If the title Ladies on Sand rings a slight bell, that could be since you’ve heard of Guys on Ice, the massively widespread musical comedy by Fred Alley and James Kaplan that celebrated its twenty fifth anniversary final yr, initially joint-produced by Northern Sky Theater (then American Folklore Theatre) and Milwaukee Rep. Whereas Ladies on Sand—a brand new musical receiving its world premiere at Northern Sky (by Aug. 24)—isn’t linked to Guys on Ice, the brand new present’s artistic group hopes to seize an identical exploration of friendship with new characters and a recent season as they flip coastal.

“Lots of people have their escapism right here,” stated Lachrisa Grandberry, who co-wrote the present’s e book and lyrics with Molly Rhode, referring to the summer season vacationers who flock to Door County, Wisc., “to seek out pleasure, to refuel themselves and revel in themselves on the similar time.”

That’s exactly what Grace and Zoey, the present’s title characters, are on the lookout for: peace and launch, an escape from the true world as they watch their troubles soften away by the water. Grandberry and the Rhode sisters (Alissa Rhode wrote the music) stated that the present may be very a lot primarily based on their real-life friendships, and the times Grandberry and Molly (who additionally star in Ladies on Sand) used to take pleasure in at Door County’s Ephraim Seashore, positioned on the way in which to and from Peninsula State Park, the place Northern Sky produces their summer season exhibits.

“We frequently cease after the play and cling on the seaside within the night when it’s empty,” Grandberry stated. “We sing and we dance and we give gratitude to the sky and the celebs, and we reset and depart recharged.”

This new present comes two years after Grandberry and Alissa’s first team-up at Northern Sky, Sunflowered, for which Grandberry labored on the e book (alongside Aidaa Peerzada), music, and lyrics. After that profitable staging, the corporate’s first with an all-female solid, the group began on their subsequent challenge in early 2023. This time, the theatre’s affiliate creative director, Molly Rhode, stepped outdoors of her typical function of guiding new performs by others to assist to form this challenge herself.

“Lachrisa pushed me to step out of my consolation zone,” Molly stated. “I’m very comfy considering of myself as an editor for different individuals’s writing, and he or she gave me the chance to step into that writer function.”

Nonetheless, Molly known as the collaboration “logical,” contemplating that she’s seen Northern Sky’s household of writers develop and cross-pollinate through the years. Their sturdy private hyperlinks behind the scenes make the present virtually metatheatrical, because it explores what it means to have a spot to flee and celebrates the buddies who can escape with you.

“I really feel honored that I get to work with Molly and Alissa, befriend them, be household with them, create with them, and proceed to do what we attempt to do collectively,” stated Grandberry, “which is unfold somewhat pleasure, discover the rainbow in daily, and provides that to the world.”

Jerald Raymond Pierce (he/him) is the Chicago editor for American Theatre. jpierce@tcg.org

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