AHOY-HOY to Open Urbanite Theatre's 2026-27 Main Stage Season

Urbanite Theatre kicks off the 2026-27 Main Stage Season with Jenny Stafford's wildly fun Ahoy-Hoy, A Play About That Relatable Feeling When Someone Else Invents The Telephone Three Hours Before You Do…

Ahoy-Hoy is based on the true story of the invention of the telephone. Winner of the 'Audience Favorite' award at the 2025 Modern Works Festival, Ahoy-Hoy returns to Urbanite as a Rolling World Premiere with the National New Play Network. Directed by Céline Rosenthal, Ahoy-Hoy previews on October 29, and runs October 30–November 29, 2026. Regular tickets are $52; preview $42; under 40* $32; and, as always, $5 for students* (*with a valid ID).

Ahoy-Hoy is a 150-year-old invention rivalry that feels surprisingly contemporary… It's 1876 (and also right now) and Elisha Gray, played by Amber McNew, is this close to inventing the telephone. Elisha is brilliant, anxious, and ready to make history if Alexander Graham Bell, played by Casey Murphy, doesn't beat him to it… Spoiler alert: he kind of does. This story is, however, about more than just technology. It delves into themes of ego, American ambition, and the quest for legacy; who gets credit for an idea, who gets remembered, and what are some people willing to do to secure their place in history? Elisha's assistant, Cornelius, played by Ben Williamson, tries desperately to help his mentor–even if that means some breaking and entering. Each inventor works feverishly to complete their patent applications and race over to Wilbur, the 'finish line' at the patent office, played by Ariel Blue. If you've never heard of Elisha Gray, you can probably guess who got there first.

Winner of the 2025 Modern Works Festival 'Audience Favorite' award, Ahoy-Hoy began at Urbanite as a staged reading and has received further development through Lemonade Stand Theatre, SOMA Stage, Prologue Theatre, Florida Rep's 2026 PlayLab, and Chautauqua Theater Company's 2026 New Play Workshop. 'The play's journey from a Modern Works Festival reading to a fully realized Rolling World Premiere is exactly the kind of new-play development the Modern Works Festival was created to support,' says Producing Artistic Director, Summer Dawn Wallace. Ahoy-Hoy will entertain Sarasota audiences October 30–November 29, 2026 (with a preview on Oct. 29). The show will continue its roll with productions at Alleyway Theatre, New Jersey Repertory Theatre, and Theatre Nova.

CAST

• Alexander Graham Bell - Casey Murphy
• Elisha Gray - Amber McNew*
• Cornelius - Ben Williamson*
• Wilbur - Ariel Blue

CREATIVE TEAM

• Playwright: Jenny Stafford
• Director: Céline Rosenthal
• Production Stage Manager, Props & Set Dressing Designer: Drew O'Phaelan*
• Assistant Stage Manager: Evan Lemole
• Scenic Designer: Jeff Weber
• Lighting Designer: Michael Pasquini
• Sound Designer & Technical Supervisor: Rew Tippin
• Costume Designer: David Covach
• Wig Designer: Jonathan Hall
• Dramaturg: Melanie Anthony
• Master Carpenter: Eugene Alcorn
• Scenic Charge: Paige Spizzo
• Producing Artistic Director: Summer Wallace

*Denotes member of Actors' Equity

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

• Sundays & Wednesdays at 2:00 PM
• Wednesday–Saturday at 7:30 PM

SPECIAL DATES

• Saturday, October 31 at 2:00 PM
• Tuesday, November 24 at 7:30 PM
• No performances on November 26-27 for Thanksgiving holiday
• Saturday, November 28 at 2:00 PM