World Premiere of Gale: Seattle playwright reimagines The Wizard of Oz through themes of home, friendship, and climate change

This fall, Shoreline Community College’s Theatre and Film Arts department presents the world premiere of a brand new play, Gale, by Emily Golden.

From an initial table read, to a staged reading earlier this year, and now to a fully staged production, Shoreline’s Theatre and Film Arts department has been involved in the development of this new work. 

Gale tells the story of seventeen-year-old Gale Winters, who, after losing her home in Iowa due to a derecho (a severe massive windstorm), is sent to live with her two married aunts near Seattle, while her parents stay behind to rebuild. 

Now Gale must navigate a new school in her senior year, contend with a group of mean girls, and come to terms with the fact that her beloved dog, Stormy, has gone missing. All while dealing with the trauma of losing her home to a massive climate event. 

In this modern reimagining of The Wizard of Oz, it is a story filled with both humor and a deeper message about loss, friendship, the devastating effects of climate change, and the true meaning of home.

Emily Golden is thrilled to see Gale brought to life. A Seattle native, she holds an MFA in Creative Writing and Environment from Iowa State University where she currently teaches. 

Emily has had her plays produced all around the country including by the Edmonds Driftwood Players, Fusion in New Mexico, and her full length play, Bethany Sees the Stars, premiered this past fall at Copious Love in Seattle (Broadway World Seattle Awards Nominee). 

Gale was recently named a finalist for the Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival, and her newest play, Bear Hunt, was a semifinalist for the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center’s National Playwrights Conference. Emily is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild.

Gale runs December 6 through December 15, 2024 with Friday and Saturday performances at 7:30pm and Sundays at 3pm. 

Tickets are $8 for students, $10 for Shoreline staff, and $12 for General Admission, and can be purchased via Brown Paper Tickets or at the door.