THE PET PROJECT

BOOK BY LAURIE GRAFF

WORDS & MUSIC BY NANCY SHAYNE

THE PET PROJECT

A New Musical by Laurie Graff and Nancy Shayne

On the coldest night of the year, a handful of New Yorkers brave the elements to attend a pet bereavement meeting, each reeling from the recent loss of a warm, furry friend, but things get derailed when the group sniffs out the truth about its leader. With humor and heart, the musical explores grief, healing, and the transformative power of unconditional love.

THE JOURNEY SO FAR

FEBRUARY 2025
1-WEEK READING

SEPTEMBER 2025
DEVELOPMENTAL PRODUCTION with
the new london barn playhouse

MAY 2026
DEMO RECORDINGS

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Laurie Graff wrote the book for The Pet Project (music and lyrics, Nancy Shayne) currently in development with Transport Group. Plays At the Hotel Texas, The Incredible Egg, and All My Problems have been published in The Best Ten-Minute Plays, with works presented at Lincoln Center, HERE Arts Center, Ivoryton Playhouse, and Workshop Theater. Graff, a longtime actor, appeared on Broadway as “Frenchy” in Grease. A published author known for You Have to Kiss a Lot of Frogs, her 4th novel, Til Dog Do Us Part, releases March 30, 2027. She’s also the founder of ShopTalk, a creative community for theatre professionals.

Nancy Shayne: The Pet Project (music and lyrics Nancy Shayne; book by Laurie Graff) had its World Premiere at the New London Theatre in NH last September directed by Francesca James. Credits include Marcy in the Galaxy (Book, Music & Lyrics) produced by Transport Group; the Drama Desk nominated The Audience (Composer/Lyricist), both directed by Jack Cummings III; HBO Aspen Comedy Festival: Two Bitter Women in a Coffee Shop directed by Michael Patrick King. Composer: Sex and the City (Seasons 4 & 5), Musical Director: The Second City Touring Company (Chicago) and a proud founder of The Attic Theatre in Detroit, MI. Currently working on a new musical with Michael Patrick King.