Support Brilliance

SEE THE SHOW

March 9 & 10th @ 7:30 PM at the IAMT Theatre

About

April 7- April 24, 2022

Brilliance is a brand-new
musical coming to the Players Theatre in New York City.

Based on the life of 1940’s actress Frances Farmer, Brilliance
tells of her sinuous struggle between fame and freedom.

THE BRILLIANCE STORY

FRANCES STORY

Watch for updates!

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Cast

Meet the Cast from our run at The Players Theatre

Bethany McDonald

Frances

Jeri Sager

Lillian

Sarah Mossman

Nurse Doris, Woman Fan, Clara

Julia Feinberg

Les, Nurse Teresa, Sadie

Gabriel Kane

Odets, Police, Dr. Leonard

Isaac Conner

Avery, Clurman, Nicholson

David John Phillips

Zukor, Hickson, Frater

Daniel Beau

Bill, Bartender, Dr. Conway

Inri Faye

Ensemble

Gabrielle Larios

Ensemble

Michael Larson

Ensemble

Didi Vaccaro

Ensemble

Hype

Testimonials

Lance has that rare combination of artistic and entrepreneurial talent. I have no doubt that great theatrical things are in store.

Two-time Tony Award winning producer, Ken Davenport

Wow. Let me just say that this is an amazing accomplishment! It’s a beautiful piece of work! Intelligent, dramatic (harrowing, even) with nice comic relief, and a beautiful score. It’ll be quite a tour de force for some amazingly talented actress-singer. Excellent Cover Art, too!

JK Simmons

WOW – really cool production, and well delivered and great performances!

Weslie Brown

I am still reeling from your show a couple of weeks ago!! Talk about Powerful!

Stephanie M.

It was very moving and completely jumped off the page. A beautiful “Dra-musical” a beautiful dramatic musical. Bravo!

Kimberlee Ferreira

Relevant! Brilliance is a masterfully told story of the life and career of a 1930’s film star and yet, after the last note is sung, all I could think was how timely it is. Frances Farmer suffered as much, if not more, from society’s cruel ignorance and shame around mental illness, as she did from mental illness itself. It’s tragic to think that nearly a century later not much has changed. Think Brittany Spears, Michael Phelps, Demi Lovato and countless other high profile public figures who without their willingness to come forward about mental health, the issue would still be completely taboo. Lance Lewman (book, lyrics and music) with partners Kristan King and Gabriel Kane (additional music and lyrics) weave this tale with such compassion, grace and humanity that this story of old is new and frighteningly relevant.

Sheila Ivy Traister

Thank you for Brilliance! I was very concerned about watching a show about Frances Farmer. The movie was so disturbing that it went on my list of great movies I never want to see again. Your show similarly affected me, especially the ending, but the music was so good that it did calm my emotions. We stopped going to recently written musical because, unlike the music in Brilliance, the music often seemed irrelevant to the show and was un-hummable and un-whistleable. Congratulations on a really good show and to the wonderful cast.

Howard Passel

Everything came together beautifully… the acting, the songs, the casting and the stage directions were all so great We were able to follow the story as a stage production… Excellent job! Looking forward to its future!”

Patricia Colabucci

Outstanding production tonight! I think your musical is great, your cast astounding, and this story is incredible and not known by many. We all enjoyed it. All impressed greatly by the cast you gathered. The ladies were sublime. Seeing Ted was joyous…what a great performer he is. But I got to tell you…there is a Star apparent here. This Gabriel Kane fellow is the leading man to watch…wowza…how talented and proud you all must be!

Robert E. McNeil

I can’t even begin to express how great of a job EVERYONE did to bring this project to life! Bravo to the cast and crew!!!

Collin Laird

Our Story

Brilliance began in NYC, when Lance and Kristan were writing songs together for the catalog of their newly formed musical duo King Lewman. They wrote a song called When Will It Be Morning. Oddly and uncharacteristically, it sounded like a song from a musical, so they put it aside. A few weeks later, Kristan stumbled upon a second-hand bookstore in the Village and saw a book entitled, Will There Really Be a Morning. It was a line from that song, so she picked up the book. It was the autobiography of Frances Farmer. She bought it, took it home and showed it to Lance.

“A musical based on the life of Frances Farmer?”

Seemed like a good idea.

They told a friend who worked at Windows on the World w/ Kristan about the idea and it turned out he was a huge Frances Farmer fan. He gave them all her movies and even an unpublished and signed book called, Look Back in Love written by Frances Farmer’s sister, Edith. Though they acknowledged it was good idea, neither of them had ever written a musical so they did what songwriters do… they started writing songs that might go in a musical about Frances Farmer. They’d set them aside in a folder marked “musical songs.”

Spin forward to 2008? King Lewman was recording our 4th album of originals and Kristan said, “I want to put No Windows on the album. Lance said, “No, That’s for the musical!” To which Kristan replied, “There’s isn’t going to be a Musical.” Considering the amount of time that had elapsed since they’d initially decided to create the musical, he acquiesced.

But, he also took that as a challenge. When Kristan went back to Winston-Salem to take care of her mom, Lance, at home alone, started writing the book, and more songs. Gabriel, their son, was in his 4th year at UNCSA, and after Lance finished the first draft, he and Kristan contributed many more songs to the idea.

In November of 2020, Lance joined TheaterMakers Studio (TMS), a group of aspiring writers formed by two-time Tony Award winner, Ken Davenport. Through TMS, during quarantine, they produced and presented a Zoom reading of Brilliance in June of 2021. Because both theatres and tours were down, they were able to get some amazing talent. Caroline Bowman as Frances, Jeri Sager as Lillian, Wayne Duvall as Adolph Zucker and Ted Brunetti as Harold Clurman to name just a few.After presenting the Zoom, they were invited to put Brilliance on it’s feet by doing an off-Broadway residency at The Players Theatre in NYC. Many readings and 22 rewrites later we are ready to get this baby up on its feet!

It is our hope to bring more awareness to the Mental Health industry. It seems almost some form of Mental illness touches all families.

So many relevant notes are hit upon in the story of Frances, one is the similarity of Frances’ situation and that of Brittney Spears, Demi Lovato and Amanda Bynes, as they struggle under conservatorships (along with 1.3 million Americans). Hopefully, “holding a mirror up to nature” will make a positive difference.

Everyone on the Brilliance team is beyond excited and grateful for this amazing journey we are on!

Her Story

Brilliance” chronicles the meteoric rise, and tragic fall of Frances Farmer, a Hollywood movie star in the 1930s and 40s. The play takes us from the beginning of Frances’ career, through her unprecedented success of stage and screen, to her involuntary commitment to an insane asylum by her own mother. The play explores the volatile mother-daughter relationship... what happens when a young girl’s love and adoration for her mother, and her own worship of the art of acting, are betrayed beyond measure. Frances and her mother, Lillian, perhaps too much alike, rage in a battle of wills, with neither backing down. At that time in history, a family member could claim someone was crazy and “men in white suits” would whisk them away to a mental facility. The fine-line between mental health and insanity was ambiguous and thus thinly drawn.

Was Frances Farmer really crazy, or just a strong-willed woman that the big world of the “Hollywood Star System” wasn’t quite prepared to handle? The industry clearly viewed her as nothing more than an attractive product - Frances was told exactly whom she could see romantically, where she should be seen, what she should wear, and what name she should use. Eventually, Frances found herself fighting for, not only her sense of self, but also her life and the ability to live it as she saw fit. Her insistence that she would oversee her own personal decisions forced her into a “battle of wills” against, not only her mother, but some of the most powerful and influential men of the day. Flying in the face of doctors, judges and movie moguls with often painful results of epic proportions. In a shocking turn of events, Frances is released from the asylum and eventually legally restored her mental competency by the court in 1953.

Bethany McDonald

Frances

Bethany McDonald (Frances) is a British performer who recently moved from London to New York City to originate the lead role of Mindy in her Off-Broadway debut for the World Premiere of “Mike & Mindy’s Wild Weekend Jam.” Bethany trained professionally for four years across Barcelona and London, graduating with honors from the world-renowned London School of Musical Theatre. Select Credits: Saturday Night Fever (Annette/Royal Caribbean), Ordinary Days (Deb), A Night at the Musicals (Featured Vocalist/Southwark Playhouse Off-West End). All thanks to God, Austin, Family, Bobbie Merritt/TEG Mgmt, Lance, and the “Brilliance” team! “What is meant to be, will always find a way.” www.BethanyMcDonald.co.uk

Jeri Sager

Lillian

Jeri Sager (Lillian) made her Broadway debut as Frumah-Sara in the 25th Anniversary production of Fiddler on the Roof, starring Topol. She then went on to star as Grizabella in CATS, Eva Peron in EVITA, and understudy and perform Fantine in Les Miserables. Her other credits include the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Catherine in Pippin, Drood in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and Louise in Always…Patsy Cline. Jeri’s performances have been critically acclaimed in such publications as The New York Times, The New Yorker Magazine, The LA Times and The San Francisco Examiner. Currently, Jeri tours with her Broadway concert THIS BROAD’sWAY.

Sarah Mossman

Nurse Doris, Woman Fan, Clara

Sarah Mossman is ecstatic to be performing live again in Brilliance at The Player's Theatre! Before the pandemic, Sarah performed with the Broadway tour of Phantom of the Opera as the onstage Carlotta understudy. NYC credits include Valid Glitter (short film), The Only Girl, Gaybraham Lincoln: The Musical, and her one woman show, Love Sick. Sarah has also performed in many operas, as well, including Faust with Opera Omaha and Tannhäuser with Apotheosis Opera. Proud Equity Member. Royal Academy of Music Alum. Love to my Mom, sisters, and dear friends for their endless support. www.sarahmossman.com Insta: @sarahmossmaninsta

Julia Feinberg

Les, Nurse Teresa, Sadie

Julia Feinberg couldn’t be more thrilled to be involved in this very special production. She is a recent graduate from NYU Tisch School of the Arts where she received her BFA in Acting. Since graduation, she has been involved in numerous projects all around NYC including multiple lead roles for the new and booming Scantic River Productions and countless cabarets where she performs her original comedic music. She is the creator and performer of the critically acclaimed children’s puppet show “Tunes with June”, and has collaborated with important children’s organizations such as the Sunrise Association. www.juliafeinberg.com

Gabriel Kane

Odets, Police, Dr. Leonard

Gabriel is an actor/musician. He studied at The University of North Carolina where he earned a BFA in Drama. Once he moved to New York he felt a major calling to his other love, music. He has been writing and recording diligently ever since.

He now has over 30 original songs as well as the ones he wrote for Brilliance.

He will be dropping these songs this year under the stage name, Hazee. Working on Brilliance has been such a pleasure, exploring a different direction of songwriting.

He never saw himself doing musical theatre but the joys of helping to create the score were well worth the leap. The amazing cast and crew have made the transition back to stage so much easier.

Love.

Isaac J. Conner

Avery, Clurman, Nicholson

Isaac J. Conner is an NYC-based stage, screen, and voice actor/director/producer.

Leaving CA in 2010 to be closer to family in rural PA, he founded Billtown Burlesque, worked with the region's theatre companies, was adjudicator for the area’s high school awards, and eventually began his professional acting career.

Recent credits include Boss Olvany in “Tammany Hall” (Soho Playhouse), a supporting role in the Dead Horse Productions indie feature “Direct Son,” and guest starring in the first episode of season 10’s “Evil Lives Here” on the ID Channel.

He is ever grateful for other artists and those supporting the arts.

https://www.isaacjconner.com

David John Phillips

Zukor, Hickson, Frater

David’s stage credits include Kreon in Torn Out Theatre’s mostly naked, almost outdoors Antigonick, Bernadette in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Solness in The Masterbuilder, Pickering in Pygmalion, Orgon in Tartuffe, and, decades apart, both Roelle and Protasius in Purgatory in Ingolstadt.

He has appeared in many award-winning features and shorts, including Dim the Fluorescents (Slamdance Grand Jury Prize), Diamond Tongues, Pink Rabbit, and Almost Adults.

He is a surveillance scholar and has written, produced, and directed two immersive, kaleidoscopic romps through the practices and institutions of surveillance – Cluster Fucked and Work and Play at the Threshold of Legibility.

David spends his time between Toronto and New York City.

www.DavidJohnPhillips.net

Daniel Beau

Bill, Bartender, Dr. Conway

An avid runner and mental health advocate, Danny is an NYC based performer and Cabaret artist, and also a graduate of the Waterbury Arts Magnet School in Waterbury Ct. Theater credits include: Huey Calhoun in “Memphis”, Tenor soloist/ensemble in “My Fair Lady” at 7 Angels Theater and played Josh in the Connecticut premiere of “Bang Bang You’re Dead.” He has also been mentored through the “Actors Therapy” program by Lindsay Mendez and Ryan Scott Oliver. Danny would like to dedicate this performance to his Dad and brothers Hank and Mikey. Instagram: @dannybeau

Matinee Added

April 23rd

SEE THE SHOW

March 9 & 10th @ 7:30 PM at the IAMT Theatre

April 7- April 24, 2022

Brilliance is a brand-newmusical coming to the Players Theatre in New York City.

Watch for updates!

Meet the Cast from our run at The Players Theatre

Bethany McDonald

Jeri Sager

Sarah Mossman

Julia Feinberg

Gabriel Kane

Isaac Conner

David John Phillips

Daniel Beau

Inri Faye

Gabrielle Larios

Michael Larson

Didi Vaccaro

Testimonials

Get Updates!

Our Story

Her Story

Bethany McDonald

Jeri Sager

Sarah Mossman

Julia Feinberg

Gabriel Kane

Isaac J. Conner

David John Phillips

Daniel Beau

Matinee Added

Brilliance is a brand-new
musical coming to the Players Theatre in New York City.