“Likewise,” an original play by Rye High School graduate Kiera Moran, ran for three performances at the New York Theatre Festival between Jan. 29 to Feb. 2.
Conceived and first performed during Moran’s time as a student at Wesleyan University, the story centers on a 17-year-old “train wreck” as she navigates the growing pains of girlhood — all the crazy things you do when you lose someone and the even crazier things you’d do to get them back.
The Wesleyan Argus called the play “a masterclass in the convalescence between girlhood, friendship, trauma, and the sheer impossibility of growing up as and into a young woman unscathed.” The review called the production “a must-see and requires more than a fair share of tissues.”
Moran is a 2020 graduate of Rye High School and received her bachelor’s degree in Theater and East Asian Studies from Wesleyan. She is an actor, writer, and comedian based in Rye and New York City, and is currently auditioning, coaching young actors, and teaching Mandarin in the city.
“Rye High School theater was where I found the people and plays that inspired me to write my own,” Moran said. “I still go back and see the shows when I can, it’s a very special place. I had a wonderful time performing and learning there.”
The original cast of “Likewise” reprised their roles, featuring Paige Merril as Callie, April Schwartz as Erica, Compton Stewart as Jake, and Moran as Joey, the 17-year-old narrator.
