There's a new romcom in the works, and it stars several familiar faces!

Tony nominee Adam Pascal and Broadway alum Emily Bergl and Collin Kelly-Sordelet will star in the coming-of-age film Escaping Ohio, which is based on the short film of the same name that Kelly-Sordelet starred in in 2021. 

The film follows Sam and JJ, two 18-year-olds struggling to step into adulthood while deciding where the put down roots. When Sam begins to toy with leaving their small hometown for California, JJ takes it upon himself to prove why home is worth sticking around for.

The short film premiered at the Montclair Film Festival in 2021, with director and star Jessica Michael Davis winning Best Director at the Blackbird Film Festival. Bergl produces the feature, alongside Davis and Kelly-Sordelet. 

In addition to Pascal, Bergl, Davis, and Kelly-Sordelet, the feature film will include Carolyn Kang, Alexandria Benford, Emma Elle Paterson, Kylie Victoria Edwards, Lacey Caroline, Jordan Isaiah White, Johnny Manibusan, Jeffrey Weber, Ben Jaeger-Thomas, and Cadden Jones.

Set in Davis's hometown of Akron, Ohio and loosely based on her life, the film was supported by the Greater Cleveland Film Commission and the Sundance Institute’s Co//ab program.

Escaping Ohio has wrapped production, with a release date forthcoming. Visit EscapingOhio.com.