The Waiting takes place in a mystical purgatory in rural Vermont, telling the story of grief from the perspective of the dead. The musical was recently showcased at the ASCAP Musical Theatre Workshop, where the writers presented the show to a sold-out audience and received feedback from Winnie Holzman, Robert L. Freedman and Irene Mecchi. The workshop cast included recent Hadestown tour stars Megan Colton and Bryan Munar, alongside Shannon Purser (Stranger Things).
The musical had a Developmental Premiere in 2025 with Playhouse Stage Company, where it played a weekend-long run of shows at Cohoes Music Hall.
“To Be A Butterfly” was recently selected as a finalist for the Write Out Loud competition and was subsequently performed at 54 Below by Mary Kate Morrisey (Wicked). The song is sung by Margo, a character who has been stuck in the purgatory of “The InBetween” for centuries. They pass the time working in their garden and watching the butterflies, dreaming of one day being able to leave.
The single is performed by Andreoli and Kidwell, with additional arrangements and production by Sahil Ansari. Instrumentalists on the track include Maria Isabella Andreoli, Felix Herbst, Cole Kidwell, Michael Lepore, Christof Krumenacker and Grant Braider.
Andreoli and Kidwell are winners of the ASCAP Lucille and Jack Yellen Award and alumni of the Musical Theatre Factory Makers Cohort III. They are also the authors of the new sci-fi musical Come See Your Future.
“To Be A Butterfly” will be available on streaming platforms October 1.
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Maria Isabella Andreoli was born and raised in Albany, NY with their big Greek & Italian family. They began writing music at a young age, putting on concerts for anyone who would listen. Maria received their degree from Pace University where they met their writing partner, EmmaLee Kidwell. They co-founded Butterfly Effect Productions and have showcased their musicals at the ASCAP Musical Theatre Workshop, SheNYC Festival, Days of The Dead Festival and Playhouse Stage Company. Their work has been recognized with the 2024 ASCAP Lucille and Jack Yellen Award, and they received the Best Song Award for their work on Ranger Danger. Their song “To Be A Butterfly” was also a 2026 Finalist in the Write Out Loud competition. Maria is a proud member of ASCAP, Maestra Music, and Musical Theater Factory Makers Cohort III. She performs around NYC with her band, Ditto. – whose music is available on all streaming platforms.
EmmaLee Kidwell was raised in Louisville, Kentucky and now resides in New York City. She is a multi-hyphenate storyteller with a career in performance, writing, directing, and choreography. EmmaLee is the Managing Director for the non-profit theatre company Live & In Color and is a co-founder of Butterfly Effect Productions – a theatre production company founded with Maria Isabella Andreoli. EmmaLee’s theatrical works have been showcased at the ASCAP Musical Theatre Workshop, Playhouse Stage Company, SheNYC Festival, and the Days of The Dead Festival. She won “Best Song” at the 48 Hour Film Project for their song “Ranger Danger” and is a 2024 recipient of the ASCAP Lucille and Jack Yellen Award. Their song “To Be A Butterfly” was also a 2026 Finalist in the Write Out Loud competition and performed by Mary Kate Morrisey. They are also the creator and frontman of their band, EmmaLee & The Dream, whose music can be found on all streaming platforms. EmmaLee is a member of Maestra Music, ASCAP, and a member of the Musical Theatre Factory Makers Cohort III.
To learn more about the project and support future development, visit emmaleeandmaria.com.
