Photos: Stefan Diethelm’s CONNOLY Premieres at Theatre for the New City

Connoly, a new play by Stefan Diethelm, opens November 6 at Theatre for the New City, directed by Delaney “Lanes” May. Check out photos of the production below!

The play follows a teenage girl navigating recovery inside a mental health facility with the help—and complications—of those who love her most. Running through November 23, Connoly offers a moving meditation on family, healing, and the fragile hope that keeps us alive.

After surviving a suicide attempt, Connoly, a teenage girl, is placed in an in-patient mental health facility. There, she begins the slow, painful process of recovery with the support of her older sister Dingo, a strict yet compassionate nurse named Natalya, and her best friend Georgie—who may be imaginary, or perhaps something more spectral. As Connoly struggles to find meaning in survival, she and those around her must face the limits of love, faith, and endurance.

A contemporary tragedy of youth, Connoly confronts the realities of mental illness and the resilience it demands. Diethelm’s writing balances empathy and intensity, revealing both the darkness of despair and the beauty of persistence.

The cast features Emily Kendall Cohen, Madi Daning, Abby Messina, Nikki Neuberger, and Alessia Seclì. The creative and production team includes Cody Hom (lighting/sound design) and Matthew Seepersad (stage management). The play is produced by Stefan Diethelm, Delaney “Lanes” May, and Bradly Valenzuela.

Content Advisory: Connoly contains sensitive material including references to suicide, self-harm, and mental illness.