THE GORGEOUS NOTHINGS
Based on true events from the 1930s, THE GORGEOUS NOTHINGS takes you behind-the-scenes of the “Fag Ward” – an isolated wing at NYC’s Penitentiary for inmates convicted of homosexuality. Weaving together 6 real-life stories with forgotten works from the Great American Songbook, this new musical paints a theatrical, radical, and fabulous portrait of a world that was never supposed to have existed.
PREMIERING WINTER 2025
VIDEO
GALLERY
SUPPORT
This play was developed, in part, with funding from the National Endowment of the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (in partnership with the City Council), Drama League (in connection with the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust and Howard Gilman Foundation), Actors’ Equity Foundation, ART/New York's Creative Space Grant (in conjunction with the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation), Off-Broadway Angels, John Golden Fund, Puffin Foundation, Glasser Foundation, and Indie Theater Fund.
PRODUCTIONs
STAGED READINGS: New York Live Arts (February 12, 2024), Lincoln Center (December 12, 2022). CONCERTS: Joe’s Pub (June 27, 2024 & February 17, 2020), Playbill (June 20-27, 2020). RESIDENCIES: Yaddo (2023), Drama League (2020-2022), Graduate Hotel - Roosevelt Island (2021-2022), Tectonic Theater Project (2020), SPACE on Ryder Farm (2019).
PEOPLE
PLAYWRIGHT: Travis Lee Russ. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Kevin Jennings. RESEARCHERS: Ale Campillo, Kyle Cherry, Andrew Dawson, Angela Dohrmann, Emma Dorfman, Anthony Dvarskas, Brian Joseph Ferree, Colby Frederick, Dylan Gurrera, Ashley Hamilton, Thomas Hodges, Daniel Hurewitz, Jessica Kahkoska, Matt Kelly, Ashley Marinaccio, Derek McNally, Aisling Murphy, Carrie O'Dell, Nicholas Orvis, Kasha Pazdar, Daniel Rattner, Travis Russ, Amy Marie Seidel, Zach Shultz, Lauren Sullivan, Roniel Tessler, Gareth Tidball, Linnea Valdivia, Harry Waller, Rachel Whorton, Emma Wilk, Levi Seth Wilson. DEVELOPMENTAL MUSIC CONSULTANT: Thomas Hodges. CASTING: Dale Brown, CSA. VIDEO: Jeremy Kotin. KEY ART: Russell Warren-Fisher.