i wish i was Her(s)

with Original Music by Sierra Lancaster

On the eve of her debut album, country singer Alison calls megafan and singer-songwriter Marina. From that night on, they are forever linked as Alison's career catapults her to new heights, while Marina's career is stuck in her shadow. i wish i was Her(s) dissects parasocial relationships, insecurity, and the impact of fame on relationships.

Read the current draft here.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY

The first ten minutes of i wish i was her(s) were directed by Abby Messina and featured Natalie Myrick & Kayla Zanakis for the Fucked Up Play Fest on January 14, 2023, at Caveat (NYC).

i wish i was her(s) was developed with the Under Construction 4 Playwrights Group at The Road Theatre Company (LA) from March - December 2023. Mackenna Goodrich facilitated the group.

i wish i was her(s) was selected for the Dramatists Guild & The 24 Hour Plays’ End of Play Virtual Readings on May 8, 2024. The actors featured Alison Ormsby, Stephanie Fongheiser, Cricket Brown, Mackenzie Moyer, and Zoe Nebraska Feldman.

The first public reading of i wish i was her(s) will be held at The Road Theatre Company on May 28, 2024. Ru Kazi directed an ensemble featuring Alison Ormsby, Lilli Passero, Esheka Varshney, Rachel Morgan Singer, and Jordan Moore.

i wish i was her(s) is the main project for SMJ’s time as a part of The Orchard Project’s 2023-2024 Greenhouse Lab.

A reading of i wish i was her(s) was held on October 11, 2024, at the Dramatists Guild Foundation. The reading served as the conclusion of SMJ’s time with The Road Theatre Company’s Under Construction 4 Playwrights Group. Mackenna Goodrich directed the reading. The cast featured Claire McPartland, Carolina Miranda, Jessie Jo Aka, Kathlynn Rodin, and Nick Turturro.

i wish i was her(s) was one of the plays read for the April 2025 cycle of the Athena Project’s Read & Rant Series.

A reading of i wish i was her(s) was held on November 14, 2025, at Houghton Hall and was produced by Breaking & Entering Theatre Collective. Mackenna Goodrich directed the cast of Maddie Robert, Jessie Jo Aka, Nikki Cannon, and Ben Teitelbaum. This was the first reading to feature original music by Sierra Lancaster. Isaiah Evans produced the music, with Jacob Clements providing guitar tracks for the demos.