Two River Theater has announced the cast and creative team for the world premiere of Love in Hate Nation, an original musical with music, lyrics, and book by Tony nominee Joe Iconis (Be More Chill), and direction by John Simpkins. Performances will begin in Two River’s Rechnitz Theater on November 9 ahead of a November 15 opening, and will run through December 1.
A turbulent rock romance set in a 1960s Juvie Hall, Love in Hate Nation uses classic “bad girl” movies as the inspiration for the story of young people caught between eras of a changing America. Sixteen-year old Susannah Son is carted off to the National Reformatory for Girls to get her head put on straight. There she meets the aggressively incorrigible Sheila Nail, and a relationship forms which leads to an all-out “revolution in the institution” as they attempt to break out of the boxes society has created around them. Girl Group Wall of Sound harmonies are filtered through a punk rock spirit in this rebellious and romantic new musical.
The cast of Love in Hate Nation includes Sydney Farley (Gloria “Ya Ya” Meeks), Amina Faye (Susannah Son), Jasmine Forsberg (Brenda “Rat” Ratowski), Lauren Marcus (Miss Asp), Kelly McIntyre (Sheila Nail), Lena Skeele (Dorothy Donaldson), Emerson Smith (Kitty Minx), Ryan Vona (The Guy), and Tatiana Wechsler (Judith Ramone).
The design team includes scenic designer Meredith Reis, costume designer Karen Perry, lighting designer Jen Schriever, and sound designer Palmer Hefferan. Orchestrations and music supervision are by Charlie Rosen, with music direction by Geraldine Anello, and choreography by Mayte Natalio.