to growth." The young composer continues, "It's hard to put into words how much this score means to me, I feel beyond grateful to have it going up next winter & the opportunity to share our story once more."

Orchestrator and music director Adam Gloc, who Faye met virtually in an online musicians group over the pandemic, is thrilled to be continuing the project, "I'm honored to be on this part of the journey of Catching Fireflies with Finnigan. This musical has been a huge part of our lives the last 4 years so to see it premiering at The Players Theatre is a dream come true!" Director E Gomez, who will be joining the Catching Fireflies for the first time, adds: "I'm so excited to be joining this process, which has been lovingly shaped by every artist who has been in contact with it, and I cannot wait to honor that while progressing with the next iteration."

Read more on the Players Theater at http://www.theplayerstheatre.com/. Tickets will be available this summer.

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