Synopsis

In a small Midwestern town, a tornado touches down on prom night, leaving devastation in its wake—and a third of the town gone. Appearing amidst the rubble is a stranger—who identifies only as "8." 8 communicates through a unique gestural language and begins to acquire English by reading novels like The Catcher in the Rye, Lord of the Flies and The Grapes of Wrath. But when the students start to learn 8's language, they threaten to unearth a dark secret that the town's adults would rather keep buried. Past sins and future hopes collide in this musical about the parts of ourselves we alienate to get by—and the parts we risk for a chance to connect.

"ALiEN8 is the perfect musical for young adults, and the young adult that still lives in us all, regardless of our age. It explores connection, identity, isolation and belonging in ways that are at once challenging, unique, timely and timeless. The book will have you laughing and crying and asking important questions...and the music will leave you all fired up, then suddenly breathless. As an educator who worked alongside her students in a workshop of ALiEN8, I can say that it offers a truly rare collaborative experience to its participants and audience alike. I love this show!" - Kristen Cerelli, Assistant Professor of Acting, University of Kentucky College of Fine Arts

"I loved seeing the creative and collaborative spirit of our high school intensive class during summer camp this year. They were part of a musical called ALiEN8 developed by David Lee White and Kate Brennan. The students were able to make suggestions to the content and have input on their characters and truly embraced the theme of gender fluidity/identity in the show. It was so powerful to see that they weren't just performing these characters but they truly believed in the message of equality and understanding in the piece. It was just beautiful." - Mary Gragen, Education Projects Manager, McCarter Theater Center

"As a theatre educator, there is nothing more satisfying than collaborating onstage with students, but to do it with this musical, with its ability to showcase these young adults in a new light to their peers and parents while exposing us and the audience to our own humanity was simply electrifying." - Gregory DeCandia, Theatre Educator and Founder/Executive Director of Ignition Arts

"David Lee White and Kate Brennan have created a timely look at the struggles today's teens face to carve out their identity in a world that is both open to broader definitions of self and resistant to those of us who are different. At times funny and poignant, ALiEN8 reminds the most vulnerable among us that we are all outsiders looking to find our place... and that's okay." - Kathryn Miller Haines, YA Mystery author, The Girl is Trouble, The Girl is Murder and the Rosie Winters mystery series

"Despite decades, perhaps centuries, of dire predictions about theater's longevity, I just saw convincing evidence its future is assured. The proof was on stage every minute ALiEN8, a musical by Kate Brennan and David Lee White, was being performed...Brennan and White take a contemporary issue, unconditional acceptance, and find multiple way to bring their points home while never getting preachy or heavy-handed with their musical's moral...Brennan's score often touches sensitively and deeply on the thoughts and revelations characters are experiencing." - Neal Zoren, U.S. 1

"ALiEN8 does not shy away from difficult themes, and, in this way, is an immensely important and relatable show for today...The script and music are brilliant, delving into issues that teens and families deal with every day with authentic dialogue and beautiful, emotion-filled music." - Andrea Stephenson, Broadway World

Music Files

• End of the World
• Ready for Her
• Inside Out
• A Mother Knows
• Is Anybody Out There