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Cold War Choir Practice

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Cold War Choir Practice
2026 Off-Broadway production poster
Written byRo Reddick
CharactersPuddin
Meek
Smooch
Virgie
Clay
Choir Leader
Date premieredJune 19, 2025
Place premieredClubbed Thumb's Summerworks Festival[1]
Original languageEnglish
GenreComedy

Cold War Choir Practice is a comedic stage play written by American playwright Ro Reddick. The play debuted in 2025 at the Clubbed Thumb's Summerworks Festival,[2] and later Off-Broadway in 2026 at MCC Theater.[3] Reddick won the 2026 Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Award for Playwriting for the play.[4]

Plot

[edit]

Set in Syracuse, New York in 1987, the play follows a young girl named Meek living with her father, Smooch, and mother, Puddin, who operate a roller skating rink, above which they live. As Meek rehearses for the annual holiday show with her children's choir, her estranged uncle, a notable Black conservative and federal defense worker under Ronald Reagan, returns home with his wife, Virgie, suffering from a mysterious illness, piquing Meek's interest amid themes of espionage, Reaganomics and Cold War sentiments.[5][6]

The show notably featured original music by Reddick, sung by a live choir of performers, who also serve as a Greek chorus at times.[7][8]

Production history

[edit]

Reddick was inspired by her upbringing in children's choir to write the play. Cold War Choir Practice premiered at Clubbed Thumb's Summerworks Festival, directed by Knud Adams. The play opened on June 19, 2025, running through July 1 in a co-production with Page 73. The cast featured Alana Raquel Bowers as Meek, Will Cobbs as Smooch, Lizan Mitchell as Puddin, Andy Lucien as Clay and Mallory Portnoy as Virgie, with Nina Grollman, Grace McLean and Suzzy Roche as the choir. The play received critical acclaim and was named a Critic's Pick by The New York Times,[9] while Exeunt NYC called it "funny, spirited...(and) joyfully ridiculous."[10]

The production was announced to be transferring the Robert W. Wilson Theatre Off-Broadway in 2026, produced by MCC Theater, alongside Clubbed Thumb and Page 73. Adams returned as director, alongside Bowers, Cobbs, Mitchell, Lucien and the choir. Crystal Finn took over the role of Virgie. The play began previews on February 21, 2026, with an official opening on March 10, 2026. Originally slated to end its run on March 29, the play was extended to April 6, 2026. The play again received critical acclaim, with Vulture calling it "striking" and praising Reddick's writing as "prodigious."[11]

The play received two Outer Critics Circle Awards nominations, with Reddick winning the John Gassner Award,[12] three Drama Desk Award nominations,[13][14] five Lucille Lortel Awards nominations,[15][16] and three Drama League Award nominations.[17]

Cast and characters

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Character Clubbed Thumb 2025[18] Off-Broadway 2026[19]
Meek Alana Raquel Bower
Smooch Will Cobbs
Puddin Lizan Mitchell
Clay Andy Lucien
Virgie Mallory Portnoy Crystal Finn
Choir Leader Ellen Winter
Choir Nina Ross, Grace McLean and Suzzy Roche

Accolades

[edit]

2026 Off-Broadway production

[edit]
Year Award Category Nominee Result Ref.
2026 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize Ro Reddick Won [20][21]
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Play Nominated [22][23][24]
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play Lizan Mitchell Nominated
Outstanding Music in a Play Ro Reddick Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award John Gassner Award Won [25][26][27]
Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Play Alana Raquel Bowers Nominated
Lucille Lortel Award Outstanding Play Nominated [28][29]
Outstanding Director Knud Adams Nominated
Outstanding Featured Performer in a Play Lizan Mitchell Nominated
Crystal Finn Nominated
Outstanding Scenic Design Afsoon Pajoufar Nominated
Obie Award Distinguished Design Won [30]
Drama League Award Outstanding Production of a Play Nominated [31]
Outstanding Direction of a Play Knud Adams Nominated
Distinguished Performance Lizan Mitchell Nominated
Dorian Award Outstanding Off-Broadway Play Nominated [32][33]
Outstanding Lead Performance in an Off-Broadway Production Alana Raquel Bowers Nominated

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Productions". Clubbed Thumb. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  2. ^ "Productions". Clubbed Thumb. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  3. ^ "Cold War Choir Practice". MCC Theater. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  4. ^ "Schmigadoon!, Ragtime Win Big at 2026 Outer Critics Circle Awards; Read the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  5. ^ Merrill, Amelia (March 10, 2026). "'Cold War Choir Practice' Off-Broadway review — play with music shines brighter than an atomic blast". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  6. ^ Mandell, Jonathan (March 8, 2026). "Cold War Choir Practice Review". New York Theater. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  7. ^ "Cold War Choir Practice". MCC Theater. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  8. ^ Merrill, Amelia (March 10, 2026). "'Cold War Choir Practice' Off-Broadway review — play with music shines brighter than an atomic blast". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  9. ^ Collins-Hughes, Laura (June 24, 2025). "'Cold War Choir Practice' Review: When the President Made a Deal". The New York Times. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  10. ^ Serratore, Nicole (June 25, 2025). "Review: Cold War Choir Practice at Clubbed Thumb". Exeunt NYC. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  11. ^ Holdren, Sara (March 11, 2026). "'Tear Down This Wall: Cold War Choir Practice' Review". Vulture. Condé Nast. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  12. ^ "Announcing the 2026 Outer Critics Circle winners: Full list". Broadway News. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  13. ^ "2026 Drama Desk Award Nominations Announced: Full List". Broadway.com. April 29, 2026. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  14. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (April 29, 2026). "Beau, Mexodus Lead 2026 Drama Desk Award Nominations; Read the Full List Here". Playbill. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  15. ^ "MEXODUS and PRINCE F*GGOT Lead 2026 Lucille Lortel Nominations". BroadwayWorld. April 1, 2026. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
  16. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (May 3, 2026). "Mexodus Wins 4 Lucille Lortel Awards; See the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
  17. ^ Hipes, Patrick (April 20, 2026). "Daniel Radcliffe, Luke Evans Among Drama League Award Nominees". Deadline. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  18. ^ "Productions". Clubbed Thumb. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  19. ^ "Cold War Choir Practice". MCC Theater. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  20. ^ "Ro Reddick, Hannah Doran Named Joint Winners of 2026 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize". Playbill. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  21. ^ Chris Wiegand (February 26, 2026). "Susan Smith Blackburn Prize: Hannah Doran and Ro Reddick win joint award". The Guardian. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  22. ^ "2026 Drama Desk Award Nominations Announced: Full List". Broadway.com. April 29, 2026. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  23. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (April 29, 2026). "Beau, Mexodus Lead 2026 Drama Desk Award Nominations; Read the Full List Here". Playbill. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  24. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (May 18, 2026). "Ragtime Leads 2026 Drama Desk Awards; Read the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
  25. ^ "Outer Critics Circle Award 2026 Nominations". New York Theater. April 21, 2026. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  26. ^ "Announcing the 2026 Outer Critics Circle winners: Full list". Broadway News. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  27. ^ "Schmigadoon!, Ragtime Win Big at 2026 Outer Critics Circle Awards; Read the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  28. ^ "MEXODUS and PRINCE F*GGOT Lead 2026 Lucille Lortel Nominations". BroadwayWorld. April 1, 2026. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  29. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (May 3, 2026). "Mexodus Wins 4 Lucille Lortel Awards; See the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  30. ^ "The 69th Obie Award Winners". Obie Awards. American Theatre Wing. January 2026. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  31. ^ Hipes, Patrick (April 20, 2026). "Daniel Radcliffe, Luke Evans Among Drama League Award Nominees". Deadline. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  32. ^ Abourizk, Michael (May 13, 2026). "Dorian Theater Awards announces 2026 nominees". Broadway News. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  33. ^ Mandell, Jonathan (May 13, 2026). "2026 Dorian Theater Award Nominations: Schmigadoon, Lost Boys lead". New York Theater. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
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