UPCOMING WORK
"What Do We Do Now?"
an original play by Abby Sommers. Debuts this June, 2026
In the days following his wife's unexpected death, the eccentric Professor Charles Goldschmidt devotes every ounce of his energy to returning a decades old blender to the department store from whence it came. In those same days, his adult daughter, Ellie, commits laser focus to her senior thesis project as her college graduation approaches -- which also happens to involve the very same blender. Aaron, the youngest, can't understand why all anybody can talk about is that damn blender.
"The idea for this play started as a film concept that I envisioned almost like a Pixar short with no dialogue — just an old man, his blender, a little comedy, and some heart. When Thomas approached me about writing a play, I pitched the “old man and his blender” concept along with a few others, but we both agreed that this was the one that felt truest and the most special. So, the story expanded, and while grief was always its central theme, it became much more about the relationships between those who are left behind after a loss.
When I lost my dad this past year, missing him was the uncomplicated part; not easy by any means, just straightforward in that it was devastating and not much else. But the way that every other relationship in my life shifted was confusing and unexpected; I wasn’t just grieving my dad, I was grieving a version of my family that would never exist in the same way again. And at the same time, the new relationships that were born out of that loss are where I have found the most hope. The process of writing the play has been a helpful outlet to organize all those feelings, and I hope that the finished product will resonate with a wide audience."
— Abby Sommers, Playwright
About the playwright
Abby Sommers is a recent Tufts graduate and an aspiring filmmaker based in New York City. Her storytelling often centers on quirky characters and musical elements, though this collaboration with Little Birdie is her first attempt at a stage play! When she’s not writing or staying up late working on a film editing project, she can be found playing guitar or building some new Star Wars LEGO set.