Alliance Theatre Will Produce World Premiere Musical LIKE FATHER

Alliance Theatre will produce the world premiere of LIKE FATHER as part of its 2026–27 season. The new musical, created by Jacob Ryan Smith with book, music, and lyrics by Smith and Caroline Pernick, will begin performances in October 2026 on the Hertz Stage.

Directed by Alliance Theatre Jennings Hertz Artistic Director Tinashe Kajese-Bolden, Like Father is a coming-of-age musical set against the backdrop of America’s true-crime obsession. The story follows seventeen-year-old Chris, who moves in with her estranged mother and stepfather after her father’s arrest. When a popular true-crime podcast resurfaces the family’s past, they are forced to confront the truth behind what brought them together—or risk being undone by its exposure.

Featuring a folk-pop score, the musical explores themes of legacy, identity, and the consequences of cultural fixation, drawing inspiration from the families affected by infamous crimes and the rapid growth of the true-crime media industry. The project was a semi-finalist at the Eugene O’Neill New Music Theater Festival and won the inaugural Open Jar Musical Shark Tank.

The creative team includes choreographer Dell Howlett, music director Alejandro Senior, assistant director Rachel Sabo-Hedges, associate music director Adam Beskind, dramaturg Amanda Watkins, and casting directors Kevin Metzger-Timson, CSA, and Frankie Ramirez, CSA, of TRC Company.

Kajese-Bolden said the musical centers on confronting inherited histories and forging identity beyond them, describing the work as a story of grief, forgiveness, and transformation. She noted the importance of regional theaters in fostering new work that takes artistic risks.

Casting details and specific performance dates will be announced at a later time. Commercial producers for Like Father include Howard Alter, Zachary Hausman, and Madison Thompson, with additional co-producers supporting the production.

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