THE WILLARD SUITCASES, by Julianne Wick Davis (Cycle 16 & Faculty)
THE WILLARD SUITCASES by GMTWP alum and faculty member Julianne Wick Davis (Cycle 16) received its world-premiere at the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, VA this Fall.
With book, music, and lyrics by Julianne and direction by the award-winning ASC Artistic Director, Ethan McSweeny (Broadway’s The Best Man), this musical unpacks the re-imagined voices of patients from The Willard Asylum for the Chronically Insane.
After being in operation since 1869, the asylum closed in 1995. At that time over 400 suitcases were discovered in an attic belonging to patients admitted between 1900 and 1968.
Inspired by Jon Crispin’s photographs of the suitcases and their contents, the musical re-imagines the stories of the people who owned them based on the items and the time period they were admitted.
The Washington Post named the world-premiere of THE WILLARD SUITCASES as one of the top ten plays/musicals of 2019.