The American regional theatre landscape is poised for a major new entry with the upcoming world premiere of Like Father, an original coming-of-age musical set to bow at Atlanta’s prestigious Alliance Theatre. Performances are scheduled to begin on October 8, paving the way for an official opening night on October 16. The production will run through a strictly limited engagement ending November 15.
Helmed by Alliance Artistic Director Tinashe Kajese-Bolden, the production blends contemporary anxieties with high-stakes theatricality. At its core, Like Father follows a 17-year-old girl forced to uproot her life and move in with her estranged mother and stepfather following her father’s sudden arrest. Compounding this familial displacement is an unfolding cultural phenomenon: a hit true crime podcast that threatens to expose every closely guarded secret of the protagonist’s family to a global audience.
The musical features a book, music, and lyrics by Jacob Ryan Smith and Caroline Pernick, with Smith also originating the concept. Having already garnered significant industry acclaim—including winning the inaugural Open Jar Musical Shark Tank and achieving semi-finalist status at the Eugene O’Neill New Music Theater Festival—the production arrives in Atlanta with a formidable commercial producing team already attached. Led by Howard Alter, Zachary Hausman, and Madison Thompson, the enterprise signals a clear commercial trajectory beyond its regional origins.
Detailed Chronology and Production Milestones
The journey of Like Father from a conceptual writer’s room to a fully realized Alliance Theatre world premiere represents a textbook study in modern musical development.
Development and Industry Accolades
Long before securing its slot in the Alliance Theatre’s season lineup, Like Father began turning heads within the developmental lab ecosystem. The project’s breakthrough moment arrived when it captured the top honor at the inaugural Open Jar Musical Shark Tank, a competitive platform designed to fast-track new theatrical works toward commercial viability. Following this win, the piece underwent rigorous artistic scrutiny as a semi-finalist at the prestigious Eugene O’Neill New Music Theater Festival, a known incubator for works destined for Broadway and major regional houses.
These developmental milestones attracted the attention of a robust commercial producing consortium. Spearheaded by lead producers Howard Alter, Zachary Hausman, and Madison Thompson, the creative team expanded to include a diverse roster of co-producers: Caryl & Kendrick Smith, City Cowboy Productions, Fahs Productions, Happy Recap Productions, Jonathan & Rae Corr, Kerri Mandelbaum, and Steven N. Lerner. This early influx of independent commercial backing underscores the industry’s growing appetite for contemporary musical narratives that engage directly with modern pop-culture fixations, such as the true-crime industrial complex.
Rehearsals, Previews, and Performance Schedule
With casting officially finalized by The TRC Company’s Kevin Metzger-Timson and Frankie Ramirez, alongside Jody Feldman, the company has convened in Atlanta to mount the ambitious production. Previews are set to commence on October 8, providing the creative team a critical window to fine-tune the pacing, sound design, and emotional arcs before the press opening on October 16. The limited engagement will span roughly six weeks, concluding its run on November 15.
Cast, Creative Vision, and Production Metrics
To bring this complex world to life, Artistic Director Tinashe Kajese-Bolden has assembled an ensemble of seasoned Broadway veterans and breakout screen talent.
The Principal Company
The principal cast features Charity Angél Dawson (& Juliet, Waitress) stepping into the pivotal role of Lillian Clark. She is joined by Hannah Elless (Bright Star) as Michelle, Benjamin H. Moore (Hell’s Kitchen) as Ben, Sophie Pollono (A Walk on the Moon) as Chris, Frankie J. Rodriguez (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series) as Trevor, and Billy Harrigan Tighe (The Heart of Rock and Roll) as John Grady. The company is rounded out by an understudy ensemble comprising Mila Bolash, Aavyn Lee, and Nevaeh Riddle.
Directorial Vision and Aesthetic
In a statement detailing her vision for the piece, Kajese-Bolden emphasized the unique demands placed on the performers:
"From the moment we began assembling this company, I knew Like Father needed actors who could hold seemingly impossible things at once—ferocious musicality and emotional vulnerability, razor-sharp humor and real danger. This extraordinary company brings all of that and more. They are fearless storytellers who illuminate a world where the past is constantly pressing against the present, and where we are asked how much of who we become is inherited—and how much we get to choose for ourselves. I cannot wait for Atlanta audiences to experience the surprising, funny, haunting, and ultimately hopeful world we are building together."
Creative and Technical Architecture
To match the psychological and narrative depth of the book, the Alliance Theatre has deployed a top-tier creative and technical team. The production features choreography by Dell Howlett, music supervision by Alejandro Senior, and music direction by Adam Beskind.
The physical and auditory worlds of the musical are constructed by a celebrated design collective:
- Scenic Design: Luciana Stecconi
- Costume Design: Lex Liang
- Lighting Design: Thom Weaver
- Sound Design: Melanie Chen Cole and Hidenori Nakajo
- Projection Design: Caite Hevner
- Orchestrations: August Eriksmoen
Stage management duties are led by Jayson T. Waddell, assisted by Xiaonan Chloe Liu, with Courtney O’Neill serving as production management lead and Samantha Honeycutt as stage management production assistant.
Additionally, the extensive backstage and music departments feature dramaturg Amanda Watkins; music copyists J&J Music Preparation, Josephine Bearden, and Jacob Fjeldheim; associate director Rachel Sabo-Hedges; assistant music director Greg Matteson; music assistant Holt McCarley; music production assistant Amanda Wansa Morgan; script assistant Vijay Vikram Patnaik; assistant scenic designer Jack Golden; assistant costume designer April Andrew Carswell; costume studio assistant Sydney Dufka; associate lighting designer Rachael N. Blackwell; associate sound designer Tamir Eplan-Frankel; and keyboard programmer Taylor J. Williams. The live onstage band features instrumentalists Patrick Arthur, Geoff Gills, Yinzi Kong, Kenneth Lambert, and Marc Miller.
Supporting Context and Industry Impact
The bow of Like Father at the Alliance Theatre arrives at a time of increased scrutiny and fascination regarding the ethics of true crime media. By centering a musical narrative around a young woman whose familial trauma is commodified by a podcast, Smith and Pernick’s work taps directly into contemporary cultural anxieties.
Furthermore, the Alliance Theatre continues to cement its reputation as a premier launchpad for new American musicals. Known for nurturing works that later transition to commercial runs in New York and across the globe, the Atlanta institution provides Like Father with the institutional muscle and developmental runway necessary to refine its blend of dark satire, emotional resonance, and musical accessibility. The involvement of commercial heavyweights at this early stage indicates that the production’s ambitions extend far beyond its Georgia engagement.
Future Outlook
As the October 8 preview date approaches, all eyes in the regional and commercial theatre sectors will be fixed on Atlanta. The success of Like Father will not only measure the viability of true-crime satire within the musical theatre canon but will also test whether the powerful intersection of generational trauma and modern media consumption can resonate broadly with theatergoers.
Should the production meet the high artistic expectations set by Kajese-Bolden and her creative team, audiences can reasonably expect Like Father to embark on a larger commercial afterlife, potentially securing subsequent regional productions, cast recordings, and a future path toward Broadway. For now, the immediate focus remains on the Alliance stage, where secrets are about to be broadcast to the world.
