"The most original and topical musical of the year...These layered and contrapuntal voices produce a dazzling spectrum of effects, like the swelling harmonies associated with traditional choral music and the crystal pings of personal computers...I’m going to chalk up this beautiful, absorbing, disturbing work as a win for art."
- The New York Times
- The New York Times
DIRECTED BY JOSH SHORT
MUSIC DIRECTION BY MILLY MASSEY
RHODE ISLAND PREMIERE
DECEMBER 4 - 21
MUSIC DIRECTION BY MILLY MASSEY
RHODE ISLAND PREMIERE
DECEMBER 4 - 21
From the celebrated author of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 comes a hauntingly original new musical about the search for human connection in the digital age. Featuring rich harmonies and intricate vocal arrangements, Octet finds compelling human drama in our middle-of-the-night anxieties about the impact of technology on the nature of our relationships. Winner of the 2020 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding New Musical, Dave Malloy’s new musical offers a hilarious, intimate, and deeply moving exploration of human connection in the digital age.
Lucille Lortel Award – Outstanding New Musical
Drama Desk Award– Outstanding New Musical
Outer Critics Circle Award– Outstanding New Musical
Obie Award– Outstanding New Musical
Lucille Lortel Award – Outstanding New Musical
Drama Desk Award– Outstanding New Musical
Outer Critics Circle Award– Outstanding New Musical
Obie Award– Outstanding New Musical
This production of OCTET is presented by Wilbury Theatre Group is made possible with support from the Susan F. Gonsalves Charitable Fund, and audience members like you.
CAST + CREATIVE TEAM
Chelsea Aubert
Jason Cabral
Helena Tafuri*
|
Jenna Benzinger
Michael Yussef Greene
Naomi Tyler
|
Alexander Boyle
Jason Quinn
|
Octet
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Dave Malloy Directed by Josh Short Music Direction by Milly Massey Set Design by Monica Shinn Sound + Light Design by Andy Russ Costume Design by Dustin Thomas Choreography by Ali Kenner Brodsky Asst. Direction by Jeff Ginsberg Stage Manager, Allison Marchetti* Asst. Stage Manager, Maxime Hendrikse Liu Asst. Stage Manager, Zoe Nadig Costume Assistant, Arianna Davey Sound Board Op, Caoilfhionn Farrell Technical Director, Jason Sall Production Intern, Z. Ferrara House Management by Christine Treglia Volunteer Management by Renee Bessette Production Photography by Erin X. Smithers Press / Media Inquiries: Niki Healy |
*Appears courtesy Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT: DAVE MALLOY
Dave Malloy is a composer/writer/performer/orchestrator. He has written thirteen musicals, including Octet, a chamber choir musical about internet addiction; Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, an electropop opera based on a slice of Tolstoy’s War & Peace (12 Tony nominations, including Best Musical, Score, Book, and Orchestrations); Ghost Quartet, a song cycle about love, death, and whiskey; Preludes, a musical fantasia set in the hypnotized mind of Sergei Rachmaninoff; Little Bunny Foo Foo, a forest entertainment for small people; Three Pianos, a drunken romp through Schubert’s “Winterreise”; Black Wizard/Blue Wizard, an escapist RPG fantasy; Beowulf—A Thousand Years of Baggage, an anti-academia rock opera; Beardo, a reinterpretation of the Rasputin myth; Sandwich, a musical about killing animals; and Clown Bible, Genesis to Revelation told through clowns.
He has won two Obie Awards, a Smithsonian Ingenuity Award, a Theater World Award, the Richard Rodgers Award, an ASCAP New Horizons Award, and a Jonathan Larson Grant, and has been a MacDowell fellow and Composer-in-Residence at Ars Nova and the Signature Theatre. Future projects include an adaptation of Moby-Dick. He lives in Brooklyn.
He has won two Obie Awards, a Smithsonian Ingenuity Award, a Theater World Award, the Richard Rodgers Award, an ASCAP New Horizons Award, and a Jonathan Larson Grant, and has been a MacDowell fellow and Composer-in-Residence at Ars Nova and the Signature Theatre. Future projects include an adaptation of Moby-Dick. He lives in Brooklyn.
ON SALE NOW
2025/26 Memberships
Join us at for Season 16 at Providence's home for groundbreaking artists and adventurous audiences. Membership includes admission to our 2025/26 Main Series productions and special events, including Rhode Island premieres of Bess Wohl's Small Mouth Sounds and Girl from North Country by Conor McPherson with music by Bob Dylan, the New England premieres of Dave Malloy's Chamber Musical Octet and Lilana Padilla's How to Defend Yourself and the world premiere of From Here to Where by Umberto Crenca with music by The Gillen Street Ensemble.
Become a Member for our 2025/26 Season today and never miss a thing.
Become a Member for our 2025/26 Season today and never miss a thing.
ABOUT
An award-winning, not-for-profit professional theatre company, the Wilbury Theatre Group engages our community in thought-provoking conversation through new works, reimagined classics and adventurous playmaking. We are idealistic, ambitious, and stubborn in our resolve to create theatre that entertains, enlightens, and inspires.
