THE WAITING is an original folk musical written by Maria Isabella Andreoli and EmmaLee Kidwell, telling the story of grief from the perspective of the dead.

Deep in the woods of Vermont, there exists a space between two worlds. There lies The InBetween — a timeless purgatory where those who were taken from life too soon wait, tethered to a lost life they can’t remember. The story unfolds as these souls slowly uncover that the love and loss from their past lives may be the very thing keeping them from moving forward.

Woven through haunting folk melodies and earthy, poetic lyricism, The Waiting explores how we keep those we’ve lost in our hearts, our memories, and the land forever.

We’ve been writing The Waiting for over six years, developing it with the renowned Musical Theatre Factory in NYC, the SheNYC festival, and self-produced concerts and workshops. In June 2025, the show had its Developmental Premiere, where we had a seven-piece band, full production design, and saw the musical staged fully for the first time.

Now, we’re ready for the next step: sharing with the music with the rest of the world. We are fundraising to record a professional EP featuring key songs from the show. This EP will serve as a springboard for The Waiting - a way to bring the story and music to new audiences, producers, and industry partners. Many beloved musicals began this way, using early recordings to build momentum and visibility.

Your donation will help us hire Broadway stars to sing the songs, contribute to renting a professional recording studio, and helping us create an incredible team of producers, musicians, and creatives.

This project has been a labor of love for years. We hope you’ll help take THE WAITING from the page to the world.