2009 show

Project Footlight had a smashing inaugural performance Monday night. After brainstorming and writing over a single weekend in February, eighteen musical theater writers created a full-length musical in three perspectives on a theme. Each act of the musical (Mei Yu, Dead Man Blogging, Office Babe) describes the journey of the lonely and unfulfilled American finding a kind of instant fame on the Internet that reinvents the landscape of their personal relationships.

In Mei Yu, written by David Hilder & Will Aronson, Leslie Kramer & Melissa Li, and Pia Wilson & Mitch Kess, the daughter of a reticent and traditional Chinese American school bus driver helps vault her mother to fame after a daring rescue of the children on the bus, only to discover that her mother caused the accident.

  • Mei Yu: Fiona Choi
  • Amanda Yu: Soara Joye Ross
  • Videographer: Brandon James Ellis
  • Christina: Erica Robinson
  • Doug: Richard True
  • Mayor: Whit Baldwin
  • Ensemble: Whit Baldwin, Rian Bodner, Brandon James Ellis, Allison Linker, Erica Robinson, Sandy Rosenberg, Richard True, Meghan Wilson

In Dead Man Blogging, written by Scott Ritter & Ken McCarthy, Owen Robertson & Alan Cancelino, and Mike Maeillo & Mark Weiser, an awkward and sexually inept teenager posts his video "suicide note" which goes viral, despite the author's vitality, and inspires copycats.

  • Blake: Whit Baldwin
  • Katie: Allison Linker
  • Wikipedia: Rian Bodner
  • Toledo Girl: Erica Robinson
  • College Guy: Brandon James Ellis
  • Blake Girl: Fiona Choi
  • Rose (Mom) & Arianna Huffington: Sandy Rosenberg
  • Eddie (Dad): Richard True
  • Ensemble: Rian Bodner, Fiona Choi, Brandon James Ellis, Allison Linker, Erica Robinson, Sandy Rosenberg, Richard True, Meghan Wilson

In Office Babe, written by Rachel Rubin Ladutke & Jeff Smith, Daria Polatin & Brad Howell Houghton, and Noel Katz & Adam Cohen, a bored administrative assistant podcasts her tart and revealing commentary about her co-workers, who become unwitting fans of their own character assassinations.

  • Jane (Office Babe): Soara Joye Ross
  • Austin (Boss): Richard True
  • Nanci (Chatterbox): Erica Robinson
  • Lisa (Basketcase): Sandy Rosenberg
  • Ken (Flirty Guy): Rian Bodner
  • Michael (Slobby Guy): Whit Baldwin
  • Ensemble: Allison Linker, Richard True, Meghan Wilson