Static
A Morse Code Musical
Book/Music/Lyrics by Tess Rowan
"The hot-selling ticket of the summer."
BroadwayWorld
About
Static is an original Morse code musical about a teen trying to find her dad who's lost in the woods on the Appalachian Trail. The McAfee family has lived in the Pennsylvania forest ever since their father went missing while hiking. Through the radio, daughter Maine teams up with local teen Charlie on a detective mission to find Maine’s father, discovering secrets along the way.
Static is the first musical to utilize Morse code as a method of dramatic storytelling, including cryptic and interactive Morse code clues and secret messages embedded in the music and story. Static is a sonic blend of musical theater, original folk-rock music, and Morse code,
Imagine an acoustic campfire sing-along mixed with a true-crime podcast.
Static is a story of family, friendship, truth, and finding your voice.
Meet the Writer
Tess Rowan
Tess Rowan is a 21-year-old performer, composer, playwright, director, musician, and thru-hiker from the Washington, D.C. Area. She currently attends New York University, studying Drama in the Tisch School of the Arts.
Her work has been seen at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, the Contemporary American Theater Festival, Stagedoor Manor, and the Capital Fringe Festival. Featured writing and directing projects include Break My Bones (The O’Neill YPF), Mr. Stranger and Pie from the Pattersons (Stagedoor Manor Dramafest), Your Carving Footprint and Gravediggers (Saxon Stage After Hours), and Static (Contemporary American Theater Festival, Capital Fringe Festival, Flying V Theatre, The Raue Center.)
She recently thru-hiked Vermont’s 272-mile Long Trail, where she earned her trail name “Storyteller” while creating Field Notes, an audio theater documentary project.
Show History & Awards
Spring 2019
An Early Start
September 2020
Radio Waves
November 2020 -January 2022
Music & Social Media
June 2022 - July 2022
World Premiere
September 2022 -August 2023
Workshops
May 2024 -July 2024
Staging a New Static
July 2025
Further Development
At age 14, Tess Rowan teaches herself to play guitar and piano while researching morse code and The Appalachian Trail as she begins to write an early draft of the Static script and score.
Tess wins the first-ever WTOP Top Kid Award for her work on Static during the COVID-19 Pandemic and begins fundraising for Static.
Music from Static is shared in multiple international charity benefit fundraisers and performances, including Thornhill Theatre Space's New Musical November., Save the Arts, and Lockdown Live. Tess creates the viral #staticsingers and #staticsingersreprise on TikTok. Static singles, "Whatta World" and "Tell Me How," are produced and released on all streaming platforms.
Static makes its world premiere at the 2022 Capital Fringe Festival in a production starring and directed by 17-year-old Tess Rowan. After a sold-out run in the nation's capital, Static wins Best Musical and Best Ensemble at Fringe.
Tess Rowan continues developing Static with Flying V Theatre, culminating in a regional workshop performance in August 2023.
In collaboration with the Raue Center School for the Arts, Static receives a five-week workshop, and performances at The Raue Center in the greater Chicago Area.
The Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) helped workshop and further develop Static during their summer season, culminating in a Static public showcase event in Shepherdstown, WV.
Radio
Waves
Listen to (and decode!) select songs from Static.
Found Footage
Watch a playlist of Static videos from behind-the-scenes clips, to original songs, and onstage moments.
Static Videos
Keep in Touch
Hey ham radio operators! Want to shoot us an email or send a QSL Card?
Contact staticmusical@gmail.com
