Honky Tonk Angels
Ryan Mainstage Millbrook Playhouse Summer 2025
Playwright: Ted Swindley Director: Anne Kessler Set Design: Sarah Bidini Lighting Design: Brenden Rowan Costume Design: Bailey Hammett Sound Design: Jack Nedrow
Design Process
Freedom, womanhood, and camaraderie are at the heart of this jukebox musical set to classic country songs from artists like Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, and Tammy Wynette. Using these central themes, I set out to create three distinct environments for the characters to root into, before emancipating themselves to seek a more liberated existence as singers in Nashville, Tennessee. The honky tonk that appears onstage is a manifestation of my collected experiences growing up in Nashville, surrounded by the music scene and dreamers much like these characters. Ultimately, the neon lights and live band lead them to the realization that friendship and respect are what they have been looking for all along.