Casting is set for Pioneer Theatre Company's world premiere of the new musical Ten Brave Seconds, which will play the Utah venue January 30-February 14. 

Directed by Ellie Heyman, with choreography by Reed Luplau and musical supervision by Patrick Sulken, the cast will feature Tony nominee John Cariani (Fiddler on the Roof, The Band’s Visit) as Mr. G., Carson Stewart (The Notebook) as Mike, Will Blum (Beetlejuice, Torch Song) as Carl, Luke Kolbe Mannikus (Matilda, Pippin) as Tim, Jessica Money as Gabby, and Heidi Farber as Becky.

The “Teen” ensemble is comprised of Nick Eibler (The Prom), Zachary Daniel Jones (Gypsy, Wicked), Jalen Michael Jones, Laura Leo Kelly (West Side Story international tour), and Jordan Cruz plus Harrison Timm, Sydney Rudel, and Ella Mei Williams. Ariana Bagley and Kaden Conrad will serve as swings.

With music and lyrics by Will Van Dyke and a book and lyrics by Jeff Talbott, Ten Brave Seconds follows Mike, who's been holding onto a secret for a while, and today that secret is coming out.

“We have spent almost seven years crafting the story of Mike and his family, and the fact that we now get to share it with audiences alongside our artistic family at Pioneer Theatre Company makes us the luckiest writers in the world,” Van Dyke and Talbott said in a joint statement. “As writers, we are very committed to making theatre that opens channels to both feeling and talking, and getting to start that conversation in a production created for the Utah audience is thrilling. Using pop music as a gateway to emotion is something we passionately believe in, and we cannot wait to open our hearts with PTC’s audiences.”

“For a long time, stories like the one portrayed in Ten Brave Seconds were rarely shared onstage. This production is not only a prime example of PTC's commitment to developing new work, but also a powerful reminder that when authentic lived experiences are placed at the center of the story, they create recognition, belonging, and courage—and that visibility can be life-changing,” added PTC Managing Director Adrian Budhu.

The upcoming production will also have scenic design by James Noone, costume design by Brenda Van der Wiel, lighting design by José Santiago, sound design by Aaron Hubbard, hair and makeup design by Kate Casalino, orchestrations and vocal arrangements by Van Dyke and Sulken, production stage management by James O. Hansen, and casting by Andrew Fem and Them.

The production follows Pioneer's September 2025 developmental reading in the Meldrum Theatre.

Visit PioneerTheatre.org.