Barrington Stage, Goodman Theatre, and Hartford Stage To Present Collective World Premiere of DEAD GIRL'S QUINCEAÑERA

Barrington Stage, Goodman Theatre, and Hartford Stage have announced the collective world premiere of Dead Girl's Quinceañera as part of each organization's upcoming season. This wildly funny and ferociously smart new play by Phanésia Pharel is a landmark co-production and major milestone in uplifting one of the most exciting young female voices in contemporary American theatre.

Dead Girl's Quinceañera is a darkly hilarious take on true-crime obsession, teenage bravado, and what happens when girls decide to stop waiting for answers. When Maria goes missing from her Quinceañera, three best friends race to solve the mystery— interrogating suspects, inventing theories, and roasting each other along the way. The play effortlessly blends humor with emotion and inventive storytelling that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.

This premiere brings national attention to Phanésia Pharel, the Haitian-American playwright whose vibrant work has been celebrated for its bold perspectives and emotional honesty. Pharel's writing is anchored in amplifying real voices and real lives, drawing on a wide range of theatrical influences and imaginative energy that has already earned her recognition and development at esteemed institutions and theatres nationwide.

“We're honored to collaborate across institutions to introduce Dead Girl's Quinceañera to audiences in a major world premiere,” said the producing partners. “Phanésia's voice is urgent and joyous—a testament to new American playwriting — and we're proud to elevate her work on a stage shared by our communities.”

Directed by Melia Bensussen, the Artistic Director of Hartford Stage who is known for her deep commitment to dynamic new works, this world premiere production is the culmination of a year-long creative collaboration between director and playwright, developed through the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's National Playwrights Conference and workshops with partner theatres across the country. This sustained process has allowed the play to deepen and evolve, honoring its theatrical ambition while sharpening its humor and heart.

“Working alongside Phanésia on this play has been an extraordinary journey,” said Bensussen. “Phanésia has written this play with incredible depth—these characters are funny, impulsive, messy, and deeply alive. The play embraces a wide range of Latine identities and cultural references, from music to language to ritual, and lets them collide in a way that feels electric.”

Dead Girl's Quinceañera represents a dynamic collaboration among three leading theatres committed to fostering new voices and expanding the theatrical canon. This production underscores a shared mission to celebrate emerging artists and bring transformative theatre to stages across the country. Details for each theatre's respective season schedules will be announced soon.

About the Playwright

Phanésia Pharel is a Haitian-American playwright and screenwriter whose work centers on human connection, rich character lives, and cultural specificity. From a dragon fruit farm in Miami to stages nationwide, Pharel's plays—Dead Girl's Quinceañera, The Waterfall, Black Girl Joy, and more—have garnered development at major national theatres and festivals and brought her significant honors and commissions.

About the Co-Producing Theatres

Barrington Stage, led by Artistic Director Alan Paul and Managing Director Greg Reiner; Goodman Theatre, led by Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins; and Hartford Stage, led by Artistic Director Melia Bensussen and Managing Director Cynthia Rider, are leading American regional theatres dedicated to producing innovative work, supporting playwrights, and engaging diverse communities through the transformative power of live performance.

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