On Stage in New York

In February, 2026, the script and music for “Once In a Lifetime, Again” were submitted for consideration by the Broadway Bound Theatre Festival in New York City.

Over one hundred scripts were entered in the Festival, and “Once In a Lifetime, Again” was one of the twelve shows selected for full production at the Festival in the 99-seat AMT Theater on West 45th in New York City.

Misti B. Wills was selected to Direct and Logan Medland once again served as Musical Director. Established New York City actors Cooper Grodin (Jesse Davidson), Jenny Lee Stern (six female roles), Thursday Farrar (Dr. Caroline Little), and Elmo Zapp (Mutiny Caine, leader of the Crash Landings band) comprised the cast.

Broadway musicians Russ Nyberg (drums) and Justin Rothberg (lead guitar) rounded out the “Crash Landings” band, which included Logan Medland on keys and Elmo Zapp on bass.

Five performances were staged from August 5 through August 9, 2026. The reviews were outstanding. We are proud to provide the full unedited text from each of three reviews here.

Cast

Playing Jesse Davidson

Cooper Grodin is thrilled to join BBTF 2026! Cooper was born and raised right here in Manhattan. When he is not at the gym he is constantly and joyously composing music!
Much love to the wife, mom, sister, nephews and entire team at The Price Group Agency!

@CooperGrodinOfficial
*Member of Actor’s Equity Association

Playing six female characters!
Broadway veteran and Drama Desk Nominee. Broadway: ROCKY (“Joanne”) A CHRISTMAS STORY (“Mrs. Schwartz”). Tour: JERSEY BOYS (“Mary Delgado”). Off-Broadway, Ms. Stern garnered critical acclaim in 5 incarnations of FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, most recently FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: MERRILY WE STOLE A SONG (Drama Desk Nom). TV: The Sopranos, Mysteries of Laura.
Regionally, she has found her niche playing “Patsy Cline” in ALWAYS...PATSY CLINE, playing the role over a dozen times across the country. Mother of Nora Bella, Patsy Shayne, & Daisy Blue.

IG: @pinneddownpinup
*Member of Actor’s Equity Association

Playing Carrie Little
Broadway: Aida, Parade, Once Upon a Mattress. Off-Broadway: The Bandaged Place (Roundabout), Love & Science (City Center), Regrets (MTC), BloodWork (National Black Theatre), Lolita, My Love (York). National tours: Les Misérables, Flashdance, Carousel. Regional: Steel Magnolias (PlayMakers Rep), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Portland Stage), The Mousetrap (Berkshire Theatre Group), The Da Vinci Code (Ogunquit), First Wives Club (Old Globe), Merrily We Roll Along (Kennedy Center). TV: Poker Face, FBI, Manifest, Gotham, Blue Bloods, Modern Love. Film: Verity, East of the River. AMDA NYC. Audelco Award winner.
*Member of Actor’s Equity Association

Meet the Crash Landings

In 'Once In a Lifetime, Again,' Rowan 'Mutiny' Caine invites Jesse Davidson to join his band, the "Crash Landings," a popular local bar band that wants to break out from just doing cover songs and begin writing original music.

Meet the musicians who performed as the 'Crash Landings'

Logan Medland’s wide-ranging career spans work as a Writer, Composer, and Music Director. He wrote the book, music and lyrics for “Fingers and Toes” which debuted at the New York Musical Festival in 2010, and has had numerous regional productions since. He wrote music and lyrics for "Love Goddess: The Rita Hayworth Musical,”: Off-West End, London in 2022. As a musician he has appeared on Broadway in the original orchestra of “A Bronx Tale” and “Dr. Zhivago” and as a touring Music Director for productions of “Jersey Boys” “Cats”, “A Christmas Story”, “Chicago”. Most recently he was Music Director for From Here to Eternity, working with Sir Tim Rice on his most recent musical. He is the co-writer and Arranger for “Dreamboat” (a Yacht Rock Musical.) As a fiction writer, he is the 2023 Grand Prize winner of the Northwind Writer’s award. His first collection of short stories “Start a Religion Stay Out of Jail”, was published in 2023 by Raw Earth Ink Press.

Elmo Zapp is a multi-hyphenate musician, producer, & arranger based in NYC working and playing on projects throughout the city to Los Angeles and everywhere in between.
Stoked to be a part of this company and thanks to the creative team. Love ya Mom, Dad, and Buddy.

Justin Rothberg is a New York City–based freelance guitarist and multi-instrumentalist active in jazz, contemporary music, and musical theater. He has performed with artists including Itzhak Perlman, Petula Clark, Bernadette Peters, Wayne Newton, Nicole Scherzinger, and The Orchestra of St. Luke’s, with appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Today Show, and NPR’s Tiny Desk. His Broadway credits include Sunset Boulevard, Spamalot, Bad Cinderella, Kiss Me, Kate, Bat Out of Hell, Gettin the band back together and Home for the Holidays. His original project “The Justin Rothberg Group” released its third album, Hurricane Mouse, and plays in New York City.

Russ Nyberg is a drummer and percussionist in New York City. He has performed on Broadway and toured internationally with Disney & Aladdin, Miss Saigon, Chicago The Musical, Dr. Seuss & How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Mamma Mia, A Bronx Tale, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, Holiday Inn and Side Show. He has toured internationally with The Ten Tenors and can be found on the New York City freelance classical and cabaret scenes. When not performing, he works as a drum and percussion technician and coordinator for Boulevard Carroll Entertainment. Proud endorser of Sabian cymbals, Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets and Aquarian Drumheads.

Creative Leadership

“Once In a Lifetime, Again” is Steve’s one and only theatrical work...he was never in so much as a high school play. After retiring from a forty year advertising career in New York City, largely at this own firm, Gardner Nelson & Partners, Steve moved to Connecticut and joined Not My Problem, a successful bar band, as rhythm guitarist. He began writing original songs for the band until their gigging was shut down by Covid. Only then did he find the time and the purpose to write the book, lyrics, and music to “Once In a Lifetime, Again.”

Select credits, International; Unseen (Edinburgh Fringe Festival-Scotland) Off-Broadway: Brilliant (Broadway Bound Theatre Festival), My Real Mother (New York Musical Theatre Festival, Signature Theatre), and Tempest at La MaMa Etc (Assistant Director, NY Times Critics Pick). Regional: The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Sister Act (5 Star Theatricals, L.A., Ovation Recommended), Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Greenville Theatre, SC), My Fair Lady (Forestburgh Playhouse, NY), and Little Women (Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre, VA). Notable NYC: NYC premiere of A Pound in Your Pocket (by Charles Strouse/Lee Adams), Floyd Collins, Shake the Earth (NY Fringe Festival, Theater is Easy Best Bet Award),The Drunken City (NY Workshop Theatre), Afterlight (Cherry Lane, NYC Fringe Festival), The Winter’s Tale at Stella Adler Studio of Acting, Songs for a New World, Twelfth Night (Shakespeare’s Sister Co.), and Elvira: The Immigration Play (national tour). Member Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. mistibwills.com
**Member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society

His wide-ranging career spans work as a Writer, Composer, and Music Director. He wrote the book, music and lyrics for “Fingers and Toes” which debuted at the New York
Musical Festival in 2010, and has had numerous regional productions since. He wrote music and lyrics for "Love Goddess: The Rita Hayworth Musical,”: Off-West End, London in 2022. As a musician he has appeared on Broadway in the original orchestra of “A Bronx Tale” and “Dr. Zhivago” and as a touring Music Director for productions of “Jersey Boys” “Cats”, “A Christmas Story”, “Chicago”. Most recently he was Music Director for From Here to Eternity, working with Sir Tim Rice on his most recent musical. He is the co-writer and Arranger for “Dreamboat” (a Yacht Rock Musical.) As a fiction writer, he is the 2023 Grand Prize winner of the Northwind Writer’s award. His first collection of short stories “Start a Religion Stay Out of Jail”, was published in 2023 by Raw Earth Ink Press.

Made her professional choreographic debut with this show. Performing credits include La Cage aux Folles at The MUNY, A Chorus Line at Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Gilded Age. Huge thanks and love to Misti, Michelle and her amazing family. Julia is represented by Clear Talent Group.