New Musical WHAT WE LEAVE BEHIND Comes to Theatre Raleigh

Theatre Raleigh will continue its 2025 season with the developmental production of "What We Leave Behind," a powerful and deeply personal new musical exploring love, resilience and the impact of chronic illness on family.

Performances run Sept. 24-Oct. 5, 2025 at the De Ann S. Jones Theatre in North Raleigh.

Written and composed by husband-and-wife team Jenny Giering and Sean Barry, "What We Leave Behind" is inspired by their own journey after Giering's breast cancer diagnosis. The one-woman musical follows Jenny, a composer whose life is suddenly upended, and the unexpected path she forges through humor, heartache and hope.

Leading the production is acclaimed Broadway star Jessica Phillips, whose extensive credits include "Dear Evan Hansen," "Next to Normal," "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert," and most recently, "Redwood" starring Idina Menzel. Phillips has captivated audiences on Broadway, on tour and on screen ("Law & Order: SVU," "Why Women Kill"), and brings her celebrated depth and versatility to this role.

“'What We Leave Behind' is a stunning new musical by the deeply gifted writing team of Jenny Giering and Sean Barry—an intimate, original piece that explores chronic illness and resilience with raw honesty and emotional depth,” said Eric Woodall, Theatre Raleigh's producing artistic director. “We are incredibly proud to produce this new work at Theatre Raleigh, and to have Broadway star Jessica Phillips bringing this role to life. It's a rare and thrilling combination of daring new material and world-class talent.”

Theatre Raleigh is a professional nonprofit theater company recognized for its high-caliber musicals, dramas, and concert series featuring exceptional talent. Since 2023, its productions have spotlighted acclaimed stage and screen performers including Ariana DeBose, Julie Benko, Beth Leavel, Kim Zimmer, Rachel Bay Jones, Norm Lewis and Norbert Leo Butz. In 2024, Broadway stars Carmen Cusack and Nik Walker headlined the company's production of "Bull Durham, a New Musical."

This developmental production of "What We Leave Behind" has been nearly a decade in the making. Giering and Barry began work at The Sundance Institute in 2016, and thanks to Theatre Raleigh's partnership with the Capital Arts Theatre Guild, the show underwent a workshop process this past winter at CATG's Nation Musical Theatre Foundry before moving to the main stage.

“We're thrilled to finally have the chance to share our show with live audiences, and particularly here in Raleigh, where Theatre Raleigh has cultivated such a dedicated community of theatergoers,” said Giering, who co-wrote the play with Barry. "This collaboration has been nothing short of extraordinary. Having Jessica Phillips at the helm is the icing on the cake—we couldn't be happier.”