Stranger Sings Keeps Getting Stranger

chinko@antonmediagroup.com

Occasionally we are lucky to cross paths with cast and crew in Broadway and Off-Broadway productions who have significant ties to Long Island. In the case of Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical, an Off-Broadway show, which has just been extended through the end of April, we were fortunate to meet not only one of these people but two. Kaitlyn Meriam of Farmingdale and Alex Dash of Jericho are holding down the stage management of this lively creation by Jonathan Hogue that is packed with talent.

Dash, the production stage manager, is super excited to be a part of this incredible team in the Upside Down. He most recently was the assistant stage manager for the Emojiland (national tour).

Meriam, the assistant stage manager, is currently making her Off-Broadway debut in this musical. She is also currently stage managing her fifth production with Argyle Children’s Theatre in Babylon. Meriam earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in theatre production and design with a concentration in stage management from LIU Post in 2020.

Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical is the hit Off-Broadway musical that brings everyone’s favorite streaming series to hilariously-twisted life on stage. With book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Hogue, Stranger Sings! is a wild and irreverent sendup of the hit Netflix series Stranger Things and all its campy ’80s glory.

Take a trip back to Hawkins, Indiana, 1983: when times were simpler, hair was bigger, and unsupervised children were getting snatched by inter-dimensional creatures. Join Mike, Eleven, Lucas, Dustin, and the whole Hawkins gang for a night of adventure, thrills, pubescent angst, heavy synth, poor parenting, convoluted love triangles, cheap effects, dancing monsters, and maybe, just maybe... justice for everyone’s favorite missing ginger, Barb Holland.

“Stranger things are indeed happening at Playhouse 46,” said Hogue. “After the overwhelming response from fans, we extended our initial 16-week engagement through the winter. But the fans just keep coming and coming back for more, so we are delighted to keep the portal open through April 30 to laugh and party along with our favorite Hawkins crew. Justice For Barb will carry on into the springtime.”

Stranger Sings! currently features Nickolaus Colon as Hopper and

Kyle Mangold as Steve/ Jonathan joining original cast members Jamir Brown as Lucas, Jeremiah Garcia as Dustin, Caroline Huerta as Joyce/Will, Jeffrey Laughrun as Mike, Harley Seger as Eleven / Nancy, SLee as Barb, and swings Jean Christian Barry, Dashiell Gregory and Hannah Clarke Levine. The creative team includes direction by Nick Flatto, choreography by Ashley Marinelli, musical supervision, arrangements & orchestrations by Michael Kaish, a scenic design by Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel Award nominee Walt Spangler, costume design by Matthew Solomon, lighting design by Drama Desk nominee Jamie Roderick, sound design by Germán Martínez & Cosette Pin, puppet design by Matt Anderson, and props by Brendan McCann. Dash is production stage manager, and Merriam and Lara Sato are assistant stage managers. Casting is by Zachary Spiegel, CSA; general management by Visceral Entertainment, advertising & marketing by Leanne Schanzer Promotions, digital marketing by Super Awesome Friends, and the production counsel is Lee Adhemar G. Feldshon, Esq. of Feldshon Law, PLLC.

Stranger Sings! is produced by Sue Gilad, Larry Rogowsky, Nick Flatto and Jonathan Hogue. Co-producers include Catherine Schreiber, Bard Theatricals, Miranda Farag, Inbal and Ron Gonen, Xin Wen, Jason Turchin and Jim Kierstead. Joseph Longthorne is an associate producer.

Following its world premiere at Feinstein’s/54 Below in 2018, Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical launched a hit Off-Broadway run at The Players Theatre in Summer 2021, winning seven 2021 BroadwayWorld Off-Broadway Awards including ‘Best New Musical.’ In addition to the