Parvesh Cheena, Nehal Joshi, and George Abud Featured in Presentations of 90 SECONDS And THE ONLY WAY OUT

New York Theatre Barn will launch the 19th season of its award-winning New Works Series on Monday, February 23, 2026, with excerpts from the original musicals 90 Seconds and The Only Way Out, and a conversation with the writers. Both musicals are based on true stories that made international headlines.

90 Seconds, a new South Asian musical by Einstina Sneha and Obe Vermeulen, centers on the 2001 Gujarat earthquake and how connection, resilience, and humanity emerged among survivors in its aftermath.

The presentation is directed by Ryan Dobrin (Merrily We Roll Along, The Last Five Years, Producing Artistic Leader of The Movement Theatre Company), with music direction by Vermeulen, and a cast that includes Parvesh Cheena (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Barbershop), Nehal Joshi (The Cottage, Flying Over Sunset), Deven Kolluri (House of India, Monsoon Wedding), Jasmine Sharma (The Public Theater's Twelfth Night), Ria Chhabra, Esha Chatha, and Swetha Vissapragada.

The Only Way Out, written by Déa Thatcher (Cabaret), tells the true story of her grandfather, George Thatcher, who was wrongly accused of murder in England in 1963 and released after serving 18 years of a life sentence. The presentation is directed by Leia Squillace (Broadway Advocacy Coalition), with music direction by Sharon Ahn (The Queen of Versailles, Damn Yankees), and a cast that includes George Abud (Lempicka, The Band's Visit), Elizabeth Ward Land (Memphis, City of Angels), Gregory Treco (Hamilton, Hadestown), Garrett Turner (Thoughts of a Colored Man), and KT Thomas. Bryan Knowlton (A Chorus Line) is the associate director.