Independent Arts News Reporting Hedgerow Theatre Company Presents the Regional Premiere of The Old Man and The Old Moon, Featuring Book, Music, and Lyrics by PigPen Theatre Co.
Reported on Tuesday, November 10th, 2026.
Pictured Above: Hedgerow Exterior. Photo Credit: Contributed.
NEWSROOM POST: PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
“A winning combination of storytelling, shadow puppetry, Irish-tinged folk tunes, and youthful vigor.” (Time Out New York)
Philadelphia, PA — Beginning November 25, Rose Valley-based Hedgerow Theatre Company (Hedgerow) (64 Rose Valley Road, Media, PA 19063) embarks on an epic journey with the regional premiere of the inventive production of The Old Man and The Old Moon, featuring book, music, and lyrics by PigPen Theatre Co. Directed by Philadelphia-based theater artist Abby Weissman, the sweeping story follows an old man who must abandon his duties of keeping the moon lit to cross the seas in search of his missing wife. The cast features local actors Scott Berkowitz, Katie Cannon, Christina Foye, Maxwell Hibbard, Eli Lynn, and Fiona Mulley, with many making their debut on the Hedgerow stage. The Old Man and The Old Moon is set to run from November 25 to January 3, 2027, with 29 performances presented in Hedgerow’s 100-seat theater, housed in an atmospheric 19th-century grist mill.
The Old Man and The Old Moon was created by PigPen Theatre Co., a New York-based theater company and indie folk band known for its unique brand of theater, music, and film. The troupe formed while attending Carnegie Mellon University in 2007 and has since performed, produced, and licensed their original plays in New York City and beyond, receiving praise from The New York Times, Chicago Sun-Times, Boston Globe, and more. They were the first group to win the NYC Fringe Festival’s top honor for a play two years in a row (2010, 2011) and have gone on to win IRNE (2012, 2015) and Jeff Awards (2014) for their theatrical productions. PigPen first premiered The Old Man and The Old Moon as an Off-Broadway production in 2012, which earned praise from critics as “charming and smartly staged” (New York Times).
In this fantastical story, an Old Man (Hibbard) carries out a lifelong task keeping the moon filled with light until his wife (Mulley) slips away one night, drawn by a mysterious song and the promise of the far horizon. Determined to find her, he joins a ragtag crew of sailors and sets out on an epic voyage towards the end of the world, where he encounters apocalyptic storms, civil wars, mythical monsters, and the challenges of change. Both whimsical and heartfelt, The Old Man and The Old Moon celebrates imagination, connection, and the enduring power of love and memory with live folk music and creative stagecraft.
“The Old Man and The Old Moon is the kind of play that makes the world glow, pairing an emotionally rich story with playful puppetry, inventive stagecraft, and music that brings generations together,” says director Abby Weissman. “At its heart is a reminder that stepping outside our routines can help us discover more about ourselves and the people we love. I hope audiences leave inspired to plan an adventure together, whether that means going dancing, exploring nature, or simply making time to experience something new.”
An ensemble of six versatile regional actor-musicians shapes the story together, moving among characters, instruments, and shared narration throughout the adventure. Actor, award-winning fight director, and intimacy director Eli Lynn (they/them) returns to the Hedgerow stage following Moby Dick (2019), playing the narrator and first shipmate, Matheson. Making their Hedgerow debuts, Maxwell Hibberd portrays the Old Man, whose search for his wife, the Old Woman, played by actor and singer-songwriter Fiona Mulley, sets the story in motion. Mulley also takes on multiple other roles, with Scott Berkowitz (Endlings, 2024) as a fellow shipmate and Mabelu; Christina Foye as shipmate Callahan and the Ghost Singer; and Katie Cannon as Llewellyn, Perry, and others. The performers draw on their talents as actors, singers, and multi-instrumentalists to create the characters, sound, and world of the play together.
Pictured Above: Hedgerow Exterior. Photo Credit: Contributed.
Following her directorial debut with 2025’s Little Women, director, actor, and intimacy educator Abby Weissman returns to Hedgerow for The Old Man and The Old Moon. She previously served as the intimacy coordinator for Hedgerow’s 2025 U.S. premiere of Stef Smith’s Nora: A Doll’s House. Weissman is a company member of Revolution Shakespeare and a proud alumnus of Northwestern University and the Arden Professional Apprentice Program. She has been a member of numerous productions in the Philadelphia region, including serving as an assistant director for Little Robin Hood: A Musical Panto (People’s Light, 2019), an intimacy coordinator for Twelfth Night (The Wilma Theater, 2023), and Cost of Living (Philadelphia Theatre Company, 2024). Weissman directed light opera with the Penn Singers and the Vocal Academy of Opera in Bodrum, Turkey, and coordinated free teen performing arts programming with Opera Philadelphia.
Weissman heads the production’s creative team, featuring Scenic Designer & Puppetry Pat Ahearn, Music Director and Sound Designer Matthew Mastronardi, Costume Designer Becky Wetzel, Hedgerow’s Resident Lighting Designer and Barrymore Award-winner Lily Fossner (Misery, Little Women). The crew also includes Stage Manager Elizabeth Meisenzahl and Assistant Stage Manager Sophia Bush.
TICKET INFORMATION
Hedgerow’s presentation of The Old Man and The Old Moon begins with previews on Wednesday, November 25, and opens on Friday, November 27, at 7 p.m. The play runs through Sunday, January 3, and is recommended for audiences ages 7 or older, and has an estimated runtime of 100 minutes with no intermission.
Single tickets are available for $25 to $40, plus a $5 service fee. Patrons can also choose from six subscription packages offering tickets to all four of Hedgerow’s upcoming Mainstage season. Subscribers enjoy early access to tickets, premium seating, and free ticket exchanges, with savings of up to 35% off the regular ticket price. Single tickets and subscriptions can be purchased from Hedgerow’s website. To contact Hedgerow Theatre, call 610-565-4211 or e-mail company@hedgerowtheatre.org.
This holiday season, the Independence Visitor Center has partnered with Hedgerow, Arden Theatre Company, and Wilma Theater for the Philly Family Theater Pass, a collaborative ticketing model for family audiences during the holidays and winter school break. The pass offers families the opportunity to experience three productions across the three theaters at a 35-40% savings compared with purchasing individual tickets. The pass includes tickets to The Old Man and The Old Moon at Hedgerow, The Little Prince at the Wilma (Nov. 17 to Dec. 6), and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz at the Arden (Nov. 25 to Jan. 17). Packages start at $169 for one adult and one child/teen, or less than $60 per production for two people, and are available for purchase through December 7.
ACCESSIBILITY
Hedgerow Theatre strives to be an inclusive and welcoming space for all individuals through special performances. American Sign Language (ASL) interpreted performances on Saturday, December 5, at 2 p.m., featuring interpreters provided by HandsUP Productions.
Hedgerow audiences can enjoy greater flexibility in captioning with Watch Word Live with smart glasses, offering immersive, real-time captioning glasses for live theater. The revolutionary technology enables the glasses to display a synchronized transcript of the play directly on the lenses, customizable for user comfort. Watch Word Live with smart glasses is available for all performances of The Old Man and The Old Moon beginning Thursday, December 3, at 7 p.m. Glasses inventory is limited, so Hedgerow recommends reserving them in advance by emailing company@hedgerowtheatre.org or calling the box office at 610-565-4211.
The theater offers two Relaxed Performances on Thursday, December 10, at 2 p.m., and Sunday, December 13, at 2 p.m., which include a sensory tour and pre-show notes at 11:35 a.m. Relaxed Performances provide a welcoming environment where all patrons can express themselves freely, without judgment or inhibition. These live theatre experiences invite and encourage individuals with autism, ADD, ADHD, dementia, sensory sensitivities, and anyone who would appreciate a more relaxed theater-going environment to enjoy the performance in our “shush-free” zone. Patrons will receive a pre-performance guide via email directly before the performance.
The Old Man and The Old Moon also includes Audio Description on Saturday, December 5, at 2 p.m., and Sunday, December 6, at 2 p.m., offering a live audio commentary describing the production’s visual elements provided by Nicole Sardella, benefiting individuals who are blind or have low vision. Hedgerow provides individual headsets upon request, which can be reserved in advance. A guided sensory tour will be available 45 minutes prior to curtain for both shows, which includes a hands-on introduction for patrons to certain key props, scenic and/or costume elements, and experience actor voices in advance. Inventory is limited, so Hedgerow encourages patrons to contact the box office early to ensure availability and make a reservation for the sensory tour or request a complimentary headset for live audio description.
About Hedgerow Theatre Company:
A professional non-profit theatre situated in picturesque Rose Valley just outside Philadelphia, Hedgerow Theatre Company celebrates a century of rich and storied programming. It is known for producing powerful and intimate works in its atmospheric, 100-seat theater, housed in a 19th-century grist mill. Hedgerow Theatre is on the National Register of Historic Places, is part of Rose Valley’s Historic District, and is dedicated to providing cultural enrichment, engaging entertainment, and training in theatre arts and management since 1923. It connects with the surrounding community through summer children’s programming, off-site residencies, and annual holiday programming. The company offers extensive educational programs through theatre school and touring programs and provides performance, technical, and theatre management opportunities and training in a close-knit and mutually supportive environment. For more information, please visit www.hedgerowtheatre.org.
