Diana DeGarmo, Austin Scott, Nasia Thomas, and More Join New York Theatre Barn's New Works Series

The 18th season of New York Theatre Barn's award-winning New Works Series will conclude on Monday, November 3, 2025, with excerpts from the original musicals The Pelican and Today We Celebrate Earth Day, and a conversation with the writers. Both musicals amplify stories that uniquely explore environmental issues and climate change, and the presentation includes ASL interpretation and Live CART captioning.

With book and lyrics by Will Lacker and music and lyrics by Dylan Glatthorn, The Pelican follows the inhabitants of a Florida coastal town devastated by climate change and forced to make a choice before the next category hurricane approaches: exchange their freedom for safety in a nearby Corporate City or risk the storm to keep their town alive. The presentation is directed by Kimille Howard (Ain't Too Proud, Metropolitan Opera's Porgy and Bess), with music direction by Dylan Glatthorn, and a cast that includes Diana DeGarmo (Hair, Hairspray), Austin Scott (& Juliet, Hamilton), Nasia Thomas (SIX, The Last Five Years), Jason Veasey (A Strange Loop, Fox's Best Medicine), Judy McLane (Mamma Mia!), Michelle Dowdy (Hairspray), and Timothy Warmen (Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark).

With book and lyrics by A.J. Freeman and music by Fernanda Douglas, Today We Celebrate Earth Day begins as a seemingly ordinary Earth Day celebration at a civic center. After an opening communal chorus, teens of various ages step up to the microphone to perform sweet and charming memories and anecdotes. But things are not as they seem, and as the celebration takes a dark turn, it becomes clear that today may forever alter the lives of these teenagers… and the world as we know it. Freeman will direct, with music direction by Douglas, choreography by Sam Lobel, and a cast that includes Naomi Pierre (The Tempest, The Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park), Charlie Carroccio (The 12 Days of Christmas Eve), Emiko Dunn, Jordan Greenberg, Sadie Mae O'Sullivan, and  Logan Quintana.