January 22 – February 15, 2026
In Clay
Inspired by true events, In Clay shines a light on the overlooked brilliance of French ceramic artist Marie-Berthe Cazin. Set in the early 1930s, this captivating new musical unfolds in Marie’s apartment as she anticipates the arrival of her estranged friend and now celebrated artist Henrietta Tirman, forcing Marie to confront her complicated past. From her early days as a gifted protégée discovering the art of pottery, to watching her husband rise to fame and claiming her work as his own, through the turmoil of World War I, Marie reflects on her life shaped by passion, resilience, and a quiet longing to be seen. Set to a dynamic Parisian Jazz score, In Clay celebrates the enduring power of a life devoted to art.
Book and Lyrics by Rebecca Simmonds
Music and Lyrics by Jack Miles
Arrangements, Orchestrations, and Additional Music by Matt Herbert
Directed by Abe Reybold
Starring Malia Tippets
Run time is approximately 1 hour and 35 minutes and is presented without an intermission.
In Clay was presented at the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals in 2024. www.namt.org
Performances held at the Broadway Rose New Stage,
12850 SW Grant Avenue, Tigard, OR
Title Sponsor
Show Sponsors
Cast
Malia Tippets as Marie-Berthe Cazin
Malia Tippets is excited to return to the Broadway Rose stage for this special project. The opportunity to collaborate on such a new work is altogether thrilling, fulfilling, and terrifying. The themes of In Clay speak to the core of what Malia is learning, right now, in her life as a performer. Art is the process more than the product. Having studied musical theatre and earned her degree from Marymount Manhattan College in New York, Malia toured the nation and has traveled the world as a performer. Her favorite credits include Elphaba in Wicked (Universal Studios Japan), Eva Peron in Evita (National Tour), Daphne in Fly By Night (Broadway Rose), and Veronica Sawyer in Heathers (triangle productions!). Most recently Malia performed as Cynthia/Chaya here at her “theatre home,” the Broadway Rose, in the new work, Triangle. Malia works in arts administration, spending her daytime hours uplifting and supporting the performing arts, and her evenings on the stage as a performer. She asks that you consider inviting a friend who has never experienced live theatre to join you the next time you attend, to share with them the magic that is live performance.
Jennifer Davies as Marie-Berthe Cazin (understudy)
Jennifer Davies has appeared in many Broadway Rose shows including 8-Track: The Sounds of the 70s In Concert, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Ella), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Shy), and Evita (Person’s Mistress). She is an active performer and music director in Northwest Oregon, and is also a private voice teacher and member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Jennifer holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Portland State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from George Fox University.
Show Dates
Click on a date to purchase tickets.
Thursday, January 22, 7:30 p.m. – Preview performance – Limited availability
Friday, January 23, 7:30 p.m. – Opening night
Saturday, January 24, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, January 25, 2:00 p.m. – SOLD OUT
Thursday, January 29, 7:30 p.m. – Limited availability
Friday, January 30, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 31, 2:00 p.m. – Post-show talkback – Limited availability
Saturday, January 31, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 1, 2:00 p.m. – SOLD OUT
Thursday, February 5, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 6, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 7, 2:00 p.m. – Audio Descriptions available – Limited availability
Saturday, February 7, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 8, 2:00 p.m. – Limited availability
Thursday, February 12, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 13, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 14, 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 14, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 15, 2:00 p.m. – Limited availability
Creative Team
Director
Abe Reybold
Music Director
Billy Thompson
Scenic Designer
Larry Larsen
Costume Designer
Samantha Kuester
Lighting Designer
Carl Faber
Props Designer
Drew Dannhorn
Sound Designer
Brian Karl Moen
Stage Manager
Jessica Junor
Musicians
Piano
Billy Thompson
Guitar
Attila Csikos
Violin
Regina Sadowski
Bass
Amy Roesler
In Her Hands - An Art Exhibition
January 22 – February 15, 2026
Broadway Rose Theatre Company is proud to present its fifth art exhibition, on display in the lobby January 22 through February 15, showcasing the visual work of women ceramic artists from across the Portland Metro area. By placing these ceramic works alongside the theatrical experience, Broadway Rose aims to offer audiences a richer, more immersive encounter—one that honors the enduring power of artistic expression and the women who shape it. Many of the pieces will be available for purchase. Featuring art by Paige Becker, Michelle Gallagher, Alison Hardin, Emily Krupp-Pederson, Rachel Milstein, Willa Schneberg, and Aleena West.
Content Advisories
Click here for advisories about In Clay for sensory and content sensitive patrons (PDF).
Director's Notes
“I guess friendships can be
Touched with melancholy
If you see-through a little too far.”
It may seem easy to distinguish which characters are seemingly right and wrong in Rebecca Simmonds and Jack Miles’ beautifully crafted one-woman musical, In Clay. “One-woman” is slightly misleading, as the story is populated with several characters from the world of French ceramist and painter Marie-Berthe Cazin, who straddled two centuries and lived to be 98 years old. There are just enough facts available to see why this cast of characters inspired the writers to explore her world and the complex emotional life that exists within it.
One of the characters you’ll meet is Henriette Tirman, Marie’s best friend “who bested at every turn.” They are a complicated pairing who never seem able to center themselves on the wheel of friendship. From slightly scant historical documentation, I was surprised to discover that after Henriette’s brother’s death, she moved into Marie’s apartment and stayed there until her own death at age 77. This fact pushed me to look even closer at the motivations and conflicts that joined these two friends and rivals. As the lines of who’s right and who’s wrong blur in the story, the raw humanity of all involved becomes clearer, and painfully so.
I believe In Clay speaks to anyone who has pursued a passion or been left with the fragments of relationships and ambitions. Just like wet clay on the potter’s wheel, life is messy and unpredictable but allowing ourselves to take risks and make mistakes helps us heal and to hopefully see “the beauty in the broken.”
– Abe Reybold
Presented by special arrangement with The Caroline Underwood Agency.
www.thecarolineunderwoodagency.com
