Video: Pat Monahan and More Talk BEGIN AGAIN Pre-Broadway Run in San Diego

Begin Again composer Pat Monahan, director Lorin Latarro, and stars Emma Busse (Gretta) and Patrick Heusinger (Dan) have shared insight into the new musical’s pre-Broadway engagement at The Old Globe in a new exclusive video. Check out the video here!

The pre-Broadway engagement of the world premiere musical Begin Again plays now through Sunday, October 18, 2026, on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in The Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center in San Diego’s Balboa Park (1363 Old Globe Way). The official press opening is Thursday, September 17 at 7 p.m. 

Based on the Exclusive Media film written and directed by John Carney (Once, Sing Street), the new musical features music and lyrics by Pat Monahan and the band Train – Jerry Becker and Matt Musty (GRAMMY Awards for “Drops of Jupiter,” “Hey Soul Sister”); book by Jenna Clark Embrey (Literary Manager and Dramaturg at Lincoln Center Theater: The Lost Boys, Ragtime) and Molly Beach Murphy (The Alley Theatre’s Cowboy Bob, At Arles); music supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations by Brian Usifer (Broadway’s Chess, Kinky Boots); choreography by David Neumann(Broadway’s Hadestown, Swept Away); and direction by Lorin Latarro (Broadway’s Waitress, Chess). Begin Again is produced by special arrangement with Stephanie Kramer, Tamar Climan, and Nicole Kramer.

In a city alive with possibility, two unlikely dreamers discover that music has the power to change everything. When Gretta, a gifted but heartbroken songwriter, crosses paths with Dan, a record producer on the brink of burnout, their chance encounter sparks an unexpected collaboration that transforms them both. Set against the exhilarating backdrop of New York City, Begin Again is a world-premiere musical about rediscovering passion, purpose, and the courage to start over.

Latarro directs a cast of 19. The principal cast for Begin Again includes Emma Busse (“American Idol”) as Gretta,Patrick Heusinger (West End’s Paranormal Activity, Broadway’s Next Fall) as Dan, Charlotte MacLeod (Off Broadway’s Watcher in the Woods, The Bedwetter) as Violet, Kevin William Paul (Broadway’s The Outsiders, “Surf Guard”) as Max, Adrienne Walker (Broadway’s The Lion King, Starz’s “Power Book IV: Force”) as Miriam, Nik Walker(The Old Globe’s Regency Girls, Broadway’s Hamilton) as Saul, and Casey Whyland (Broadway’s Billy Elliot, Off Broadway’s Ginger Twinsies) as Stevie.

The Begin Again ensemble includes Matt Cusack (Broadway’s One Man, Two Guvnors; Bandstand), Logan Farine(National Tours: Rent 20th Anniversary Tour; Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story), John Krause (Broadway’s Hadestown, U.S. Tour: American Idiot), Kate Louissaint (Broadway’s A Wonderful World, Off Broadway’s Picnic at Hanging Rock), Ana Marcu (Off Broadway’s Georama, South Coast Repertory’s Million Dollar Quartet), Kelly McIntyre (National Tours: A Night with Janis Joplin, Asolo Rep’s Jesus Christ Superstar), Eric Shawn (National Tour: The Lion King, The Muny’s Rent), and Erica Swindell (Broadway’s Once, Off Broadway’s Mary Broome).

Swings for Begin Again are Eileen Doan (Off Broadway’s Girl, Interrupted; Coachella Valley Repertory’s Once), Karina Gallagher (John W. Engeman Theater’s Footloose, New London Barn Playhouse’s The Wedding Singer), Jack Gerhard(National Tour: Once, Riverside Theatre’s Kinky Boots), and Caleb Hartsfield (A.C.T.’s Almost Famous, Northern Stage’s Million Dollar Quartet).

In addition to Carney, Monahan, Train (Becker and Musty), Embrey, Murphy, Usifer, Neumann, and Latarro, the creative team for Begin Again includes music direction by Matt Deitchman; scenic design by Derek McLane; costume design by Linda Cho; lighting design by Amanda Zieve; sound design by John Shivers; projection design by David Bengali; illusions by Skylar Fox; wig and hair design by Alberto Alvarado; casting by Carnahan Casting, Jim Carnahan and Liz Fraser; and production stage management by Bonnie Panson.