abby ahmad

Singer, composer, and actor Abby Ahmad presents a selection of songs from her debut musical, Permanent Residence. Conceived nearly 4 years ago in the throes of the pandemic, Ahmad was one of the many who sought refuge in the idyllic, mysterious, historic grounds of Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery. The musical centers around Laura Keene, a highly successful 19th century actress, theatre manager, playwright, and composer whose life work was overshadowed by the infamy of her connection to the Lincoln assassination, being that she was starring onstage at Ford’s Theatre when it occurred and endured the aftermath that followed. Now, in her present day “after-life” in Green-Wood she embarks to write an original musical to redeem her place in the theatrical lexicon. Employing the help of other deceased artistic legends (Jean-Michel Basquiat, Leonard Bernstein, and more) to inform and navigate her creative journey, she uncovers the many other voices and triumphs of women buried in the cemetery that have also been lost to or undermined by history. Permanent Residence is archetypal exploration on themes of death, life, loss, legacy, and creating a home in the heart of the creative process.

Music and Lyrics: Abby Ahmad Music Director: Mark Marshall

CAST: Abby Ahmad, Akie Bermiss, Aisha de Haas, Tsebiyah Mishael Derry, Hannah Fairchild, Sentell Harper, Adam Minkoff, Gabby Sherba, Duncan Smith, Elizabeth Ziman