New musical Extended Stay runs at Kitchen Theatre Company

Walking on Water Productions (WoW) presents Extended Stay, a new musical by Jenny Stafford and Scotty Arnold, running June 5-15 at Kitchen Theatre Company, 417 West MLK/State Street, Ithaca. 

Experience the first fully staged production of Extended Stay, an audience favorite from WoW’s 2022 festival of new musicals. Written by Jenny Stafford and Scotty Arnold, the piece follows Emma, newly sober and working at an extended-stay hotel in rural Indiana. She strikes up an unlikely connection with Owen, a long-term guest who rarely leaves his room. But when his adventurous childhood friend Ethan arrives, their delicate balance is thrown into question. 

With a heartfelt, singer-songwriter score, Extended Stay explores the bonds that can heal—or break us. 

“Extended Stay is a chamber folk musical—its storytelling has more in common with alternative radio than classic musical theater,” shares composer and co-lyricist Arnold, “I can’t wait for people to experience it with this great cast and band in such an intimate, immediate setting.” 

Book writer and co-lyricist Stafford says “this is a piece that means a lot to us as writers, and it’s been exciting to see artists and audience members engage with the show, and be moved and challenged in the ways we were hoping for as we created it.” 

“We are thrilled to have Stafford and Arnold in residence with us here in Ithaca as we continue the development of this timely and moving piece, following two successful workshop weekends this past December and March,” shares WoW’s producing artistic director Priscilla Hummel.

Led by director Emily Jackson, (producing artistic director of Kitchen Theatre Company), WoW’s creative and production team includes Priscilla Hummel (producer), Jenny Stafford (book writer/co-lyricist), Scotty Arnold (composer/co-lyricist), Katherine Gould (music director), Tyler M. Perry (scenic designer), Claire Chesne (lighting designer), Iris Estelle (costume designer), Luke Klingensmith (audio engineer), Chloe Harris (dramaturg), Gwyneth Cole (assistant director), Miles Ludek (collaborative pianist), and Kay Hibbert (production stage manager). The cast includes Elena Salzberg as Emma, Theo Pearson as Owen, Alex Ross as Ethan, Susannah Berryman as Mrs. McGorty, and understudies Bella Woody (Emma), and Grant Halliburton (Owen/Ethan). The band features Miles Ludek (keys/guitar 2), Grant Halliburton (guitar 1), Tim Ball (fiddle/mandolin), Zak Kasian (bass/cello), and Aaron Walters (percussion). 

“Directing the first production of Extended Stay has been an invigorating challenge—there’s real freedom in building something new with a team of bold, thoughtful storytellers who are all exploring what it means to move forward when you feel stuck,” says Jackson. 

Stafford says that she and Arnold “hope the audiences take what they need from this piece–whether that’s an enjoyable escape from life for a little while, or feeling a little more emboldened to take a step towards who they want to be.” 

Extended Stay runs for two weekends at Kitchen Theatre Company, located at 417 West State Street in Ithaca, NY. 

Performances are June 5 at 7 p.m., June 6 at 7 p.m., June 7 at 7 p.m., June 8 at 2 p.m., June 12 at 7 p.m., June 13 at 7 p.m., June 14 at 7 p.m., and June 15 at 2 p.m. 

Tickets are $30 ($15 for students) and available online at kitchentheatre.org/tickets or by calling (607) 272-0570. Name your price tickets are available at the door.

Tickets: www.kitchentheatre.org or (607) 272-0570.