The Monsters: A Sibling Love Story - Edgerton Foundation New Play Awards

Synopsis: For a long time, LIL has been obsessed with fighting, and one fighter in particular: her older brother BIG, an aging but successful figure in the local Mixed Martial Arts circuit. But she’s been doing it all from afar… until one day when she decides to show up on his doorstep. Written and directed by Ngozi Anyanwu (Good Grief, The Homecoming Queen, The Last of the Love Letters) this world premiere is a sibling love story about reunions, resentment, reconnection, and wrestling with demons.

Artistic Statement: The evolution of Ngozi Anyanwu’s THE MONSTERS is a case study of faith in an artistic spark rewarded. Originally commissioned by Two River Theater, Ngozi’s dream of a sibling love story told through Mixed Martial Arts grew from ten pages and exploration in a room, to deepening workshops at four venerable national institutions, to a movement lab at an MMA gym, to being part of three theater’s 2025/26 seasons. Her bold premise — to incorporate combat sport into story telling — only amplifies the laid-bare humanity of lost souls fighting for connection. Never afraid to lean into a big idea, the Edgerton Foundation, once again, has provided essential support to afford a risk-taking artist the space, time, and grace to fully explore something that has never been done before. Their vision and leadership are as singular as they are necessary. We are beyond grateful. — Justin Waldman, Artistic Director of Two River Theatre

Grant Statement: We are deeply grateful to the Edgerton Foundation for supporting our commission and
World Premiere of THE MONSTERS, written and directed by Ngozi Anyanwu, in coproduction with Manhattan Theatre Club.The additional week of rehearsal is especially vital for this production, which fuses theater and mixed martial arts in innovative ways.
Developing a new work of this scale requires time to experiment, refine, and discover how the story and physical language intersect. This grant gives our artists the space to do that work, ultimately strengthening not only this production but also contributing to the larger theater ecosystem by investing in the creation of bold, original work. — Nora DeVeau-Rosen, Managing Director of Two River Theatre

Creative team:

Director: Ngozi Anyanwu
Choreographer: Rickey Tripp
Scenic Designer: Andrew Boyce
Costume Designer: Mika Eubanks
Lighting Designer: Cha See
Sound & Composition Designer: Mikaal Sulaiman
Fight Director: Gerry Rodriguez
MMA Consultant: Sijara “Sarj” Eubanks
Casting: The Telsey Office
Additional Casting: Caparelliotis Casting & Kelly Gillespie

Cast:

Okieriete Onaodowan: Big
Aigner Mizzelle: Lil