Ashley Spencer, Jonathan Weir, Will Blum, and More Announced for the 2026 Newport NewWorks Musical Theater Festival

Newport NewWorks, the nonprofit founded by Peilin Chou and Jeanne Hagerty, dedicated to the creative development of bold original musicals, announced directors and cast members for the three musicals making up the 2026 Newport NewWorks Musical Theater Festival, August 2–16 in Newport, RI.

As previously announced, the three musicals are Benjamin Scheuer and Simon Scheuer’s STUPID. A genius new musical, Sam Norman and Eliza Randall’s The Debutantes, and Jeffery Chen’s A Life Worth Living.

STUPID is directed by Kimberly Senior and Sean Daniels, with music direction by Andy Collopy. The cast features Beetlejuice‘s Will Blum as Ferdinand and Grease: You’re the One That I Want‘s Ashley Spencer as Agnes.

Jess McLeod will direct The Debutantes, and Josh Kight will serve as music director. The cast includes Preston Truman Boyd as Villiers, Debra Cardona as Mrs. Balance, Jessie Davidson as Bela, Lyda Jade Harlan as Claire, Sarah Killough as Margaret, Jonathan Weir as Dilly, Anthony Sagaria as Keith, and Grace Yoo as Mavis.

A Life Worth Living is directed by Chay Yew, with music direction by Andy Collopy. The cast features Ameer Ali as Adrian, Will Blum as Jesse, Morgan Dudley as Riley, Lucy Grunden as Khai, Josh Hoon Lee as Gavin, Bern Tan as Samuel, Danielle Troiano as Talia, and Ashley Spencer as Cecilia.

The performance of STUPID and A Life Worth Living takes place on Friday, August 14 and the performance of The Debutantes takes place on Saturday, August 15.