Directed by Richard Israel, (Civility of Albert Cashier, Floyd Collins, 110 in the Shade), King of Pangea, the spellbinding new musical with book, music, and lyrics by Martin Storrow, will have its world premiere at London’s King’s Head Theatre in 2025.
King of Pangea
Straighten Your Crown Productions (Nicole LaFountaine)
16th & 8th Productions (Jaime Bartolett and Lucas Katler)
London’s King’s Head Theatre
June 7 – July 6, 2025
for tickets, visit Kings Head Theatre
poster by Ursa Creatives
Welcome to the island of Pangea — where the sun never sets, the house band keeps the beat, and the loved ones you’ve lost could be right around the corner. When Christopher Crow faces the loss of his relentlessly hopeful mother, he escapes to the only place that makes sense — the imaginary island of his childhood. With help from a wise-cracking prophet, a swaggering ship captain, and a star-gazing poetess, Christopher sets off on a journey to claim his sovereignty … if he can only put the pieces back together in time. Inspired by the author’s experience, this wholly original and soul-stirring folk musical combines memoir and magical realism as it travels the rich, complicated road from grief to healing, and examines what it means to reclaim hope in the face of a life-altering loss.
King of Pangea was developed at the Barn on Fire Residency, a program of the New York Theatre Barn and the Fire Island Pines Arts Project; developed with Aubrey Swander; presented at the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals in 2022; and was presented and developed in part at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma and Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville, GA. Excerpts of the poem “Wisteria” by Claudia Axel are used by permission.
King’s Head Theatre is a purpose-built, wheelchair accessible theatre with a 220-seat flexible auditorium and 50-seat cabaret space off Upper St, Islington which showcases a wide range of performance styles from plays to musicals, to opera and cabaret, to drag and comedy.
Established in 1970, King’s Head Theatre was the oldest pub theatre in the UK until it closed its doors in August 2023. For 53 years the theatre was housed in the back room of the King’s Head Pub on Upper Street in an old boxing ring and pool hall, before opening the new space in Islington Square right behind the pub theatre in January 2024.
The theatre showcases a lot of queer work which explores the full spectrum of experiences symbolized by the rainbow flag. It is a home for a new wave of theatre makers, with a focus on work which is joyful, irreverent, colorful and queer.
BIOGRAPHIES
Martin Storrow (Book, Music and Lyrics) believes that a story can change everything. A prolific writer, composer, and lyricist, Martin has released multiple records, singles and a collection of poems, and has performed more than a thousand concerts. His music has been featured in film and television shows on NBC, Starz, and Netflix. Martin’s latest record, a musical adaptation of Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet (2021), is currently available on all streaming platforms. Martin lives and creates in New York City.
Richard Israel (Director) is a New York-based theatre director specializing in the development of new musicals and is the recipient of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Career Achievement In Directing. In addition to King of Pangea, Richard’s current development projects include #IRL with Zina Goldrich (composer – Ever After) and David Javerbaum (writer – “The Daily Show”), A Very Brady Musical (with Lloyd Schwartz, the original Brady Bunch series producer) and American Whore Story (starring “American Horror Story’s” Naomi Grossman). Richard was the Theatrical Coordinator on the multiple Emmy award-winning HBO series “Big Little Lies,” directing all of the Avenue Q scenes in the first season. Favorite directing projects include award-winning productions of Violet, Floyd Collins, 110 In The Shade, and the world premiere of Anita Bryant Died For Your Sins. In addition to his work as a theatre director and creator, he is the head of the BFA Acting for Theatre, Film and Television at Long Island University Brooklyn.
