Burning Leaves

Burning Leaves written by playwright Tom Rowan is part of The 2024 Chesley/Chambers Reading Series, celebrating new and classic works by queer voices for over a decade. Graydon Gund directs a cast of six, including Jay DeYonker, Zoey Dunay, Vivia Font, Aidan J. Lawrence, Mariela Rivero, and Jonathan Stewart. In need of a fresh start, Matt Leland, a young actor on the run from New York, takes a job teaching at a small high school in the Midwest — where he finds himself feeling unprepared for the unexpected challenges that await. His most talented student is Jesse Wade, a troubled 16-year-old on the verge of coming out. Isolated in the small conservative town, Jesse desperately needs a gay role model — and other things Matt may or may not be able to provide. Burning Leaves is a humorous, compassionate play that asks serious questions about education, friendship, and love.