A BEAUTIFUL MIND Musical Adaptation in the Works
The musical, from composer/lyricist Zoe Sarnak and playwright Sarah Treem, was commissioned by the McCarter Theatre Center in New Jersey.
By: Stephi Wild Sep. 15, 2025
McCarter Theatre Center has commissioned a new musical based on the film A Beautiful Mind. The musical is from the award-winning team of composer/lyricist Zoe Sarnak and playwright Sarah Treem.
A Beautiful Mind is a theatrical adaptation of the Universal Pictures/Imagine Film and Sylvia Nasar’s acclaimed biography, a New York Times bestseller and winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award. It is being developed in special arrangement with Universal Theatrical Group and Ms. Nasar.
Inspired by the remarkable life of John Forbes Nash, Jr., A Beautiful Mind follows the brilliant mathematician through the heights of genius, the depths of mental illness, and his eventual triumph to win the Nobel Prize for his work in game theory. It is a powerful story of resilience, imagination, and the human mind. Just as vital is the story of Alicia Nash, whose brilliance, devotion, and unwavering strength were central to Nash’s survival and recovery. Their relationship, marked by sacrifice and enduring love, grounds the story in humanity and hope.
“A Beautiful Mind is an incredible true story, set right here in Princeton,” said Sarah Rasmussen, Artistic Director of McCarter Theatre Center. “It’s the story of a community not letting someone fall through the cracks, and it speaks to the power of patience, compassion, and resilience—values we want to celebrate on our stages. I can’t imagine better storytellers for this project than the truly brilliant Zoe Sarnak and Sarah Treem.”
Sarnak brings a deep personal connection to the material. A Princeton native, her family were friends of John and Alicia Nash, and her father, mathematician Peter Sarnak, appears in the original biography. This relationship has shaped Zoe’s understanding of the links between math, music, and creative inspiration.
This commission marks the launch of McCarter’s revitalized new works program, a multi-year initiative to support the development of new musicals, comedies, and adaptations that reflect the power of story and the diversity of our communities.
“We love developing new work at McCarter,” added Julie Felise Dubiner, Director of Artistic Initiatives. “We are so thrilled to be launching our new commissioning program, and it is exciting to have Zoe and Sarah’s trust. We look forward to making their dreams come true with this commission, dedicated time in our Emily Mann Lab, and our commitment to giving artists what they need to create their best work.”
About the Artists
Zoe Sarnak is a Drama Desk–nominated and Larson Award–winning composer, lyricist, and writer. Her works include The Lonely Few (NY Times Critic’s Pick, with Rachel Bonds), Empire Records (with Carol Heikkinen), Galileo (with Danny Strong and Michael Weiner), Particle Fever (with David Henry Hwang and Bear McCreary), The Invisible Line (with Christopher Oscar Peña and Mark St. Germain), among others soon to be announced.
Sarah Treem is an award-winning television writer, producer, and playwright. She co-created the Showtime drama The Affair (3 Golden Globes) and is currently developing a new series for FX starring Olivia Colman and Brie Larson. Other television work includes House of Cards (Netflix) and In Treatment (HBO). Sarah’s plays include When We Were Young and Unafraid (Manhattan Theater Club), The How and The Why (McCarter Theatre), and A Feminine Ending (Playwrights Horizons).
About A Beautiful Mind
A Beautiful Mind is a 2001 American biographical drama film about the mathematician John Nash who won a Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, played by Russell Crowe. The film is directed by Ron Howard based on a screenplay by Akiva Goldsman, who adapted the 1998 biography by Sylvia Nasar. In addition to Crowe, the film's cast features Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly, Paul Bettany, Adam Goldberg, Judd Hirsch, Josh Lucas, Anthony Rapp, and Christopher Plummer in supporting roles.
A Beautiful Mind was released theatrically in the United States on December 21, 2001 by Universal Pictures and internationally by DreamWorks Pictures. The film won four Academy Awards, for Best Picture, Best Director (Ron Howard), Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Connelly). It was also nominated for Best Actor, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup, and Best Original Score.
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