Jenny Giering and Sean Barry's Ambitious, Autobiographical One-Woman Musical, What We Leave Behind, Still Has a Way to Go
This article was published by Triangle Review on 25 September 2025.
What We Leave Behind, Theatre Raleigh's current offering, presented in partnership with the Capital Arts Theatre Guild, is an ambitious new musical written by Jenny Giering and Sean Barry. Directed by Paige Price, with music direction by Beth G. Tankersley, the production places Broadway veteran Jessica Phillips at its center in a one-woman performance that is both intimate and starkly demanding. Scenic design by Sonya Leigh Drum, lighting by Erin Bell, and sound design by Parker Gagnier give the piece a polished frame, while Tankersley's visible presence at a black grand piano in the middle of the stage becomes a defining feature of the show.
The musical is still in development, with audiences invited to share feedback after each performance. This element alone sets it apart from most professional productions. For those curious about the process of creating new work, the experience offers a rare chance to see artistry in motion.
Jessica Phillips, who plays Jenny, is a seasoned actor whose credits span Broadway, television, and film. She most recently appeared as an alternate for Idina Menzel in Redwood at the Nederlander Theatre. Her stage presence is undeniable as she navigates Jenny's journey with a strong and polished voice.
But whereas Phillips' performance is steady, it is Beth Tankersley's work at the piano that proves to be the heart of the production. Tankersley, a West Coast conductor and pianist making her Theatre Raleigh debut, is mesmerizing. Watching her body language, hands, and facial expressions as she pours emotion into every arpeggio makes the production worthwhile. More than an accompanist, she is a silent character who interacts with Phillips on stage, making the pianist's presence integral to the show's structure. Putting the piano and pianist at center stage is a bold and effective choice, and Tankersley fills the role brilliantly.
The story of What We Leave Behind is autobiographical, based on the lived experiences of Giering and Barry. It follows Jenny as she confronts a long-term, bed-ridden illness, exploring how her identity as a woman, wife, and mother is reshaped by the demands of her condition. The narrative leans heavily on emotion, moving through stages of grief, frustration, and acceptance. The theme's resonance is undeniable. Many audience members have either faced chronic illness themselves or supported loved ones as they did so.
Yet despite this emotional weight, the show struggles to sustain dramatic engagement. Much of the piece unfolds as a progression of feelings rather than concrete action. Despite attempts to lighten things, the musical's story is sad and weighted, even during humorous and upbeat musical numbers, such as "The Death Diet."
The narrative's exploration of Jenny and Sean's polyamorous relationship with a third partner, Anna, remains puzzling. Incorporation of this relationship could provide rich complexity, but its current presentation feels both central and underexplored. Anna emerges as an almost saintly figure, seamlessly stepping into Jenny's roles as wife and mother. This depiction invites questions: Are we meant to admire the arrangement as an idealized solution, or to interrogate the difficulties such a structure might inevitably produce? Unfortunately, the production doesn't seem interested in exploring the latter. The result is a subplot that feels simultaneously intriguing and frustratingly incomplete.
Musically, the score relies heavily on arpeggiated patterns that evoke the sensation of ocean waves -- dark, undulating, and repetitive. This establishes an atmospheric sound world, but it also creates a sameness across numbers that risks blending them together. Still, a handful of songs stand out. "The Death Diet." delivers irony with a macabre bounce, "Beneath a Bus" and "So Much More" add variety to the score, and "I Always Knew" lands with a tear-jerking sincerity that visibly moved the audience.
Despite its musical craft and strong performances, the show ultimately feels thin in terms of depth. It succeeds in offering a portrait of one woman navigating illness; but beyond that, its thematic layers are limited. The narrative suggests an attempt to normalize or validate polyamorous relationships, but without grappling with the complexities or conflicts such arrangements inevitably bring -- the point feels underdeveloped. Similarly, even though Jenny's suffering is communicated, the broader emotional resonance -- what this story has to say to those outside its immediate scope -- remains unclear.
In the end, What We Leave Behind is more interesting as an artistic process than as a finished product. It provides a glimpse into the emotional landscape of its creators, framed by two strong performers in Phillips and Tankersley. Yet it remains weighted, often static, and thematically unresolved. For audiences open to witnessing the experimental stages of musical theater, it offers a compelling evening. However, those seeking a polished, deeply layered narrative may be disappointed.
