Cold War Choir Practice

Cold War Choir Practice is a comedic stage play written by American playwright Ro Reddick. The play debuted in 2025 at the Clubbed Thumb's Summerworks Festival, and later Off-Broadway in 2026 at MCC Theater. Reddick won the 2026 Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Award for Playwriting for the play.

Plot

Set in Syracuse, New York in 1987, the play follows a young girl named Meek living with her father, Smooch, and mother, Puddin, who operate a roller skating rink, above which they live. As Meek rehearses for the annual holiday show with her children's choir, her estranged uncle, a notable Black conservative and federal defense worker under Ronald Reagan, returns home with his wife, Virgie, suffering from a mysterious illness, piquing Meek's interest amid themes of espionage, Reaganomics and Cold War sentiments.

The show notably featured original music by Reddick, sung by a live choir of performers, who also serve as a Greek chorus at times.

Production history

Reddick was inspired by her upbringing in children's choir to write the play. Cold War Choir Practice premiered at Clubbed Thumb's Summerworks Festival, directed by Knud Adams. The play opened on June 19, 2025, running through July 1 in a co-production with Page 73. The cast featured Alana Raquel Bowers as Meek, Will Cobbs as Smooch, Lizan Mitchell as Puddin, Andy Lucien as Clay and Mallory Portnoy as Virgie, with Nina Grollman, Grace McLean and Suzzy Roche as the choir. The play received critical acclaim and was named a Critic's Pick by The New York Times, while Exeunt NYC called it "funny, spirited...(and) joyfully ridiculous."

The production was announced to be transferring the Robert W. Wilson Theatre Off-Broadway in 2026, produced by MCC Theater, alongside Clubbed Thumb and Page 73. Adams returned as director, alongside Bowers, Cobbs, Mitchell, Lucien and the choir. Crystal Finn took over the role of Virgie. The play began previews on February 21, 2026, with an official opening on March 10, 2026. Originally slated to end its run on March 29, the play was extended to April 6, 2026. The play again received critical acclaim, with Vulture calling it "striking" and praising Reddick's writing as "prodigious."

The play received two Outer Critics Circle Awards nominations, with Reddick winning the John Gassner Award, three Drama Desk Award nominations, five Lucille Lortel Awards nominations, and three Drama League Award nominations.

Cast and characters

Accolades

2026 Off-Broadway production