Julie McNamara To Present THE CONFESSIONAL With New Seasonal Material

Julie McNamara will present a new seasonal edition of THE CONFESSIONAL, a comedy and music piece exploring Catholic upbringing through personal storytelling and traditional hymns performed with their original lyrics. The production will include material related to the Christmas and Advent season and follows a successful run at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The show examines themes such as faith, guilt, family expectations, sexuality, mental health, and communication through McNamara’s perspective, shaped by years of navigating Catholic traditions and personal reflection. Using hymns as a structural and comedic device, the piece incorporates anecdotes about confession, prayer, and the tensions between religious instruction and adult life.

Written and created by Julie McNamara, the work draws on her experience as an NYC-based comedian, actor, and singer. McNamara is a member of a house sketch team at Magnet Theater and has performed with BoogieManja Sketch Collective, Laugh Index Theatre, Toronto Sketchfest, and numerous independent improv groups.

Her stage credits include roles such as Amy in Company, Melanie Norton in Grumpy Old Men: The Musical, Madge in The Game’s Afoot, the Fairy Godmother in Shrek the Musical, and Aymens in As You Like It.