EAST HADDAM, Conn. (July 16, 2026) – Goodspeed Musicals proudly welcomes The Snow Goose as its third production of the 2026 season. An unforgettable new musical with a soaring score, The Snow Goose will run from Aug. 28 to Oct. 18 at The Goodspeed in East Haddam, Conn.
“The Snow Goose by Paul Gallico has been a favorite of mine for over 40 years,” said Artistic Director Donna Lynn Hilton. “In 2022, Goodspeed optioned the book and commissioned Claire McKenzie and Scott Gilmour to adapt it into a musical. We have lovingly developed the show over the past four years through multiple readings and workshops as well as a very popular appearance in our 2024 Festival of New Musicals. With this World Premiere, we bring the beloved story to new life, as the first of our GoodWorks commissions to make it to The Goodspeed stage.”
On the windswept coast of England an unlikely bond forms between Philip, a reclusive artist shunned by society, and Frith, a resilient young woman, when they rescue a wounded snow goose. With World War II looming, their friendship allows her to imagine a life beyond her village and him to confront his own humanity as he sets sail on a daring journey to save soldiers trapped at Dunkirk. Discover an unforgettable new musical with a soaring score that will fill your heart.
The Snow Goose is by award-winning writers and recipients of the 2025 Jonathan Larson® Grant Scott Gilmour & Claire McKenzie (The Terris: Hi, My Name is Ben). It is based on the novel by Paul Gallico.
Philip Rhayader will be played by Eric Graise (TV: CBS’s Tracker, Lionsgate’s Step Up: High Water). Frith will be played by Ashlyn Maddox (Broadway: Parade). The Bard will be played by Sam Sherwood (Goodspeed on the River: The Playbillies). Wilf will be played by Charlie Webb (Broadway: Parade, The Notebook; Off-Broadway: Retraction). Harper will be played by Ally Bonino (Broadway: Suffs).
The ensemble will feature Alan Chandler; David Aron Damane (The Goodspeed: Show Boat; The Terris: Private Jones, Glimmerglass; Broadway: The Queen of Versailles, The Book of Mormon, Don’t Dress for Dinner); Matthew Davies; Leah Hofmann, who is also lead puppeteer for the production (Broadway: Mrs. Doubtfire [puppetry movement direction], War Horse, Big Fish, Something Rotten!); Kiersten Kelly (TV: Netflix’s Jurassic World: Chaos Theory); Amy Hillner Larsen (The Goodspeed: All Shook Up; Broadway: Once Upon a One More Time; Off-Broadway: Marvelous Wonderettes, Newsical); Sophia Anna O’Brien; Gabriel Marcus Omlor; Ayanna Nicole Thomas (Broadway: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, How To Dance in Ohio); Patrick Tombs (Off-Broadway: Matata & Jesse James); and John Viggiano.
Swings for this production are Sam Hoffman (Off-Broadway: Brighter than the Sun) and Jessica Money.
The Snow Goose will be directed by Marshall Pailet (The Terris: Private Jones). Emily Reutlinger will be the associate director. Misha Shields will choreograph the production (The Terris: Private Jones, Off-Broadway: Baghdaddy). Music direction will be by Goodspeed’s Resident Music Director Adam Souza (The Goodspeed: Over 25 productions including A Chorus Line, Ragtime, Gypsy, Maggie, The 12, The Mystery of Edwin Drood; Broadway/National Tours: Wicked, Kinky Boots, Spamalot, Les Misérables).
Scenic design will be by Emmie Finckel (The Goodspeed: Ragtime). Costume design will be by Mallory Kay Nelson. Lighting design will be by Aja M. Jackson (Broadway: Fat Ham [associate lighting designer]; Off-Broadway: A Commercial Jingle for Regina Comet, Rock and Roll Man). Sound design will be by Jay Hilton who has designed countless productions at both The Goodspeed and The Terris Theatre and serves as Goodspeed’s Audio Supervisor. Wigs, hair and makeup design will be by J. Jared Janas (The Goodspeed: Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, A Christmas Story, Gypsy, 42nd Street, Anne of Green Gables; Broadway: Proof, The Balusters, Beaches) and Cassie J. Williams (The Goodspeed: Irving Berlin’s White Christmas). Puppet design will be by Emmy-nominated puppet and theatrical designer Nicholas Mahon (The Terris: Private Jones; 2018 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony; Off-Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors; TV: Sesame Street Television). Access Consultant will be Talleri A. McRae.
Chris Zaccardi will be the Production Stage Manager. He is thrilled to work with Claire and Scott again after working with them on Hi, My Name is Ben at The Terris Theatre (The Goodspeed: The 12, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, A Little Night Music; The Terris: Here You Come Again, Double Trouble, Sign of the Times, All Shook Up; and many, many more). Casting for this production is by Geoff Josselson Casting.
Lead Marquee & Puppetry Sponsors for this production are Dr. Anne Rothstein & Ms. Jane Hellman. Marquee Producing Partners are Hila and Saul Rosen.
The Snow Goose will run Aug. 28 – Oct. 18, 2026. [Official Press Opening: Sept. 16, 2026.] Curtain times are Wednesday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 7:30 p.m. (with select performances at 2 p.m.), Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. (with select performances at 6:30 p.m.).
Tickets are available through the Box Office (860.873.8668), open seven days a week at 11 a.m., or online at goodspeed.org. For show highlights, exclusive photos, special events and more, visit us at goodspeed.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.
ABOUT GOODSPEED MUSICALS
Goodspeed Musicals is a nonprofit arts organization that has achieved international acclaim and is the first theatre in the nation to receive two Tony Awards for outstanding achievement in musical theatre. Under the leadership of Donna Lynn Hilton, Artistic Director, and Vanessa Logan, Managing Director, Goodspeed Musicals is dedicated to the celebration, development and advancement of musical theatre. Goodspeed creates powerful, world-class productions of enlightening new and established works to delight, inspire and challenge audiences on its two stages – The Goodspeed in East Haddam, Conn., and The Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn. From Goodspeed, 21 musicals have gone to Broadway (including Man of La Mancha, Annie, Shenandoah and Holiday Inn) and 91 world premieres have been launched. Goodspeed’s Festival of New Musicals, GoodWorks commissioning program and the Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Grove at Goodspeed are distinguished cornerstones of the organization that highlight its commitment to nurture creators and the creative process. Goodspeed also maintains The Scherer Library of Musical Theatre and The Max Showalter Center for Education in Musical Theatre. The organization is supported in part by the Burry Fredrik Foundation; the Connecticut Office of the Arts, which also receives funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency; Masonicare at Chester Village; The Norma Terris/Albert D. Firestone Foundation; The Richard P. Garmany Fund at the Greater Hartford Gives Foundation; The Shubert Foundation; the State of Connecticut, Department of Economic and Community Development; and WSHU Public Radio. Additional support is provided by United Airlines, the official airline of Goodspeed Musicals. For more information, visit www.goodspeed.org.