South Carolina New Play Festival to feature performances by viral sensation Piff the Magic Dragon and Elphaba from Broadway’s Wicked
January 29, 2025The South Carolina New Play Festival (SCNPF) announced its 2025 multi-day festival will feature performances from viral sensation Piff the Magic Dragon and Mary Kate Morrisey, who is currently playing Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway. The 2025 season will also showcase the final rounds of South Carolina’s Next Broadway Star, a scholarship contest aimed at discovering and supporting high school musical theater students in South Carolina. Celebrity judges for the competition will include Tony-winner Celia Keenan-Bolger, Tony-nominee John Ellison Conlee, and Broadway Casting Director Merri Sugarman. They will also lead masterclass workshops during SCNPF’s Insider Sessions. SCNPF will transform Greenville into a hub of theatrical innovation from August 7–10, 2025.
“We are beyond excited to welcome Mary Kate Morrissey and Piff the Magic Dragon to this year’s festival,” said West Hyler, Executive Director of SCNPF. “Their singular talents will bookend the festival, bringing everything you love about Broadway combined with never-before-seen innovative new works. We’ll have more titles to announce, along with the writing teams, at our season reveal on April 14.”
Broadway Cabaret Featuring Mary Kate Morrissey
Broadway star Mary Kate Morrissey will headline a Broadway Cabaret on the evening of Sunday, August 10 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Greenville. Morrissey, best known for her portrayal of Elphaba in Wicked and Janis in Mean Girls, brings her talent and vibrant stage presence to this highly anticipated event promising an unforgettable evening of music, storytelling, and show-stopping performances.
Tickets are on sale now at www.scnpf.org.
Piff the Magic Dragon in Merlin Returns
Festivalgoers can also look forward to performances by Piff the Magic Dragon, the renowned magician and comedian who has headlined the iconic Flamingo Hotel and Casino since 2015. Known for his appearances on America’s Got Talent and Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Piff will present excerpts from a brand-new show in development, Merlin Returns, on Thursday, August 7 and Friday, August 8. Merlin Returns is a hilarious tongue-in-cheek parody of 1980s Broadway magic shows, inspired by iconic productions like Doug Henning’s Merlin and The Magic Show. Tickets will become available in July, with early access given to VIP level donors of SCNPF.
Introducing South Carolina’s Next Broadway Star Scholarship Contest
SCNPF is proud to launch South Carolina’s Next Broadway Star, a scholarship contest designed to discover and support high school musical theater students across the state. The program invites students to submit video auditions showcasing their talents, with 50 semi-finalists advancing to a live competition in Greenville. From there, 12 finalists will perform in a public showcase judged by top Broadway casting directors and industry professionals, including Tony-winner Celia Keenan-Bolger, Tony-nominee John Ellison Conlee, and Broadway Casting Director Merri Sugarman. Winners will receive scholarships to support their theater education, with awards of $5,000 for first place, $2,500 for second place, and $1,000 for third place. Applications are open until April 1. Visit www.scnpf.org to learn more and apply.
“’South Carolina’s Next Broadway Star’ is a way to intentionally shine the spotlight on the amazing musical-theater students in high schools across the state and share their talents with our good friends, TONY Winner Celia Keenan-Bolger, TONY nominee John Ellison Conlee, and my frequent collaborator and Broadway Casting Director, Merri Sugarman who is returning to the festival,” said Artistic Director, Shelley Butler. “We know the next Phillip Boykin, Joanna Woodward, and Danielle Brooks are out there, and we want to make sure they get seen.”
Insider Sessions
SCNPF’s Insider Sessions are professional development workshops and masterclasses. A highlight of this year’s Insider Sessions will be “Stage to Screen” with Celia Keenan Bolger, Tony-winner for To Kill a Mockingbird and a series regular on The Gilded Age and John Ellison Conlee, Tony-nominee for The Full Monty and a recurring character on Boardwalk Empire, as well as “Secrets from a Casting Director” with Merri Sugarman, whose Broadway casting credits include School of Rock, Jersey Boys, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, and Ain’t Too Proud.
Tickets for the Sunday Cabaret featuring Mary Kate Morrissey and the Insider Sessions are on sale now and tickets to Merlin Returns, starring Piff the Magic Dragon, will be released to the public later this year. For more information about SCNPF, 2025 programming and events, and to purchase tickets, visit www.scnpf.org and follow along @southcarolinanewplayfest.
About South Carolina New Play Festival
South Carolina New Play Festival (SCNPF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and showcasing new and original works of theater including plays, musicals, and variety acts. Each year, SCNPF hosts a multi-day festival in Greenville, South Carolina, featuring script reading performances and a Broadway cabaret. By providing playwrights with a platform to develop their work and receive live audience feedback, SCNPF fosters connections between local talent and nationally recognized theater professionals. Performances take place at various venues throughout the city both inside theaters and outdoors in parks and on streets, turning Greenville into a hub for creative storytelling and theatrical innovation.