Actors’ Playhouse Closes Season With ‘Hundred Days,’ A Theatrical Concert Experience

From left, Mallory Newbrough, Melanie Vitaterna, Nate Promkul, Dennis Fuller, Stephen G. Anthony and Jenn Chandler in “Hundred Days” opening at Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, Coral Gables, on Friday, July 19. (Photo courtesy of Alberto Romeu)

A crimson drum set takes up a large chunk of the stage area, marked off by yellow tape. A keyboard, accordion, an electric guitar, and an acoustic guitar are all set neatly by black chairs set up in a circle in the rehearsal space.

The cast of the upcoming “Hundred Days” musical, opening at Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre on Friday, July 19, is preparing for a full run through. Their musical director, Dominique Scott, settles behind a black music stand, while their director (and the theater’s artistic director), David Arisco, takes a seat off to the side. One of the stars of the show, Mallory Newbrough, who plays lead vocalist Abigail Bengson, positions herself behind the center microphone stand.

 From left, Melanie Vitaterna, Dennis Fuller, Mallory Newbrough, Nate Promkul and Jenn Chandler in “Hundred Days “at Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre. (Photo courtesy of Alberto Romeu)

Newbrough rolls her shoulders back and wraps both her hands over the mic. She gets a gleam in her eyes and the transition from Newbrough to Abigail is complete.

The six-person show is a unique theater experience. It’s an intimate concert meets Broadway musical meets cabaret. The story centers around a real-life couple, Abigail and Shaun Bengson, and the first one hundred days of their relationship. The pair, who met and were married three weeks later, wrote the musical together.

“When I heard the music, I knew that I wanted to do the show,” says Arisco. “This is a show that’s driven by the soundtrack, it’s driven by the score and by the music.”

From left, Nate Promkul and Mallory Newbrough in “Hundred Days” at Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre. (Photo courtesy of Alberto Romeu)

When he was first organizing the 2023-24 season for the playhouse, Arisco knew he wanted to include “Hundred Days,” he just wasn’t sure how.

“There was something about the show that didn’t seem to fit into the season,” says the artistic director. “And then I had the summer slot, and I just had this crazy idea to try something new for the younger folks in Miami… I hate to use the word ‘eclectic,’ but this might be the most eclectic season we’ve ever done.”

From left, Mallory Newbrough, Melanie Vitaterna, Nate Promkul, Dennis Fuller, Stephen G. Anthony and Jenn Chandler in “Hundred Days” at Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre. (Photo courtesy of Alberto Romeu)

“Hundred Days” is not like a traditional musical where the orchestra is hidden somewhere out of sight from the audience. Instead, the musicians are integrated within the performance and their instruments remain on stage the entire time. The production also requires a musical director with a skilled ear. Arisco knew exactly who he wanted: Scott.

“The first musical I ever did professionally was ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ directed by David Arisco,” he says, looking over at his mentor-turned-colleague sitting to his right. “Hundred Days” will be the fourth professional production with Actor’s Playhouse for Scott. “If you count all the shows I did as a teen here, it would be over a dozen,” he adds with a laugh.

Scott has plenty of experience arranging, producing, and starring in musicals. As a musician himself, his skillset was ideal to be musical director.

Dominique Scott returns to Actors’ Playhouse as the musical director for “Hundred Days”. (Photo courtesy of Actors’ Playhouse)

“Speaking musically, there’s like a very acoustic sound to the show,” says Scott. “But then there’s also an electronic sound as well. And what’s cool is that you’ll hear folk sounds but then you’ll also hear hip hop and trap sounds. This music is really unique. People will experience something that they can’t experience elsewhere.”

The music has had an impact on the performers, too, they say.

“I introduced myself via the music,” says Newbrough, who plays Abigail Bengson. “The soundtrack itself is quite narrative and tells a story on its own.”

About her character, Newbrough describes Abigail as someone who is haunted by her own demons. She’s an anxious person, which will be a trait that many in the audience will understand.

From left, Melanie Vitaterna, Dennis Fuller, Mallory Newbrough, Nate Promkul, Jenn Chandler and Stephen G. Anthony in “Hundred Days” at Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre.(Photo courtesy of Alberto Romeu)

“I would say because Abigail is quite a complex character, she’s kind of plagued by her past. This baggage from the past makes future happiness with anyone seem impossible, and I think it’s something that’s relatable to a lot of people.”

In the end, “Hundred Days” is a love story. It touches on all sorts of emotions and anxieties tied to those first one hundred days of a fresh relationship, namely the fear that the relationship will end. In Abigail’s case, she thinks Shaun will die. Which begs the question that inspired the production: what would you do if you only have one hundred days to live?

“My answer, up to now, has always been ‘yes,’” says Scott. “Even though you know that the roller coaster is gonna end, you still get on it — for better or for worse.”

Actors’ Playhouse artistic director David Arisco. (Photo courtesy of Actors’ Playhouse)

An inevitable ending shouldn’t stop anyone from a beginning. “Hundred Days” wants to encourage audiences to live life to the fullest because we never know how much time we’ve got.

Arisco, the show’s director, chimes in saying, “The message of the show is no matter how difficult the road is, and how many turns it takes, and how many times you want to run away from it, when you find that special someone, how do you make the most of it? How do you make the most of every moment you have together?”

WHAT: “Hundred Days” by Abigail and Shaun Bengson 

WHERE: Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theater, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables

 WHEN: Opens Friday, July 19 through Sunday, Aug. 4; 8 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday.

 COST: $40 for preview performances (July 17-18), $55 and $65 weekdays, $65 and $75 on weekends (seniors 65 and older, 10 percent off weekdays), $15 for students with valid ID for rush tickets available 15 minutes before weekday performances.

 INFORMATION: 305-444-9293 or actorsPlayhouse.org

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