Weather Girl (2024 play)
| Weather Girl | |
|---|---|
 2025 Off-Broadway production poster | |
| Original language | English |
| Written by | Brian Watkins |
| Characters | Stacey |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Premiere | |
| Date | August 1, 2024 |
| Place | Edinburgh Fringe Festival |
Weather Girl is a one-actor comedic play, written by Brian Watkins and produced by Francesca Moody Productions,[1][2] about the climate change apocalypse as seen through the eyes of a weather girl. It played at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe,[3] where it starred American actress Julia McDermott, was directed by Tyne Rafaeli.[2]
Plot
The play follows one woman, Stacey, a California weather girl whose cheery on-screen persona contrasts her secret alcoholic tendencies. As her reporting begins to cover the California wildfires, she begins to spiral as her past upends her present.[4]
Production history
2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival production
The play first premiered in 2024 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival starring American actress Julia McDermott and directed by Tyne Rafaeli in a sold-out run.[5]
2025 London production
Next, the production made its West End debut in 2025 at Soho Theatre, running from March 5 to April 5, 2025 with McDermott and Rafaeli returning to act and direct, respectively.[6][7]
2025 Off-Broadway production
The production next transferred Off-Broadway to St. Ann's Warehouse in late 2025, running from September 16 to October 12, 2025, with Rafaeli returning as director and McDermott again reprising her role as Stacey.[8]
Additional runs
The show is scheduled at The Spot Sun Valley[9] theater in Ketchum, Idaho from August 26-30, 2026, the first with a new lead with Yanna Lantz as Stacey.[10]
It is also scheduled for GableStage in Coral Gables, Fla. in fall 2026, running from September 25 to October 18, with Nicole Stodard directing and Ella Olesen starring in the role of Stacey.[11]
Critical reception
"It's a dark, dark story. It's raw. But it's also hilarious," said Anna Jane Joyner, founder of Good Energy, a company that consults on TV shows and movies that deal with climate change. "I walked away from it feeling even more fiercely in love with this world and even more committed to trying to protect it."[12]
Awards and nominations
2025 Off-Broadway production
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Solo Performance | Julia McDermott | Nominated | [13] |
| Outstanding Sound Design of a Play | Kieran Lucas | Nominated |
Television adaptation
In 2025, Netflix acquired the rights to produce a limited series, with McDermott set to reprise her role.[14]
References
- ↑ Wild, Stephi. "Brian Watkins Will Bring WEATHER GIRL to The Edinburgh Festival Fringe". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
- 1 2 "Edinburgh Fringe theatre reviews: Weather Girl | Mairi Campbell & more". The Scotsman. August 12, 2024.
- ↑ Wiegand, Chris (2024-08-09). "Weather Girl review – apocalyptic comedy gives chilling forecast for a burning planet". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
- ↑ Russo, Gillian (September 20, 2025). "'Weather Girl' Off-Broadway review — forecast calls for environmental doom with a chance of surrealism". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
- ↑ Matthews, Joanna (August 13, 2024). "Weathergirl". FringeReview. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
- ↑ "Weather Girl". Soho Theatre. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
- ↑ "Review: 'Weather Girl' Brings the Heat to Soho Theatre". The New York Times. March 17, 2025. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
- ↑ "Weather Girl". Playbill. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
- ↑ "Weather Girl by Brian Watkins". The Spot Sun Valley. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
- ↑ Writer, BRIANA MILLER Express Staff (2026-07-10). "New season, new space for the Spot". Idaho Mountain Express Newspaper. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
- ↑ "LIBERATION and More Set for GableStage 28th Season". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
- ↑ Rivero, Nicolas (January 3, 2026). "What fictional worlds can teach us about the reality of climate change". washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ "2026 Drama Desk Award Nominations Announced: Full List". Broadway.com. April 29, 2026. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
- ↑ Romero, Ariana (October 22, 2025). "Weather Girl Forecasts a New Drama Series". netflix.com. Retrieved 2026-01-03.