Sunday night I had the pleasure of attending the District Fringe 2026 workshop reading of The River, a new play written by emerging playwright Molly Jane Brennan, directed by Megan Kempton, and presented by TransMission Theater Project.
The two-act staged reading (sans set) asked us to visualize a concrete slab partially abutting a river in rural Massachusetts that is accessible through wood and trails, a place where teenagers hang out to do what teenagers want to do away from the prying eyes of adults, like smoking weed, making out and smashing or rizzing, chatting, spilling tea, or having deep talks. The engrossing and impressive performance showcased the play’s enormous potential. I loved it. It was funny. It was sobering. It was moving.
We meet a group of teens: sisters Sofia and Molly, friends with Colin and Keith, and Stella, who befriends the foursome. Stella is a trans girl, and a central theme of the story is how she has experienced isolation, a lack of deep emotional connection, and outright rejection and hostility. But not from these friends, who embrace her. Over the course of the summer, we see the five bond, confront fears, and dream fearlessly. They find solace and light in the river and one another. Grief is another central theme, a thread throughout the play, especially when tragedy strikes. We see what grief costs them. No one is spared.
The cast was exceptional, with charisma to spare. Jared Kirschenbaum as the earnest and sincere Keith shines in their scenes with Sofia, played by Sedona Salb, who is believably guarded, strong, pensive, and charming. Their palpable chemistry filled the space. Max Burchell’s portrayal of a closed and serious-silly stoner Colin (and The Man) was layered. They added an unexpected dimension to the character, bringing a surprising emotional depth to multiple funny lines. Madison Troost, as the romantic artist Molly (open, vulnerable, assertive), perfectly captured the blush of infatuation with Stella and then the depths of anguish for her. Jack Wimsatt’s Stella (bruised and resilient) was complex and compelling. As the trans girl character, Stella gives powerful voice to the plea to let people be, and let people be free to be their truly authentic selves.
The effectiveness of this performance was due to these performers conveying emotion without the benefit of staging, props, blocking, or set. To a person, their expressiveness, speech, and body language persuasively portrayed nervousness, confusion, curiosity, yearning, and excitement — as well as a host of other feelings and intellectual reactions to castmates that conveyed a lot with a look, a stammer, or a pause. Moreover, they were convincing as found family with a shared history. As a technical matter, I commend them for appearing practically off book.
No staged reading of a work in development is flawless, of course. Here, there are opportunities to examine structural elements such as the number of scenes, scene length, and the transitions between time jumps and the main action, which were awkward and often confusing. Additionally, the promise of the title and the action is the river as character. I think the river, as a narrative force, has room to be expanded here to fulfill the promise of the play.
Overall, however, the staged reading of The River offered an evening of poignant, absorbing, and engaging theater. It was a gift to be able to focus exclusively on the acting and the witty, smart, realistic, and pitch-perfect dialogue. Notably, the audience reception was highly positive. When I departed, fully half of the crowd was still there for an enthusiastic talkback. I’m confident that most of them are as eager as I am to see a full-scale production. I highly recommend it. I’m rooting for these characters and this play’s future development. Molly Jane Brennan’s is a new voice with something to say, one to be nurtured.
The River
By Molly Jane Brennan
Presented by TransMission Theatre Project
Running Time: 100 minutes
Date and Time:
July 19, 7:30 pm
Directed by: Megan Kempton
Performed by: Jared Kirschenbaum, Sedona Salb, Max Burchell, Madison Troost, Jack Wimsatt
The complete 2026 District Fringe Festival lineup is online here.
The 2026 District Fringe Festival calendar is online here.
