The Best Damn Thing by Hanna Kime

It’s summer of 2011, and Ellie, an awkward 16-year-old, has written what she believes to be a groundbreaking new musical inspired by the early discography of Avril Lavigne. She has invited Rachel, her much cooler ex-best friend and their theatre teacher’s favorite, to her house to pitch the show in hopes that Rachel can convince him to program it for their spring musical. Over the course of one evening of workshopping, the two girls rekindle their friendship and reopen old wounds. The Best Damn Thing is a piercing and boldly theatrical exploration of what it means to be a teenage girl in a world that refuses to take you seriously.

This premiere production of The Best Damn Thing is the first fully-staged production inside The Understudy Coffee and Books. The play transforms the bookstore into an inventive and dynamic performance space, complete with a full band performing each song live. The Best Damn Thing is a bold and exciting new piece of theatre, and also a full-blown throwback pop-punk concert. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind theatregoing experience.

PLUS: Opening performance on 1/27 and closing performance on 2/5 feature a Post-show set by Sara Geist and the Best Damn Thing band!

RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 15+

CAST

Ellie – Elisabeth Del Toro

Rachel – Maya Hlava

Ellie U/S – Jordan Levene

Rachel U/S – Ruby Gibson

BAND

Music Director – Sara Geist

Guitar – Tariq Shihadah

Drums – Vince De Re

Bass – Steve Schaeffer

CREATIVE TEAM

Playwright – Hanna Kime
Composers – Sara Geist, Hanna Kime
Director – Grace Dolezal-Ng
Associate Director – Danny Fender

Costume Designer – Jessica Van Winkle
Lighting Designer – Katelyn Le-Thompson
Sound Designer/Audio Engineer – Hunter Leach
Intimacy Designer – Kayla Menz