STATEN ISLAND, September 28, 2026 – Discover the sharp wit and striking honesty of TROUBLE IN TAHITI, a bold and intimate work by Leonard Bernstein. Set in the picture-perfect suburbs of 1950s America, this one-act opera peels back the glossy façade of domestic bliss to reveal the quiet frustrations within a seemingly ideal marriage.
At the center are Sam and Dinah, a couple struggling to connect amid the pressures of modern life, their conversations missing each other at every turn. Meanwhile, a bright, jazzy vocal trio cheerfully sells a dream of happiness and harmony. Blending satire, sophistication, and a richly expressive score, TROUBLE IN TAHITI invites audiences to look closer at what it really means to have it all. In approaching these themes, Director and Conductor Dr. Vincent Graña asks the question, “Has there ever been a thing that was promised to you that turned out to be false?” The broken promise of what “should be,” and the feelings that provokes, are shared across decades and generations.
TROUBLE IN TAHITI marks the first opera ever programmed as part of the official WCT season, but at only 45 minutes long and with jazz influences in the music it is delightfully unexpected. “For opera fans, it is a refreshing and natural 20th century evolution of the art form,” says General Manager Michelle Siemens. “For those who are unfamiliar with opera, this is the perfect opportunity to try something new.”
PERFORMANCES
October 8, 9 at 7:30PM, October 10 at 4:00PM & 8:00PM, and October 11 at 2:00PM. All performances will be in Wagner College Theatre’s Stage One.
Theatre patrons are welcome to park in the Tiers Lot Visitor Parking and the Stadium Parking Lot. To find the Wagner College Main Entrance with a GPS, use 631 Howard Ave, Staten Island, NY. One Campus Rd Staten Island, NY 10301
THE COMPANY
Director/Music Director Dr. Vincent Graña, Associate Music Director Tom McDonough, Lighting Designer Holden Whalen, Costume Designer Michelle Siemens, Hair & Makeup Designer Lacy Thompson, Scenic Designer Joey Savage, Props Master Aidan Adams, Stage Manager Megan Dorothy, Production Manager Vicki Neal, Technical Director Brian T. Sharron. Cast includes: Mackenzie Walsh, Quill Cooke, Layla Valenzuela, Jenna Haefli, Max Markarian, Jacky Maloney, Daniel Stefanski, and Matthew Abatemarco.
TICKETING
For more information and tickets please contact the box office at 718-390-3259 and boxoffice@wagner.edu or visit https://wagner.edu/performing-arts/. The Box Office is open 12:00PM - 4:00PM Monday through Friday and one hour before every performance. Tickets are $10 plus a $2 service fee.
Current members of the Wagner College Community — including faculty, staff, and students — are eligible for two complimentary tickets to each WCT production, both in Main Hall and Stage One. Wagner College Community Members can claim their tickets by contacting the Box Office or reserving online. When reserving online, please create a profile and login using your wagner.edu email address. The benefit will apply automatically at checkout. We kindly ask that if you do reserve complimentary tickets in advance but are unable to attend the performance, please let us know as soon as possible so that we may offer those seats to others.
About Wagner College Theatre
Wagner College’s Theatre Department provides students with a strong liberal arts background combined with intensive training in dance, music, acting, design, and more. With more than 50 years producing live performances on Staten Island, Wagner College has become a leader in the field and has ranked among the top five collegiate theater programs in the United States by the Princeton Review since 2004, most recently ranking 2nd nationally in their 2027 “Best 392 Colleges” guide. Through a rigorous combination of theory and practice, the department seeks to foster leadership, a sense of community, artistic integrity, intellectual expertise, and the best professional values to serve students in their chosen profession.
For more information about our season, faculty, students, and ticketing please visit https://wagner.edu/performing-arts/.
Follow us on instagram @wagnercollegetheatre
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For further information, please contact:
Michelle Siemens, Theatre General Manager
Tel: 718-390-3325 | michelle.siemens@wagner.edu
