New York-premiere play ‘Walden’ to open off Broadway

Amy Berryman’s critically acclaimed drama will replace the previously announced Lunar Eclipse in Second Stage Theater’s fall season at the Tony Kiser Theater.

Second Stage Theater has announced the New York premiere of Walden, a play by Amy Berryman going up off Broadway this fall. Performances begin at the Tony Kiser Theater on October 16 ahead of a November 7 opening night.

Named for Henry David Thoreau’s classic book, Walden follows former NASA architect Stella and her partner, Bryan, who have started a new life together in a remote cabin. When Stella's sister, NASA botanist Cassie, arrives upon her return from a lunar mission, the sisters face the rivalry that once estranged them and decide whether their future lies on Earth or in space.

Whitney White will direct the drama, which was previously produced in London’s West End and in Hartford, Connecticut, in 2021. The latter production was named a New York Times Critic’s Pick.

Casting and additional creative team for Walden’s Off-Broadway premiere have yet to be announced.

Walden replaces a previously announced fall play in Second Stage’s season: Lunar Eclipse starring Tony Award winner Reed Birney and Drama Desk Award nominee Lisa Emery. That production has been moved to spring 2025 to accommodate a change in Birney's schedule.

Second Stage’s fall Broadway production, Cult of Love at the Hayes Theater, will proceed as scheduled.

Check back for information on Walden tickets on New York Theatre Guide.

Photo credit: Amy Berryman and Whitney White. (Photos courtesy of production)