Photos: THE LAST WIDE OPEN World Premiere at Theatre NOVA
The Last Wide Open by Audrey Cefaly will be presented at Theatre NOVA through June.
Theatre NOVA will present the Michigan premiere of The Last Wide Open by Audrey Cefaly, a tender, time-bending romance unfolding across parallel possibilities. The production runs May 22 – June 14, 2026. See photos of the production.
Across three brief acts, the lives of weary waitress Lina and immigrant dishwasher Mikołaj intersect in three different versions of the same connection—each shaped by choice, chance, and circumstance.
Performed with live music by the actors themselves, the production weaves song into the storytelling, creating an immediate and intimate theatrical experience.
The production stars real-life partners Josie Eli Herman as Lina and Michael Alan Herman as Mikołaj, bringing an added layer of authenticity and connection to this deeply felt story. Natalie Rose Sevick appears as Stagehand, supporting the show’s live music.
Actor Josie Herman says: “The Last Wide Open is a rollicking good time. It explores choices driven by fear and by love—and how those choices shape our lives. The show plays with the relationship between actors and audience in a way that reminds you theatre is alive in the room.”
Actor Michael Alan Herman says: “The Last Wide Open digs into love with this earnest, profound truth. It doesn't shy away from grief, hope, fear, joy, and all the other feelings that come together to make love - giving the audience a nuanced look into the lives of two people with an authentic sincerity that many rom-coms don't dare to explore.”
Directed by Diane Hill, one of Theatre NOVA’s Producing Artistic Directors, the production team includes Briana O’Neal (stage manager/props), Craig A. Hane (set designer/builder), Jade Guerriero (lighting designer), Toni Davison (costume designer), Brit Connors (sound designer), Mark Batell (props), Kat Walsh (intimacy director), and Avalon McNew (assistant to the lighting designer).
Diane Hill says: “It’s a love story, but not a conventional one—it’s about possibility, connection, and the many versions of ourselves we might have been. We’ve all wondered about the ‘what ifs.’ This play brings those questions to life in a way that’s both theatrical and deeply human.”
The Last Wide Open runs May 22 – June 14, 2026 at Theatre NOVA (410 W Huron St, Ann Arbor). Performances are Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 3pm and 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm. General admission tickets are $30, $25 for 65 and over, and $15 for students with student IDs at the door. Tickets are available at TheatreNOVA.org or at the theatre box office one hour before each performance.
Photo Credit: Sean Carter Photography
Michael Alan Herman, Josie Eli Herman and Natalie Rose Sevick
Josie Eli Herman and Michael Alan Herman
Michael Alan Herman, Josie Eli Herman and Natalie Rose Sevick
Natalie Rose Sevick, Michael Alan Herman and Josie Eli Herman
Michael Alan Herman and Josie Eli Herman
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