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About the Show
On the streets of Dublin, an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant are drawn together by their shared love of music. Over the course of a week, an unexpected collaboration quickly evolves into something more. Performed by a dynamic actor-musician ensemble, this is the only show to feature music honored with an Academy Award, Grammy Award, Olivier Award, and Tony Award. This achingly beautiful musical illustrates how a lightning-in-bottle experience can reignite passion and purpose.
If You’re Into:
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Indie folk music like The Swell Season
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Normal People
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Cozy Irish Pubs
Expect:
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Stuck Artist’s Second Chance
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Almost Romance
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Intimate acoustic musical
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Actor-Musicians that rock!
Special Events:
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$30 Under 40 Happy Hour: Friday, June 5 at 7 pm
Folks under 40 are invited to get to the theatre early to enjoy their first drink on the house and mingle with other theatre-lovers. This Happy Hour is part of our $30 Under 40 program where NextStop offers $30 tickets to anyone under 40. To sign up for this discount code, simply fill out this short form. -
Topical Talkback: Friday, June 5 after the 8 pm show
Audiences are invited to stay after the performance for a free talkback that dives deeper into the themes of the show. -
Artistic Talkback: Sunday, June 14 after the 2 pm show
Audiences are invited to stay after the performance for a free talkback with the artists that brought the show to life.
Meet the Artists
Enda Walsh, Bookwriter
Enda Walsh is a playwright and screenwriter who shot to fame when he won both the George Devine Award and the Stewart Parker Award in 1997 with his play Disco Pigs. He has won Fringe First Awards at the Edinburgh International Festival for his plays The Walworth Farce and The New Electric Ballroom and The Guardiannamed him “one of the most dazzling wordsmiths of contemporary theatre.” Once, his adaptation of the film by John Carney, picked up eight Tony Awards on Broadway, including Best Book. His 2008 biopic, Hunger, told the story of the final days of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands and won a host of awards, including the Camera d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. He worked on the musical, Lazarus, with David Bowie, which opened at New York Theatre Workshop in December 2015 and transferred to Kings Cross Theatre in London in November 2016. The Last Hotel, his first opera with Donnacha Dennehy, had its world premiere at the Lyceum Theatre as part of the Edinburgh International Festival, and transferred to Dublin, London, New York and Luxembourg. Their second opera, The Second Violinist, premiered at the Galway International Arts Festival in July 2017 and was also seen in London, and Amsterdam. The final work in their operatic trilogy, The First Child, premiered at the Dublin Theatre Festival last October and after performances at Galway International Arts Festival will tour to Dublin, Navan, Cork, Limerick and Tralee.
Glen Hansard, Music & Lyrics
Glen Hansard is an Irish singer-songwriter. Since 1990, he has been the frontman of the Irish rock band The Frames, with whom he has released six studio albums, four of which have charted in the top ten of the Irish Album Charts. In the 2000s, he was one half of folk rock duo The Swell Season before releasing his debut solo album, Rhythm and Repose, in 2012. His 2015 sophomore album Didn't He Ramble was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Folk Album. Primarily a musician, he has also acted and written music for film; he appeared in the BAFTA-winning film The Commitments (1991) and, notably, starred in the Irish music drama Once (2007) which earned him a number of major awards, including the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Falling Slowly" with co-writer and co-star Markéta Irglová. The film was later adapted into an award-winning-musical theatre production.
Markéta Irglová, Music & Lyrics
A vocalist and talented multi-instrumentalist, Markéta Irglová's musical career began with a chance meeting and a garden party. Born in 1988, the Czech musician began playing piano and guitar at a young age, and was only 13 when her parents met Glen Hansard, vocalist and guitarist for the Irish rock band the Frames. Irglová began writing and recording her own songs while also performing with Hansard throughout the Czech Republic. In addition to performing together in the United States and Ireland, Irglová and Hansard recorded an eponymous album together under the name the Swell Season, which was released in 2006. The pair later garnered worldwide attention when they starred and performed in Once, an award-winning and critically acclaimed film directed by John Carney, a former Frames bassist. After the success of the film, Irglová and Hansard continued to write, perform, and record under the Swell Season moniker, recording another album, 2009's Strict Joy, while also working together but crediting their individual names (as they did for a track on the soundtrack to the film I'm Not There). Irglová released her solo debut, Anar, in 2011, followed by Muna in 2014 and most recently Lila in 2022.
Heather Lanza, Director
Heather Lanza is proud to be the Producing Artistic Director at NextStop Theater in Herndon, VA. Directorialy, Heather focuses on new play development and the devising of original new works. Her work has been premiered and workshoped at Juilliard, HERE Arts Center, Epic Theater Ensemble, Keen Company, Waterwell, The Gallery Players, The Davenport, NY International Fringe Festival, Access Theater, The Kraine, Theater for a New City, The Players Theater, Bleecker Street Theater, Magic Future Box, Berkshire Fringe, Virginia Children’s Theater, Redhouse Arts Center, and many others. Heather is currently serving as the Producing Artistic Director of NextStop Theatre in Herndon, VA. Additionally, Heather is also the co-founder of the NYC based Making it Happen Productions, which focuses on emerging artists voices who seek to use theater as a way to engage dialogue and promote change. Heather previously served as the Education Director/Artistic Director of the Waterwell Drama Program for Waterwell. Heather holds a BA in Directing from Fordham University and a MA in Applied Theater from CUNY School of Professional Studies. She is a proud member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Union www.heatherlanza.com
Jeremy Allen Crawford (Emcee/Eamon; Billy Understudy)
Jeremy is excited to return to NextStop after performing in Footloose, Little Women, and Lucky Stiff. DC Credits include Theatre J: An Enemy of the People, Prayer for the French Republic; Olney Theatre Center: Appropriate; Spooky Action Theatre: Professor Woland's Black Magic Rock Show (Helen Hayes Nomination for Supporting Performer); Toby's Dinner Theatre: Rock of Ages; Adventure Theatre: Lightning Thief, Sing Down the Moon, Junie B. Jones; Monumental Theatre: American Psycho (Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Ensemble); Keegan Theatre: Shakespeare in Love. International: English Musicals Korea: Atlantis, Goldilocks, Treasure Quest, The Birthday Curse. Jeremy's album "ibsen" is available for streaming on all platforms. Training: B.M. Catholic University. Instagram @jeremy.crawford.99
Carter Crosby (Guy)
Carter is a Virginia-born, Maryland-based actor, writer and musician. Thrilled to be back at NextStop Theatre, his other credits include: Toby’s Dinner Theatre: The Little Mermaid (Prince Eric), Jersey Boys (Bob Gaudio), 9 to 5 (Joe), Rock of Ages (Ensemble/Drew U/S), and more. Iron Crow Theatre: Rent (Roger Davis). NextStop Theatre: Ride the Cyclone (Mischa). Forum Theatre Wichita: Million Dollar Quartet (Carl Perkins). MACC Center for the Performing Arts: Million Dollar Quartet (Elvis Presley). He sends all the love to his family and friends. Go Dukes! @carterjcrosby cartercrosby.com
Ricky Drummond (Bank Manager; Da Understudy)
Ricky is so happy to be back on the NextStop stage! He last worked here as the director of last year's production of Footloose! DIRECTING: Once Upon a Mattress, Addams Family Jr, Spongebob Jr (NextStop Theatre); Shakespeare in Love, Legally Blonde (Keegan Theatre); 2018 Helen Hayes Awards; Assistant Director: Crazy for You, La Cage Aux Folles (Signature Theatre); Flowers Stink (Kennedy Center). ACTING: Little Women, Familiar Melody, The Wedding Singer, Urinetown (NextStop Theatre); Girlfriend, Crazy for You (Signature Theatre); Flowers Stink, Elephant and Piggie (Kennedy Center); Merrily We Roll Along, Big Fish, Parade, American Idiot, Dogfight (Keegan Theatre); The Moors (Faction of Fools); Audrey, The Christmas Angel (Creative Cauldron) PLAYWRITING: Desiderium, Still Alive (2018 NextStop Reading), SuperPup. Ricky proudly holds a Musical Theatre degree from James Madison University. Endless love and thanks go to his beautiful wife Emily and 8 month old daughter Mia.
Emily Erickson (Girl, she/her)
Emily is thrilled to make her NextStop Theatre debut with this gorgeous production! DC credits include Keegan Theatre: Apropos of Nothing, Noises Off; Studio Theatre: People, Places, & Things; Theater J: Eureka Day; Taffety Punk: Our Black Death; Prologue Theatre: MUFFED; Solas Nua: The Honey Trap; Spooky Action Theater: Man Covets Bird; Avant Bard: The Two Gentlemen of Killarney (Music Direction); Her Majesty & Sons: Richard II. NYC credits include TheaterLab: This Beautiful Future; New Ohio Theatre: Happy Garden of Life. Regional credits include Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Arts Center of Coastal Carolina), The Tempest (Devil's Isle Shakespeare Co.), The Oresteia, Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing (Chesapeake Shakespeare Company.) MFA: The Academy at STC/GWU. BFA: NYU Tisch. Emily is the founding Executive Director of Glass Canon Theatre Company, a new classics-based theatre organization in Washington, DC. For Mom. www.emilynerickson.com
Amber Gibson (Baruška/Bartender, she/her)
Amber is a multidisciplinary artist and musician originally hailing from Alabama sans banjo on knee. She is delighted to return to NextStop after having last worked on their 2016 production of Snow White. Selected local credits include: Keegan Theatre: Hand to God; Creative Cauldron: Into the Woods, Disenchanted; Nu Sass: A Bright Room Called Day, No Exit; ArtsCentric: Rent; Brave Spirits: As You Like It, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Two Noble Kinsmen. Amber is a proud producer of Shakespeare in the Pub and Nu Sass company member. For updates and info please see: www.AmberAGibson.com or follow on Instagram and TikTok at @Amberag27
Sally Imbriano (Reza; Girl Understudy)
Sally is thrilled to be returning to NextStop Theatre after her work in POTUS, Lucky Stiff and Matilda. Other credits include 1st Stage: The Nance; Creative Cauldron: Snapshots, Working, Always…Patsy Cline, Bubbly Black Girl, Disenchanted; The Kennedy Center: The Dragon King’s Daughter; Keegan: Seussical; Adventure: Knuffle Bunny, Alexander and the Terrible … Day. She directs, vocal directs, teaches voice and composes too! Sally holds her Master’s of Musical Theatre from The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. sallyimbriano.com / @sallyimbriano.
Jared Kirschenbaum (Svec, he/him)
Jared is a DC-based actor-musician and is so excited to be making his NextStop Theatre debut! DC Area credits include Imagination Stage: New Kid (Nick u/s); Monumental Theatre Company: Finn: A Concert for WorldPride (Drums); Constellation Theatre Company: Head Over Heels (Drums sub). Jared has a BA in Musical Theatre from American University, where he was most recently seen as Proteus in the world premiere of Aaron Posner and Greg Kotis’ musical adaptation of The Two ‘Gentlemen’ of Verona. Much love to his family and friends for all of their support. @jaredkirschenbaum
Mira Rose Morris (Swing, she/her)
Mira Rose is thrilled to be making her NextStop debut! Previous performance credits include American University: 9 to 5: The Musical, As You Like It (Taub), Once, and Sense and Sensibility. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Mira is a proud alum of American University, where she received a dual degree in musical theatre and communication studies. She would like to thank her family and friends for their constant and never-ending support and pride, as well as the entire cast and production team for all of their endless hard work. Website: mirarosemorris.com. Instagram: @mirarmorris
Ari Post (Billy; Guy Understudy)
Ari is thrilled to make his NextStop Theatre debut with Once. Local credits include Olney Theatre Center: Appropriate; Round House Theatre: Rules for Living; Shakespeare Theatre Company: The Comedy of Errors, Romeo and Juliet, The Rover, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Odyssey; Storyworks Theater: Electionland. Other credits include Now to Ashes at DC Fringe Festival (Best of Fringe); Venus in Fur, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, and Side Man at local area theaters. Training: MFA in Classical Acting, Shakespeare Theatre Company at George Washington University.
Vivian Smith (Ivonka)
Vivian is excited to be a part of NextStop Theatre again after performing in their educational productions of Under the Tree and Festive Follies. Her past roles include Jubilee Performing Arts’ Annie and productions with the children’s choir at McLean Presbyterian Church. Vivian is a fifth grader at Dominion Christian School and violin student of Monika Doroshef.
Anna Tyrrell (Ivonka)
Anna is thrilled to be making her professional debut as Ivanka in Once! Other recent credits include: Norwood School: The Addams Family (Wednesday), The Internet is Distract– Oh Look, a Kitten! (Micah); Young Artists of America: The Lion King (Young Nala); Adventure Theatre MTC: Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka (Willy Wonka). Anna is especially excited to be combining her longtime loves of violin and musical theater in one show. Huge thanks to her acting/singing and violin teachers, and to the wonderful cast and crew at NextStop Theatre.
Colin Villacorte (Andrej; Svec Understudy, he/him)
Colin is an actor-musician from Manassas, Virginia. He graduated from Point Park University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting, and he is thrilled to be working with NextStop Theatre for the first time! Select credits include: Glass Cannon Theatre Company: Songs of the Acropolis; Avant Bard Theatre: The Two Gentlemen of Killarney, Overcoming Orion; Texas Shakespeare Festival: Twelfth Night, Macbeth, Kiss Me, Kate!, The Princess and the Players; Pittsburgh Playhouse: Today, I Looked Up, The Mystery of Twicknam Vicarage, Kentucky, What is Love?, Sense and Sensibility, ≈ [Almost Equal To], The Winter's Tale, Arcadia, 12 Ophelias: A Play with Broken Songs; Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Park: Twelfth Night. He records original alternative rock music under the moniker “Real Tearz” (streaming on all music platforms!) Special thanks to Eliza Pagelle, Prentiss Patrick-Carter, Morgan Hipp, and Nathan Bachtell. @colinvillacorte colinvillacorte.com
Faith Wang (Ex-Girlfriend; Réza Understudy, she/her)
Faith is delighted to be making her NextStop Theatre and Virginia debut - all while playing the violin! Local credits include Rockville Musical Theatre: Urinetown (Little Sally - WATCH Nominated Featured Performer, WATCH Award for Outstanding Musical/Ensemble), Sweeney Todd (Ensemble - WATCH Nominated Outstanding Ensemble), Young Frankenstein (Inga); Damascus Theatre Company: Merrily We Roll Along (Beth); Silhouette Stages: Puffs (Leanne). Faith is grateful for her Wang Gang, dear friends, and fiancé Graden for their unending love and support.
David Weinraub (Da, He/Him)
David is very excited to be making his NextStop debut. Recent credits include Dominion Stage: Xanadu (Keyboards/Music Director), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Skzp (Keyboards/Guitar)/Music Director), Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (Keyboards/Music Director), Heathers (Principal Gowan/Kurt’s Dad/Veronica’s Dad); Reston Community Players: Rocky Horror Show (Keyboards/Music Director - WATCH Nomination); Maryland Ensemble Theatre: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Zsolt/Keyboards); Workhouse Arts Center: Tommy (Uncle Ernie); Man of La Mancha (Anselmo), Rocky Horror Show (Keyboards/Music Director), Rock of Ages (Keyboards/Music Director), The Full Monty (Keyboards), All Together Now (Keyboards/Guitar); Landless Theatre Company: The Great Gatsby (Wilson/Wolfsheim), Puffs (Narrator); Wolfpack Theatre Company: Rocky Horror Show (Narrator); Capital Fringe: Inferno the Musical (Father Lecher).