Cast & Creative Teams Announced For South Carolina New Play Festival
The festival takes place August 7-10.
By: Emmy Rice Jul. 12, 2025
The South Carolina New Play Festival (SCNPF) has announced the full casting and creative teams for its 2025 season, taking place August 7-10. SCNPF is a festival like no other, presenting a multi-day lineup of developmental readings of new plays and musicals, outdoor variety shows and street fairs, cabarets, workshops and masterclasses, and a musical theater scholarship contest that transforms Greenville into a hub of theatrical innovation from Thursday, August 7, to Sunday, August 10.
Merlin Returns starring Piff the Magic Dragon, is a new musical parody written by John van der Put and West Hyler, with original music and lyrics by Matt Schatz (The Burdens). It will be directed by West Hyler (BWAY: Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour) with musical direction by Melissa Yanchak. The production stars Las Vegas Weekly’s 2025 Best Comedian and the Magic Castles 2024 Magician of the Year, Piff the Magic Dragon (America’s Got Talent and Las Vegas headliner) as Merlin, alongside Noah Weisberg (BWAY: Elf, South Pacific) as Doug Henning. Jade Simone, Brett Alters, Rachel Gasdia, and Zach Shaduk round out the rest of the cast.
The Break, a new musical written by Chris Dimond and Michael Kooman (NY: Romantics Anonymous, The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes), will be directed by Melissa Crespo with musical direction by Harry Collins. The role of Sam will be played by Jane Bruce (BWAY: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Jagged Little Pill), the role of Charlie will be played by Ben Fankhauser (BWAY: Newsies). Tinasha LaRaye will read Stage Directions.
Mariah, or the Passageway, a poignant and compelling new play by Rachel Bonds (NY: Jonah) will be directed by Linsay Firman. The production will be led by Francesca Fernandez as Mariah (Steppenwolf: Bald Sisters), with Daniel Abeles (NY: Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again), Nate Miller (BWAY: Peter and the Starcatcher), Ariel Woodiwiss (NY: Goodnight Nobody, Ultimate Beauty Bible), Chip Egan, Marshall Spann, and Mimi Wyche. Jamaica Brewster will read stage directions.
My Favorite Sociopath, by Aurin Squire (BWAY: Wonderful World, TV: This Is Us, The Good Fight), will be directed by Celine Rosenthal. The cast features Joe Serafini (TV: Carlos on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series), Cade Parker (National Tour: Dear Evan Hansen), and Adell Ehrhorn. Amanda Sox will read stage directions.
The Drought Girl, by Lyra Nalan, will be directed by Maegan Azar. The cast includes Ayden Woo, Eryn Woo, Caleb Woo, and Nekoda Moses reading stage directions.
As part of its commitment to commissioning and developing original work, SCNPF will also host a private developmental workshop of The Untitled Josh White Play by Donnetta Lavinia Grays , a new play about the Greenville-born folk music legend and Civil Rights pioneer. Tamilla Woodard will direct the workshop with Wesley Hix as the musical director. J. Quinton Johnson (BWAY: Hamilton) will lead the cast as Josh White, alongside Clark E. Nesbitt, Kirsten Brock, Andre Webb, Kelseigh Redmon, Rick Connor and Andrew Anderson.
In addition to these mainstage productions, the 2025 festival will present its signature Outdoor Variety Stage, emceed by Christina Gelsone (NY: Air Play), and featuring Paris the Hip Hop Juggler, Daniel Craig and Natalie Abell, and the North Carolina based company, Nouveau Sud.
2025 will also introduce South Carolina’s Next Broadway Star Scholarship Contest, and will culminate with a Broadway Cabaret starring Mary Kate Morrissey.
The South Carolina New Play Festival is helmed by Executive Director, West Hyler, and Artistic Director, Shelley Butler. Casting is by Geoff Josselson, C.S.A.
South Carolina Awards - Live Stats
Best Musical - Top 3
1.
WATIRESS (Centre Stage)
13.7% of votes
2.
THE COLOR PURPLE (Clark Nesbitt’s No Dream Deffered)
11.2% of votes
3.
THE PRINCE OF EGYPT (Anderson University)
8.5% of votes
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