SUMMER SHEBANG to Bring Pop-Up Comedy to Creative Stage Collective
Madeline Bender directs a cast including Ty Norris, Daniel Oakes, Payton Georgiana, and Lena Haleem.
Creative Stage Collective presents Summer Shebang for performances on September 25, 26, and 27, 2026 at various locations all over New York City.
Summer Shebang is a 45-minute musical-sketch-comedy romp inspired by the imaginative (and surprisingly insightful) ideas of children. Devised and performed by a multigenerational troupe of actors and opera singers, the organizers say the show is bursting with music, laughter, and imagination. These playful pop-up performances are coming to seven Harlem and Upper Manhattan locations, aimed at audiences of all ages.
Featuring a mix of new and returning artists, Summer Shebang will be directed by Madeline Bender, with CSC favorites Ty Norris and Daniel Oakes alongside newer faces, including actor Payton Georgiana, opera singer Lena Haleem, and writer/actor Anterior Leverett, a Hansberry-Lilly Fellow through the Dramatists Guild Foundation.
Summer Shebang Events
Jackie Robinson Bandshell
September 25 • 5:00 PM
116 Bradhurst Avenue
Manhattan School for Children
September 26 • 12:30 PM
154 W 93rd St
All Souls NYC
September 26 • 4:00 PM
1157 Lexington Avenue
Electric Ladybug Garden
September 27 • 3:00 PM
237 W 111th St.
JCC Harlem
September 27 • 7:30 PM
318 W 118th St
Creative Stage Collective brings together youth and professional artists to co-create original kid-inspired theater with a spirit of playfulness and community that envisions a more empathetic world. CSC stands at the unique intersection of professional theater and children's creative development, forging a distinctive space where young imaginations and professional expertise combine to create performances that are both artistically excellent and socially meaningful. Unlike traditional youth theater programs or professional companies that occasionally work with children, CSC's collaborative model places equal value on both professional artistry and childhood imagination, creating a genuinely multigenerational creative community that produces work reflecting the depth, joy, and innovative thinking that emerges when generations create together.
