INTERVIEW: For Adam Gwon, ‘All the World’s a Stage’
Photo: Matt Rodin stars in All the World’s a Stage at the Keen Company. Photo courtesy of Richard Termine / Provided by Fortune Creative with permission.
All the World’s a Stage features the creative talents of Adam Gwon, who wrote the book, music and lyrics for the new musical. The show is now immortalized with a cast recording featuring Elizabeth Stanley, Matt Rodin, Eliza Pagelle and Jon-Michael Reese, according to press notes.
The musical tells the story of high school teacher Ricky Alleman, who lives in a small town in the 1990s and keeps his life as a gay man separate from his work, but then he runs into a conflict with the local church, causing changes to occur, both to the community and Ricky. The show ran off-Broadway at Theatre Row in 2025, courtesy of the Keen Company, and memories of that production can live on thanks to the new recording from Joy Machine Records.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Gwon to learn more about the cast recording and the future plans for All the World’s a Stage. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
How enjoyable was it seeing the Keen Company produce the show?
It was a dream! I had a relationship with Keen Company since they produced a revival of my show Ordinary Days in 2018. I knew they were interested in one day commissioning a new musical and really enjoyed working with them — the ethos of collaboration they bring to every aspect of the company and the high-caliber artists they’re able to attract. So I was thrilled when, in 2021, they asked me to write a show for them. The fact that we went from a blank page to a world premiere in less than four years is nothing short of a miracle, but really it’s a testament to Keen’s thoughtfulness and their commitment to nurturing the piece. Their plans were well-laid from the start. Seeing it come to life was a joy from beginning to end, and the company of actors they were able to assemble. Working with Elizabeth Stanley, for instance, was a bucket list item for me, and one I can check off the list, thanks to Keen!
Was a cast album always in the cards?
It wasn’t. I think a lot of people outside the industry take for granted that a new musical will be recorded, but albums are enormously expensive and represent a huge investment in the future life of a show. So it’s not always a given. The response to the Keen Company production, from audiences, critics and folks in the business, was overwhelming and beyond anything we hoped for. Producer Michelle Noh and I turned to each other and said: ‘Hey, are you listening? It seems like the world is trying to tell us something about this show.” As Michelle reached out to see what was possible, she was able to get some major players on board who responded just as enthusiastically to the material, including the Grammy-winning music producer Neal Avron and the label Joy Machine Records. Once again we looked at each other and said, “OK, universe, we hear you!” I feel really fortunate that everything aligned and we were able to make it happen.
How would you describe the character of Ricky?
Ricky is a teacher at a small town high school in 1996. He’s eager, passionate, an unflappable optimist, but he’s also a gay man in a largely conservative, religious community. So he keeps that part of his life very separate from his life at the school, and because of that, his enthusiasm is often tempered by carefulness, and a kind of people-pleasing: He doesn’t want to rock the boat. But that, of course, becomes increasingly impossible as the story of the show goes on. He’s forced to discover how much he’s willing to sacrifice to belong in this place he loves and to serve the students he loves.
What lessons of Ricky’s life still resonate in 2026?
I’d be lying if I said the show wasn’t partly inspired by the questions we’re asking about Queer teachers today and the echoes of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in these very current conversations. But what I really feel resonating with audiences on an even bigger scale is the desire to connect with our neighbors and loved ones who we don’t understand, to reach across these ideological fissures that the world has opened up between us. The characters in the show are desperate to understand each other in this way, to authentically be in each others’ lives. It doesn’t always work, but they’re trying. I can feel in the air during performances that audiences today want that, too. If the show can model a more connective way of existing with our fellow humans, well, that would make me proud.
Are you hoping that this album leads to more productions of the show?
I hope so! One of the reasons that Keen Company commissioned the show was because their mission is to bring intimate pieces of theater into the world. It was their dream to commission a show that could become a part of the canon that theaters across the country, in all kinds of communities, could produce. It was designed that way on my end, too: It’s only four actors, so hopefully it’s the kind of musical a company that isn’t used to producing big-budget musicals can do. Because the premiere was a limited run, the album will be a great way for people who weren’t able to catch the production to get to know the show.
You wrote the book, music and lyrics for the show. Do you like being a solo artist versus, say, having a writing partner?
I enjoy both. Most of my projects have been in collaboration with a playwright, with me writing the songs. I love playwrights, and there’s nothing like making a piece that feels like two voices colliding and forming something new. But All the World’s a Stage and my first musical, Ordinary Days, were two I wrote all on my own. They’re both personal stories and ones that I had a strong vision for, so it made sense to tackle them on my own. There’s a different, equally thrilling feeling that comes from pouring your whole self into a piece in that way. I imagine I will keep doing both!
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The original cast recording of All the World’s a Stage, written by Adam Gwon, is now available from Joy Machine Records. Click here for more information.
