Photos: CRACKED OPEN World Premiere In Rehearsal

Check out new photos from inside the rehearsal room for the world premiere of CRACKED OPEN, a deeply moving new play written and directed by multi-award-winning playwright Gail Kriegel at Theatre Row.

Each May, Mental Health Awareness Month provides an opportunity to amplify conversations around mental health, encourage understanding, and break the stigma that prevents so many from seeking help. At its core, CRACKED OPEN by Gail Kreigel, is a powerful, timely story about a family whose love is tested when their 17-year-old daughter experiences the sudden onset of mental illness. As they struggle to understand her new reality, they must navigate the complexities of treatment, social stigma, and their own fears, ultimately discovering the resilience that binds them together.

"CRACKED OPEN gives voice to the silent struggles faced by so many and invites us to confront the stigma and misunderstandings that often surround mental health. This play is timely and necessary, offering a raw and empathetic look at the human condition. At Dream Big World Theatre, we believe in producing works that inspire conversation and change and CRACKED OPEN does just that. We are proud to bring Gail Kriegel’s profound story to Theatre Row and hope it resonates with audiences as deeply as it has with us." — Barry Mallin, Producer, Dream Big World Theatre.

With a cast of 11 actors portraying 32 characters, CRACKED OPEN is a story of love, struggle, and the power of family.

Cast includes Pamela Bob (Broadway: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder), Joyia D. Bradley (Off-Broadway: Mirrors), Rubén Caballero, Paul Castree (Broadway: Water For Elephants), Blaire DiMisa (Regional: Anastasia), Scott Harrison (NY: David: A New Musical), Madeline Grace Jones (Regional: The Color Purple), Lisa Pelikan (Broadway: Franz Wedekind’s Spring’s Awakening), Katherine Reis (HBO Max’s “Gossip Girl”), Bart Shatto (Broadway: War Paint, Les Misérables, Hands on a Hardbody), and Jeene Vath (LaMama’s H.M. Koutoukas’ Medea of The Laundromat). 

The creative team includes Mikaila Baca-Dorion (Scenic and Props Designer), AC Gottlieb & James Nguyen  (Co-Costume Designer), Yang Yu (Scenic and Lighting Designer), Bill Toles (Sound Designer and Production Manager),  Judi Lewis Ockler (Fight Director),  Suzanne Apicella (Production Stage Manager), Jamibeth Margolis (Casting Director), Mari Tompkins (Assistant Director).

Previews begin May 6, 2025, with opening night on May 20, 2025, and the production will run through June 28, 2025. Tickets are available now at crackedopentheplay.com.