Season 2, Episode 5: Behind every summer is a community that keeps Fire Island alive. This episode explores the history of the beloved Pines Pantry through the eyes of its iconic Pantry Girls, alongside the volunteer firefighters of The Pines and Cherry Grove who protect the island from fires, hurricanes, beach erosion, and an uncertain future.
KAYAK By Jordan Hall Comes to Theatre NOVA
Last seen at Theatre NOVA in the Wilde Award-winning, “Lifespan of a Fact,” Diane Hill, will play the role of Annie.
By: Stephi Wild
Theatre NOVA, Ann Arbor's resident nonprofit professional theatre specializing in new plays will present “Kayak” by Jordan Hall, running January 30 - February 22, 2026.
Alone on a vast stretch of water, Annie Iversen recounts the chain of events that stranded her in her son's old kayak. A doting suburban mother, Annie is blindsided when her son, Peter, falls in love with Julie, a passionate environmental activist. What begins as a series of tense—and frequently funny—family and ideological clashes becomes something far more dangerous, as Annie, desperate to protect her son from what she sees as a reckless path, fights to hold on—until the danger she feared finds her instead.
Last seen at Theatre NOVA in the Wilde Award-winning, “Lifespan of a Fact,” Diane Hill, will play the role of Annie. She says: “Ann Arbor is a community that values dialogue, creativity, and thoughtful engagement with complex ideas. Kayak is the kind of story that feels at home here—intimate, curious, and deeply human. It speaks to a town that believes art can challenge us, deepen our understanding, and bring people together across differences.”
Directed by Briana O'Neal, the cast features Diane Hill, Cooper Miller, and Grace Lawrence. The production team includes Elise Blochwitz (stage manager), Craig Hane (set designer), Sam Schikora (light designer), Micha Mallet (Costume Designer), Josie Herman (sound designer), Brady Jacot (assistant director), Eli Hubbel (assistant stage manager).
Director Briana O'Neal says: “A good play entertains us, but a great play invites us to examine our relationship to its themes and ask bigger questions. I hope audiences leave wanting to ask those questions—and to consider what they can do to make the world a little better.” Producing Artistic Director Shelby Seeley adds: “‘Kayak' embodies what Theatre NOVA does best: championing powerful new plays with artists who know how to make them soar. Jordan Hall's writing is intimate and urgent, and this remarkable creative team is bringing it to life with clarity, care, and force. It's one of my favorite plays, and I can't wait for audiences to experience it.”
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