A new musical, with big authorial names behind it and a unique format, has premiered in Coral Gables.
“Breathe: A New Musical” was written during the COVID-19 pandemic and tells the story of five couples struggling to adapt to the changing world. The musical was conceived by bestselling novelist Jodi Picoult and playwright Timothy Allen McDonald. Each couple has their own “suite” of music, written and composed by different songwriters. The musical involves numerous stars from the world of Broadway, including Tony Award winners for acting Kelli O’Hara and Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Tony-nominated director Jeff Calhoun.
The musical is presented as an on-demand performance, which will be streaming over a period of two months. Ticket buyers will be able to watch “Breathe” up to three times within the 48 hours after they buy their tickets. The play was performed on a Coral Gables stage under social distancing guidelines. The coronavirus pandemic has forced theatrical productions to adapt to new formats, combining time-tested promotional tools like poster printing with new methods like live-streamed performances. “Breathe” aims to reflect the feeling of this situation with both humour and dramatic pathos.
“Breathe: A New Musical” was filmed at the Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre. The play began streaming on-demand on May 7 and will be available until July 2.
