by rayne
an Scp Commission in development
Presented as a staged reading as part of Philly Theatre Week april 7, 2025

When the threads of history and present-day unrest tangle into an explosive knot, new heaven, new earth dares to cut through it with fearless precision. Commissioned by Shakespeare in Clark Park and written by the electrifying Barrymore Award-winning playwright Rayne—celebrated for their Outstanding Original Production of Comet. This reimagining of Antony & Cleopatra delivers a provocative mix of biting humor, gut-wrenching violence, and unflinching explorations of race, gender, and power. new heaven, new earth  questions how stories shape authority and whose truths deserve the light of day. It’s bold. It’s sexy. It’s history as you’ve never seen it—alive, raw, and ready to rewrite the rules.

Photos by Samuel Vargas

the Team

Rayne the Playwright
Kishia Nixon* as Cleopatra
Ross Beschler* as Marc Antony
STARFIRE as Charmian & Crocodile
Adam Howard as Octavius et al
Jo Vito Ramírez* as Enobarbus et al
Katherine Perry as Octavia et al

Live Original Music by Karen Smith
Stage Management by Randi Alexis Hickey*
Direction by Shamus

*Artist appears courtesy of Actor’s Equity Association

Learn more about all the artists here!

Presented with the generous support of our space partner Christ Church Neighborhood House.