By: Jim Manley
In a season filled with revivals and recognizable franchises, one new musical is inviting audiences to open their hearts—and maybe even their wings.
WESLEY – A New Musical, now premiering at The Theater Center in Times Square, tells the unlikely and emotionally impactful story of a woman and the barn owl who deeply influenced her understanding of love. Inspired by Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl—the international best-selling memoir by Stacey O’Brien—the musical is not a direct dramatization of the book, but rather a work of fiction that draws from its emotional essence. The result? A theatrical experience that combines science, spirit, and soul.
At its center is Casey, a talented young rock musician who trades the stage for solitude when she takes in a wing-damaged baby barn owl. What begins as an act of compassion gradually transforms into a decades-long bond—one that offers new perspectives on connection, resilience, and purpose.
Photo Courtesy: Richard Termine
Composer and lyricist Scott Steidl, a Juilliard-trained ASCAP Award winner, weaves a score that blends Broadway’s emotional depth and the raw energy of rock. “We needed to write songs that could feel classical, theatrical, and sometimes like a live band performance,” Steidl explains. “The story called for a sound world as complex as Casey’s journey.”
The show opens with a mystical motif—a recurring musical phrase that highlights the spiritual weight of the relationship between Casey and Wesley. From there, Steidl’s compositions guide the audience through love, grief, wonder, and rebirth with striking emotional clarity.
Book writer Mark Hantoot was captivated by the emotional possibilities in O’Brien’s memoir but knew from the beginning that the musical needed its own narrative direction. “Transforming a real-life story into a stage production is always about honoring the essence while creating something new,” Hantoot shares. “WESLEY is inspired by the memoir, but we crafted an original storyline that invites audiences to experience the emotional truth in a theatrical way.”
The themes—devotion, healing, and unexpected connection—resonate deeply beyond species lines. “It’s a narrative that speaks to many people, Hantoot says. “WESLEY is about embracing love wherever it finds you.”
For producer Elizabeth DeBruler, the draw was immediate. “I wanted to do this story because it is alive for me,” she says. “It overflows with originality and connection. It takes us to places ‘in between,’ which is a fascinating landscape. It keeps me engaged with love.”
That sense of enchantment is mirrored onstage. Directed by Mary Duncan, who brings a director’s touch honed at Juilliard and The Kennedy Center, the production fuses puppetry (by Austin Phillips), projections (by Camilla Tassi), and an intimate set design (Germán Cárdenas-Alaminos) into a visually captivating experience. Andrianna Ayala plays Casey with remarkable vulnerability, while Daniel Sanchez brings Wesley to life in a performance both technically skilled and unexpectedly emotional.
Even Stacey O’Brien, whose memoir inspired the show, has given her blessing: “It touched the audience, who were laughing out loud and openly crying throughout. It is a beautiful stage adaptation that left me and my editor in tears.”
Photo Courtesy: Wesley the Musical
The cast features Andrianna Ayala (NYC: Missy Mazzoli’s Proving Up) as Casey, Daniel Sanchez as Wesley with Christa Lisette Beveridge (Regional: Die Fledermaus), Tara Dougherty (Les Misérables), Ashley Huber (Regional: Die Fledermaus), Jack Kehoe (NYC: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Christopher Kirby Saunders, Nathan Myers (NYC: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), and Maya Pierce (Regional: Hair).
WESLEY – A New Musical runs June 11 through July 18, 2025, at The Theater Center, 210 W 50th Street in New York City. Performances take place Wednesdays at 2 PM and 7:30 PM, Thursdays at 2 PM, and Fridays at 4 PM.
Tickets are available at www.thetheatercenter.com, and more information can be found at www.wesleymusical.com.
