Island City Stage presents the East Coast Premiere of Everything Beautiful Happens at Night
Thursday, 04/02/2026-04/26/2026, 07:00 pm-09:30 pm
Island City Stage
2304 N. Dixie Highway,
Wilton Manors, Florida, 33305
Website
Cost: $30 – $62

From writer Ted Malawer (Red, White, & Royal Blue), Carbonell and Silver Palm Award-winning director Bruce Linser, and featuring stunning illustrations by multi-award-winning artist Bong Redila, Everything Beautiful Happens at Night is a tender, funny, and moving story about the life you have, the life you want, and who stays when the world gets quiet. Tickets are on sale now for Island City Stage’s East Coast premiere of the play which runs April 2- 26.

Ezra is a closeted children’s book author. Nancy is his fiercely loyal editor. Their creative partnership has shaped stories that delight generations. But when writer’s block pushes Ezra far past deadlines to deliver his latest book, a new voice enters the conversation and begins to change Ezra’s life, inspiring a controversial ending to Chipmunk and Squirrel, and testing the limits of his friendship with Nancy.

As a former literary agent for children’s book authors, then as an editor of children’s books, and ultimately as a children’s book author and novelist, himself, Ted Malawer has spun a tale close to home. Everything Beautiful Happens at Night was partially inspired by his childhood LGBTQ author heroes Maurice Sendak (“Where the Wild Things Are”) and Arnold Lobel (“Frog and Toad” books). The play held its world premiere at Capital Stage in Sacramento, California, in early 2025 and its second U.S. staging brings it to the award-winning Island City Stage in Wilton Manors, Florida.

Island City Stage’s production of Everything Beautiful Happens at Night, directed by Linser, stars Christopher Dreeson as Ezra, Laura Turnbull as Nancy, and Aidan Paul as Jake.

Everything Beautiful Happens at Night co-producers are Russell Vance, Michael Mullins and Terry Gaw; Lights and Sound Sponsor is Scott Bennett; Talent Sponsors are Paul Rolli & Bennett Quade and Robert Lee; Costume Sponsors are Rita Cassady and John Colemen; Set Sponsors are Margie & Trevor Fried; and Illustrations Sponsor is DC Allen & Ken Flick No Gay Hate Fund at Our Fund. Additional funding is provided by the following: The Our Fund Foundation, The Schubert Foundation Inc., the SHS Foundation, the Warten Foundation, and OutClique.

Individual show tickets start at $45. A Mimosa Sunday performance sponsored by John Fomook and Charles Lee will take place on April 12. A special Women’s Night at the Theatre sponsored by Barbara Signer and Fran Epstein will take place on April 24. The show runs for one hour and 40 minutes with no intermission.

Island City Stage believes that theatre should belong to the next generation of storytellers, artists, and audiences. Its new “30 Under 30” initiative invites patrons ages 18–29 to experience award-winning, professional theatre for just $30 per ticket (plus taxes & fees; subject to availability on Thursday and Friday evenings and Saturday matinees). Limit one ticket per patron per production. A government-issued photo ID will be required at will call. When ordering online, use discount code “30U30.”

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.islandcitystage.org, call (954) 928-9800 or email boxoffice@islandcitystage.org. Follow Island City Stage on Facebook at facebook.com/IslandCityStage and on Instagram at @islandcitystage1.