This episode features a conversation with Jessica Francis Fichter and Colleen Francis about their new musical, Dandelion.

DANDELION tells the poignant and uplifting story of Jane, a young woman who faces profound questions of responsibility and sacrifice when she must decide between attending college in pursuit of her lifelong dream, or staying home to care for her mother — who is struggling with severe mental illness and addiction.

Jane navigates the ups and downs of her senior year of high school while her father tries to lighten the mood with his trademark dad jokes, her brother urges her to assert her own autonomy, and her goofy best friend Gabbie is always by her side to offer emotional support and wacky antics. At the same time, Lilah faces her own inner demons — personified onstage as the Voices — as she loses herself amid a sea of doctors’ appointments, prescriptions, and hallucinatory episodes.

When Jane leaves for a “Welcome Weekend” event at North College, Lilah’s illness reaches a self-destructive turning point, forcing Jane to question whether her mother will be able to live alone safely without Jane, her little “Dandelion.” As family tensions and mounting pressures only worsen, and Lilah continually begs her to stay, Jane has to make the impossible decision to leave in the hopes of making her dreams — and Lilah’s — come true.

This episode features demo recordings of the songs “North” performed by Lianah Sta. Anna and Hannah Bennett, as well as “Go Where You Grow” performed by Sadie Wiskes and Jessica Phillips.

Connect with Dandelion:

Website: www.dandelionmusical.com

Instagram: @dandelionmusical

Connect with Jessica Francis Fichter:

Website: www.jessicafrancisfichter.com

Instagram: @jessicafichter1

Connect with Colleen Francis:

Website: www.itsmefrankyc.com/colleenfrancis

Instagram: @colleenfrancismusic

Connect with New York Theatre Barn:

• Twitter: @nytheatrebarn

• Instagram: @newyorktheatrebarn

• Facebook.com/nytheatrebarn

• nytheatrebarn.org

• Pauls’s personal instagram: @paulsmacs

• Teresa’s personal instagram: @terijoyeaux