SPECIMEN World Premiere to be Presented at Axis Theatre This May
Written and directed by Randall Sharp, the production will run at Axis Theatre in Manhattan, featuring Brian Barnhart, Andrew Dawson, and Britt Genelin.
Axis Theatre Company is thrilled to present the world premiere of Specimen, a new play written and directed by Randall Sharp that looks at how humanity decides who is an alien—and who is not. Previews begin on May 6 at Axis Theatre (1 Sheridan Square, Manhattan), with a press opening set for May 9, for a limited run through June 6, 2026.
Specimen unfolds aboard the Nomad, a failing corporate research vessel nearing Earth after a disastrous mission. An unexplained internal explosion has left portions of the ship unstable. Communication falters. Systems misfire. The vessel continues forward.
When a mysterious pod docks without warning, the crew discovers what appears to be a rare and immensely valuable lifeform—one that could salvage their mission and secure their return. Or is it just a man? With systems failing and no reliable authority beyond the hull, the crew must determine what has arrived—and what it will be called. On the Nomad, a designation can determine everything.
Specimen features performances by Brian Barnhart, Andrew Dawson, Britt Genelin, Jon McCormick, Julian Rozzell, Jr., and Jim Sterling along with Spencer Aste, Robert Ierardi, and Lynn Mancinelli on video.
The creative team includes Randall Sharp, Jon McCormick, Lynn Mancinelli (set design), Karl Ruckdeschel (costume design), David Zeffren (lighting design), Paul Carbonara (composer, sound design), Lynn Mancinelli (prop design, set decoration, assistant stage manager), Laurie Kilmartin (production stage manager), Nicholas Guldner (video design), Jon McCormick (technical director), Amy Harper (assistant light designer).
The production team includes sound engineers Michael Birnbaum and Chris Bittner; Regina Betancourt (production photography), Brian Barnhart (producing director) and Jeffrey Resnick (executive director).
Twenty-one performances of Specimen will take place May 6–June 6, 2026 at Axis Theatre, located at 1 Sheridan Square in Manhattan's West Village. Critics are welcome as of the first performance on May 6 for an opening on Saturday, May 9. The performance schedule is Wednesday through Saturday at 7 PM with an added performance on Tuesday, May 19 at 7 PM.
General admission tickets are $40 for adults, $20 for seniors/students, and $10 for artists and people under 30. Tickets can be purchased online at www.axiscompany.org.
Veterans and active U.S. service members and their families can email info@axiscompany.org to access complimentary tickets. The anticipated running time is 75 minutes with no intermission.
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