New Salem Witch Trials Musical is in Development

A new adaptation following the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 is in development, led by producer Blair Russell. The dark musical comedy features music and lyrics by Jennifer Lucy Cook with a book by T.J. Pieffer and Shelby Solla.

SALEM was previously featured in the 2023 Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals in East Haddam, Connecticut.

Misinformation spreading like wildfire, outlandish conspiracy theories, and an infamously controversial trial in the early 90's. Yep, this is 17th century New England. With Pamphleteers presented as 1690's Fox News anchors, contemporary pop music, and a tap dancing apparition of the devil, this is not your community theater's production of "The Crucible".

SALEM follows Abby Williams, a Puritan teenager determined to utilize witch accusations in an attempt to con her way out of the oppressive theocratic society her uncle has placed her in and return to Boston where she belongs. But when her web of lies grows bigger than she can control, she finds herself inadvertently destroying the lives of the people she cares about the most.

Cook's theater commissions include Full House Theatre Co., British Youth Musical Theatre, and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London. Jen's work as a composer and vocalist can be heard in the Netflix documentary Sins of Our Mother and in Starcade Arcade's video game Torsion.

Pieffer's first musical ABDUCTION was featured at Musical Theatre Artist of Pittsburgh, The New York Musical Festival, New Musicals Inc., and is now being licensed at colleges and universities.

Solla's plays and dramatic writing have been produced at New York Live Arts, Primary Stages, the PIT Loft, Pittsburgh New Works Festival (Runner-Up: Best LabWorks Production), Undiscovered Countries' Infinite Festival, and Dixon Place.

Russell's most recent projects include the Tony-nominated Slave Play by Jeremy O. Harris, Lizard Boy by Justin Huertas, For Tonight by Shenelle Salcido and Spencer Williams, and the concept recordings of TikTok sensation EPIC the Musical which has over 75 million streams on Spotify

Full creative team will be announced at a later date.

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