Arts & Entertainment Compass

“The Plans We Made,” a Sapphic Tragic Love Ballad, made an important impression on me during its closing performance this June at the Midtown International Theatre Festival. Written and Directed by Dr. Danielle (Dani) Bacibianco, this piece was initially developed in a shorter 10 minute format as part of the Women’s Playwright Collective New Voices Festival in 2025. The newest version of the script clocked in just under an hour. Most notably, the extended length allowed the audience enough time to fall in love along with these two obviously flawed characters Rory (Aurora) and Grey. I suppose picking up a date at the local Alcoholics Anonymous meeting is a great way to start off a tragic love story. If Kushner’s “Angels in America” is the quintessential gay play, then perhaps Dr. Bacibianco has finally given us the lesbian equivalent. 

Where some shows struggle with the difficulties of a festival format (short time slots, minimal sets, and a small space) Dr. Dani’s play thrived under these limitations. The integration of dance, movement, and music into the action of the evening was very successful, and it all made sense because one of our character’s was a dancer. All or Most of the musical selections were women’s voices. There is something magical about having no men in sight, and absolutely no references were made to men (a welcome change in a theatre industry notoriously oversaturated by the male gaze). Revolving entirely around these two women and their love, I was entranced by the genuine connection these performers made with each other and with their audience. Lillie Shenkel, reprising her role as “Grey” from last year’s pilot production, played the moody jaded writer to a T. Her girlfriend “Aurora,” embodied by the lovely Jordyn Rubinsky, was absolutely believable as the more innocent and impressionable ballet dancer. Both actresses got their start at New York’s American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). 

While the play ostensibly takes place in New York City, the set and props took a timeless almost pastoral approach, with flickering lanterns held within wooden crates, giving a beautiful ambient lighting to the area even during the well choreographed scene changes. Costumes were more rooted in place and time – with some commentary on the action itself: having a character wear a “D.A.R.E.” T-shirt (meaning Drug Abuse Resistance Education) who then later relapses is what we in the theatre call tragic irony. I struggled to find the reason the author chose to root the play in NYC, which felt more like an easy decision than an artistic one. 

Our star crossed lovers make all the signature mistakes of rushing into things, falling back into old habits, and abandoning those we love most. Why does a good play always have to end in sorrow? I was struggling with the writer’s choice of having the play end with the tragic death of writer Grey. At the end of the musical RENT, when Mimi pulls through, we all know that we are being protected from a bitter ending. This play takes a more heart wrenching and authentic climax: paramedics are called, but in the end the choice to relapse was always the death sentence. The lengthy trigger warning at the beginning of the show was thoughtful, sympathetic, and set just the right tone for us to feel safe within a tumultuous play. 

Both of these actresses were brave and bold: displaying physical intimacy onstage is never easy, as well as navigating the emotional rawness of discussing very mature themes like addiction and relapse. Lesbian stories should be given space and taken seriously. I want to see more plays like this one. I was sad that there was no program of credits to reference, as the work of these theatre professionals was of a level that deserved that at least. Collecting or keeping a program as a memento is essential to the ritual of theatre. I also loved the choice of songs and incidental music used during the scene changes and movement transitions. Unfortunately, without attributing credit to the songwriters, I can’t hear them again, which seems like an oversight, when production clearly took such care in selecting them. 

I congratulate Dr. Danielle Bacibianco on her triumph of a play, and I hope that the Midtown Festival considers further collaboration with her excellent production. 

“The Plans We Made” by Dr. Danielle Bacibianco

• Dr. Dani Bacibianco – Playwright/Director
• Krista Luongo – Production Assistant
• Tori Sliwinski – Lighting Designer & Sound Tech
• Nora Shvartsberg – Costume Designer
• Gary Moore – Sound Designer
• Jordan Luongo – Graphic Designer

Starring: 

• Lillie Schenkel – “Grey”
• Jordyn Rubinsky – “Aurora”