A weekend to celebrate new work and the creative spirit
Over the course of the last 16 years, The Orchard Project has supported over 300 new productions in various forms of development, including the creation pieces that have moved to Broadway such as ALL THE WAY, AMELIE: THE MUSICAL, and 33 VARIATIONS, award winning work such as AN OCTOROON and THE ALIENS, and works by the likes of Taylor Mac, Young Jean Lee, Rachel Chavkin, Annie Baker, Jeremy O Harris, Savion Glover, Esperanza Spalding, and many more.
Once again, in 2024, we are expanding upon a tradition of local events that began with the likes of Ben Folds, Esperanza Spalding, Savion Glover, and Alan Cumming – inviting artists at the forefront of storytelling to share their work, process, and sources of inspiration. The Orchard Project Festival weekend will include work-in-progress showings of new work and free workshops, concerts, and conversations that share a joy of storytelling, creativity, and process that the Orchard Project is well known for.
ALL EVENTS IN THE WEEKEND ARE FREE. Join us for some or all of the events in this weekend, and by joining, support the next generation of work that will grace stages and screens around the country. Any donor of The Orchard Project at our Member level ($100) gains special access to each events in the weekend.
HOW TO ATTEND
ALL OF THE ORCHARD PROJECT EVENTS IN SARATOGA ARE FREE, BUT PRIORITY SEATING IS RESERVED FOR ORCHARD PROJECT MEMBERS. There are two ways to attend events during the Orchard Project Festival:
1. If you become a supporting “Member” of The Orchard Project (a tax deductible donation of anything above $100!), you can be assured you can see everything in the weekend. Donors at the Member level receive the ability to reserve priority seating for all events, and donors at higher levels receive the ability to bring guests to events and best available seating.
2. Want to come and don’t want to donate? No worries – all of our events are free based on availability. Reserve Individual Seats for various events through our form, and we will confirm availability with you shortly after.
If, at ANY time, you need help figuring out how to attend any part of the weekend, we are here — email us at info@orchardproject.com or call us at 646 676 6767.
HOW TO ATTEND
| THURSDAY JULY 3 | |
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6pm @ Filene Hall, Skidmore |
Sneak Peak Production – BZZZ |
| FRIDAY JULY 4 | |
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5pm @ Filene Hall, Skidmore |
Sneak Peek Production: DEL VALLE |
| TUESDAY JULY 8 | |
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7pm @ LOCATION TBD |
The Civilians: SEX VARIANTS of 1941 |
| THURSDAY JULY 10 | |
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8pm @ Putnam Place |
Concert Sharing: PigPen Theatre Company |
| FRIDAY JULY 11 | |
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7:30pm @ Filene Hall, Skidmore |
The Future of Broadway 2025: LIGHTHOUSE and BUILT FOR THIS |
| SATURDAY JULY 12 | |
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5pm @ The Tang Museum |
Work in Progress Reading: THE RISING |
THE 2025 SHOWS
WORK-IN-PROGRESS SHARING
BZZZ
Created by Caleb Teicher, featuring the beatboxing and tap dancing talents of Gene Shinozaki, Jared Alexander, Chris Celiz and Naomi Funaki
@ FILENE HALL, SKIDMORE COLLEGE
Thursday 7/3 at 5:00pm
ALL AGES
FREE//RSVP REQUIRED
Caleb Teicher (Bessie Award winner, SW!NG OUT creator) brings their electrifying BZZZ to the Orchard Project, a high-energy music-and-dance spectacle in the tradition of Stomp. Featuring two world-champion beatboxers and six tap dance virtuosos, this imaginative and comedic narrative pulses with rhythm and joy, celebrating the magic of collaboration. Fresh from sold-out runs at The Joyce Theater, BZZZ is gearing up for its 2026 premiere production. Don’t miss this explosive showcase of movement and sound that’s bound to leave you buzzing!
WORK IN PROGRESS SHOWING
DEL VALLE
A TALE OF SEX, DRUGS, ROCK N ROLL.. AND REDEMPTION
@ FILENE HALL, SKIDMORE
Thursday 7/4 at 5:00pm
STRONG THEMES
FREE//RSVP REQUIRED
Ned Van Zandt (The Iceman Cometh, Netflix’s Painkiller) delivers a raw, unmissable one-man performance in DEL VALLE, returning to The Orchard Project before a run at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. A drug-addled actor finds himself locked up in a Texas state prison, where the junior Grand Dragon of the Aryan Brotherhood recognizes him from All My Children and offers protection in exchange for acting lessons. This true story of survival, sobriety, and the power of art is as gripping as it is unbelievable. Directed by Amir Arison (The Blacklist, Dope Thief). Come witness a tale you couldn’t make up if you tried.
CONCERT
THE CIVILIANS: SEX VARIANTS
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@ LOCATION TBD
Tuesday 7/8 at 7:00pm
OP MEMBERS EVENT
The Civilians (Gone Missing, Obie Award winners), led by Steve Cosson, join forces with Stephen Trask (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Tony Award winner) and Martha Redbone, anad Aaron Whitby for a dazzling evening featuring selections from SEX VARIANTS OF 1941. This kaleidoscopic fantasia, adapted from a 1930s medical study, celebrates queer America with original songs by Trask, Redbone, Whitby, and the late Michael Friedman. Join us for a cocktail hour, interview, and performance that’s as racy as it is revolutionary.
CONCERT
PIGPEN
a musical evening showcasing new work by famed PigPen, 2025 composers in residence
@ PUTNAM PLACE
Thursday 7/10 at 8:00pm
FREE FOR OP MEMBERS//$10 at DOOR FOR OTHERS
PigPen Theatre Company (Tony-nominated Water for Elephants, The Tale of Despereaux) lights up the Orchard Project with a dynamic concert of music and storytelling, fresh from their Broadway triumph. Blending folk, rock, and theatrical flair, their performance draws from their sci-fi-inspired WYATT AND THE PHANTOM FREQUENCY, evoking the wonder of vintage radio serials. Think Mumford & Sons with a dash of War of the Worlds. This one-night-only event includes highlights from their other work and a sneak peek at music developed during their residency in Saratoga Springs. Join us for an unforgettable evening with a band that’s redefining musical theatre
CONCERT
THE FUTURE OF BROADWAY
Selections from two new musicals, LIGHTHOUSE and BUILT FOR THIS
@ FILENE HALL, SKIDMORE
Friday 7/11 at 8:00pm
FREE//RSVP REQUIRED
Experience the future of musical theatre with selections from two bold new works: BUILT FOR THIS by Kira Stone (ASCAP Cole Porter Award winner) and LIGHTHOUSE by Abs Wilson and Veronica Mansour (2024 Richard Rodgers Award recipients). BUILT FOR THIS is an athletic, feminist pop musical following five young gymnasts battling inner and real-life demons, with a vibe like Bring It On meets Dear Evan Hansen. LIGHTHOUSE charts a young woman’s quest to escape her Minnesota hometown, a soulful journey akin to Fun Home. These new musicals are poised to take the stage by storm. Catch this exclusive preview of tomorrow’s Broadway hits
PLAY READING
THE RISING
WRITTEN and DIRECTED BY YOUNG JEAN LEE
@ TANG MUSEUM
Saturday 7/12 at 5:00pm
FREE//SPECIAL RECEPTION AFTER FOR OP MEMBERS
Young Jean Lee (The Shipment, Straight White Men on Broadway) unveils her newest play THE RISING, a haunting play about family and success. When a mother arrives uninvited at her estranged daughter’s off-the-grid cabin, their tense night of reckoning takes a horrifying turn. Don’t miss this chance to experience Lee’s bold, experimental storytelling that’s set to shake up the theatre world.
