World Premiere Of CRACKED OPEN A New Play written and directed by GAIL KRIEGEL begins May 6 in NYC

During Mental Health Awareness Month, CRACKED OPEN, a powerful new play by Gail Kriegel, will debut in NYC beginning May 6

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, March 26, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, Dream Big World Theatre proudly presents the world premiere of CRACKED OPEN, a deeply moving new play written and directed by multi-award-winning playwright Gail Kriegel at Theatre Row. Previews begin May 6, 2025, with opening night on May 20, 2025, and the production will run through June 28, 2025. Tickets are available now at crackedopentheplay.com.

Each May, Mental Health Awareness Month provides an opportunity to amplify conversations around mental health, encourage understanding, and break the stigma that prevents so many from seeking help. At its core, CRACKED OPEN by Gail Kreigel, is a powerful, timely story about a family whose love is tested when their 17-year-old daughter experiences the sudden onset of mental illness. As they struggle to understand her new reality, they must navigate the complexities of treatment, social stigma, and their own fears, ultimately discovering the resilience that binds them together.

"CRACKED OPEN gives voice to the silent struggles faced by so many and invites us to confront the stigma and misunderstandings that often surround mental health. This play is timely and necessary, offering a raw and empathetic look at the human condition. At Dream Big World Theatre, we believe in producing works that inspire conversation and change and CRACKED OPEN does just that. We are proud to bring Gail Kriegel’s profound story to Theatre Row and hope it resonates with audiences as deeply as it has with us." — Barry Mallin, Producer, Dream Big World Theatre.
With a cast of 11 actors portraying 32 characters, CRACKED OPEN is a story of love, struggle, and the power of family.

Cast includes Pamela Bob (Broadway: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder), Joyia D. Bradley (Off-Broadway: Mirrors), Rubén Caballero, Paul Castree (Broadway: Water For Elephants), Blaire DiMisa (Regional: Anastasia), Scott Harrison (NY: David: A New Musical), Madeline Grace Jones (Regional: The Color Purple), Lisa Pelikan (Broadway: Franz Wedekind’s Spring’s Awakening), Katherine Reis (HBO Max’s “Gossip Girl”), Bart Shatto (Broadway: War Paint, Les Misérables, Hands on a Hardbody), and Jeene Vath (LaMama’s H.M. Koutoukas’ Medea of The Laundromat).

The creative team includes Mikaila Baca-Dorion (Scenic and Props Designer), AC Gottlieb & James Nguyen (Co-Costume Designer), Yang Yu (Scenic and Lighting Designer), Bill Toles (Sound Designer and Production Manager), Judi Lewis Ockler (Fight Director), Suzanne Apicella (Production Stage Manager), Jamibeth Margolis (Casting Director), Mari Tompkins (Assistant Director). The General Managers are Reed Ridgley and Anthony Francavilla of Form Theatricals. Cracked Open is produced by Dream Big World Theatre.

CRACKED OPEN will play Tuesday through Saturday at 7:00 PM and Saturday & Sunday at 2:00 PM at Theatre Row, located at 410 West 42nd Street, New York, NY. Tickets are from $42-$94. For tickets and more information, visit crackedopentheplay.com.

GAIL KRIEGEL (Writer and Director) is a celebrated playwright whose accolades include a Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship, the One World Arts Award for Theater that Bridges Worlds, and the Ruby Lloyd Apsey Award for distinguished playwriting. Her work has been chosen for inclusion in the Archives at Lincoln Center. Gail wrote the book, music, and lyrics for SWEETEE, produced to critical acclaim at the Signature Theater in NY and directed by the legendary Patricia Birch. ON THE HOME FRONT has been showcased globally, including the National Black Theater in Washington, DC. SEVEN, a docudrama written with six award-winning playwrights, has been performed worldwide in over 35 languages. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild, Maestra, ASCAP, BMI, and the League of Professional Theatre Women and serves as Artistic Director of the East Broadway Theatre Project. Twice awarded Volunteer of the Year from the National Alliance for Mental Illness, Gail is a proud native New Yorker.

Dream Big World Theatre, Inc. (Producer) is a not-for-profit production company dedicated to developing and premiering professional theatrical works that explore serious social issues. Through powerful storytelling and community collaboration, the company seeks to break down social, economic, and racial barriers, uniting people and fostering dialogue and engagement that reflects the indomitable human spirit. Dream Big’s works have been produced at such places as Signature Theatre (Sweetee - Audelco Award); Brooklyn Academy of Music; Town Hall; Le Petit Theatre de Vieux in New Orleans; Greenport Summer Playhouse; Tribeca Performing Arts Center; 92nd Street Y; Lower East Side; and beyond. Dream Big proudly welcomes Cracked Open to its continuing tradition of important and inspiring theatrical presentations.

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