.png)
DISTEL
& DISTEL
PRODUCTIONS
SHOWS THAT MAKE
YOU FEEL
Mother and daughter team, Lori Robinson Distel and Piper J. Distel, have been collaborating on productions as composer/lyricist and librettist since 2017. Their first musical project, A Nightingale Sang, hit the stage in 2019 as a workshop production, and was soon followed by a plethora of other unique projects, all of which have offered something fresh and exciting to the Canadian theatrical landscape. Drawing inspiration from personal experience and their combined knowledge of the theatrical arts, Distel & Distel strive to create productions that spread messages of hope, justice and acceptance, as well as forge a path for female creators to have their voices heard.
In 2024, Distel and Distel were both individually placed as Top 20 finalists for the prestigious Kleban Musical Theatre Prize, based out of New York City. Their story and productions have been featured by a variety of local newspapers and media outlets.
MUSICAL PRODUCTIONS
A Nightingale Sang
Music and Lyrics by Lori Robinson Distel
Book and Concept by Piper J. Distel
Orchestrations by Alexander W. Halma-Reed
A story of hope and resilience, A Nightingale Sang follows the life of Gael Pfeiffer- a Romani factory worker with an exquisite singing voice, who finds himself suddenly in charge of ‘The Warsaw Ghetto Cabaret,’ leading to the ultimate sacrifice.
PREMIERED: October 2019 | Not currently available for licensing.
Curiouser
Music and Lyrics by Lori Robinson Distel
Book and Concept by Piper J. Distel
Orchestrations by Sabatino Vacca
Additional Orchestrations by Daniel Warren
Experience the enchanting musical biography, "Curiouser," as it traces Lewis Carroll's journey from his Yorkshire childhood to his whimsical friendship that inspired 'Alice.' This theatrical adventure invites you to through the 'looking glass' and explore the quirky life of one of history's misunderstood geniuses.
PREMIERED: December 2021 | Available for licensing.
12 Masculine/10 Feminine/Ensemble
Miss Scrooge
Music and Lyrics by Lori Robinson Distel
Book and Concept by Piper J. Distel
Orchestrations by Alexander W. Halma-Reed
Based on ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens
Set against the backdrop of 1930s Wall Street, Miss Scrooge imagines the story of Ebenezer Scrooge as a brilliant but guarded businesswoman whose career while her personal life suffers. On Christmas Eve, she confronts ghostly encounters that lead her to personal discovery, revealing the effects of her choices and the possibility of change. This musical infuses humor, heart, and insight into Scrooge's journey, highlighting the societal pressures faced by women in power as she navigates her past and future.
PREMIERED: December 2022 | Available for licensing.
10 Masculine/13 Feminine/Ensemble
Little Heaven
Music and Lyrics by Lori Robinson Distel
Book and Concept by Piper J. Distel
Orchestrations by Alexander W. Halma-Reed
Set in post-WWII Poland, Little Heaven follows the intertwined lives of Maél Niebo’s residents as they rebuild amidst the ruins of war.
Leo Meier, a Berlin reporter, grapples with guilt over his role in Nazi propaganda. Maestro Covali, a Romani violinist, mourns the loss of his family. The Hoffsons, a Jewish family, are fractured by tradition and a buried secret. Catholic siblings Joseph and Katherine Worcheka confront love and duty in a changing world. Told through song, scene, and monologue, Little Heaven explores grief, inherited prejudice, and the healing power of community.
PREMIERED: January 2024 | Available for licensing.
9 Masculine/12 Feminine/Ensemble
THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS
By Piper J. Distel and Lori Robinson Distel
Adapted from the novel by Louisa May Alcott
Little Women follows the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—as they come of age during the American Civil War. Through love, loss, ambition, and family bonds, they each navigate the challenges of growing up and finding their place in the world. Distel & Distel’s reimagined version of this beloved classic updates the language and focuses on the inevitability of change, through narrations from Louisa May Alcott’s original novel.
PREMIERED: October 2021 | Available for licensing.
5 Masculine/6 Feminine/Ensemble
Little Women
Head in the Game
By Piper J. Distel and Lori Robinson Distel
Brilliant but reclusive, Dr. Silas Merryweather faces a terminal brain tumour just as his assistant, Harriet, pushes him toward long-overdue soul-searching. Enter Frankie-Jean Wallis, a sharp-tongued twelve-year-old from “Homies for Hospice,” who challenges Silas with her blunt take on life and death. As two cynics forge an unexpected bond, Head in the Game becomes a witty, heartfelt comedy about dying—and the healing power of unlikely friendship.
PREMIERED: February 2025 | Available for licensing.
5 Masculine/7 Feminine/5 Any
The Return: A Ghost Story
By Piper J. Distel and Lori Robinson Distel
Family is everything. That’s the motto at Eventide, the crumbling Louisiana estate of the old-money Calhoun family. When the dying patriarch’s children reunite to hear his bizarre will, estranged cousin Pearl Kelly arrives, claiming a stake in the fortune. As a hurricane traps them together, long-buried secrets surface, facades crumble, and a mysterious presence begins to stalk the house.
The Return is a darkly witty Southern Gothic tale exploring race, inheritance, and the ghosts that haunt a family—literally and figuratively.
PREMIERED: April 2025 | Available for licensing.
6 Masculine/10 Feminine
LICENSE A DISTEL & DISTEL
PRODUCTION
Select Distel & Distel productions are available for license in Canada. Fill out the form below to request a script sample and begin a dialogue.