DUMMY

A story about a story about a town.

In the prison town of Yow, three teenagers are selected to stage a pageant retelling their founding myth. Creating this play, however, quickly demands far more from each than they expected. Darkly funny, absurd, and unnerving, DUMMY examines the evil inside every artist.

A world premiere play written by WALKER CAPLAN and produced by NEW RELIC THEATRE.

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Playwright: Walker Caplan

Director: Eliza Palter

Producer: Chris Phillips

Production Stage Manager: Ellery Cordes

Set Designer: George Tsourounakis

Lighting Designer: Neil Qiu

Sound Designer: Nate Dallimore

Costume Designer: Lily Dozer

Puppet Director: MJ Farrell

Dramaturg: Dana Pepowski

Design Consultant: Trent Howell

Marketing Manager: Omar Khan

Community Engagement Manager: Nicole Albanese

Media Manager: Jenni Loo

Photographer: Jon Tylor

Featuring:

Michellle Kariuki

Jacob Dabby

Michael K. Greene

Simon Henriques

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ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT: Walker Caplan is a playwright and fiction writer whose short story “Attention” appears in the Fall 2026 issue of n+1. Caplan’s plays have been produced at CultureHub, Signature Theatre (VA), Yale University, and The Tank. Caplan is also co-editor-in-chief of Joyland, a literary magazine devoted to fiction. 

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR: Eliza Palter is a director, producer, and founding artistic director of New Relic Theatre, where she develops new work in conversation with history, outdated forms, and cultural artifacts. She has developed and directed work with the New York Society Library, LubDub Theatre Company, The Quickening Room, Theatre J, Union Hall, Švandovo Divadlo, Cherry Lane Theatre, and Franklin Performing Arts Company. She is an alum of the Directors Lab North and an Associate Member of SDC.