Bringing ‘The Drunken City’ to Life Onstage, Behind Scenes
ALBANY, N.Y. (Oct. 21, 2026) — For UAlbany students Cat Brady and Otto Vaval, the Theatre Program’s production of “The Drunken City” is more than an opportunity to bring a play to the stage. It’s a chance to put their classroom training and experience to work as they prepare for careers in theatre.
Written by Adam Bock and directed by Desirée Chappelle Streeter, “The Drunken City” follows a bride-to-be whose chance encounter with a stranger during a night out leads her to question her future, sending her friends scrambling to find her. The comedy explores friendship, relationships and the sometimes difficult choices that come with discovering who you are.
The production opened Wednesday at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center and continues through Sunday.
Discovering a Passion for Design
For Brady, a New York native and graduating senior, theatre has been part of her life since childhood, when her grandmother regularly took her to musicals and plays. But it wasn’t until she arrived at UAlbany that she discovered her passion for scenic design.
An introductory technical theatre course sparked her interest in set construction and design, leading her to take every technical theatre and design class she could. She will graduate ahead of schedule in December.
Her work on “The Drunken City” began in May with script readings, sketches and discussions about the production’s visual direction. Over the summer, she collaborated with Chappelle Streeter and fellow student designers, developing a physical model and two digital models of the set.
Brady also worked closely with student lighting designer Stacy Hyson to help bring the production’s visual elements together.
“The support from faculty has been truly meaningful to me,” Brady said. “I put in the work to learn this new thing, and they have been there with me every step of the way.”
After graduation, Brady plans to return to New York to pursue scenic construction, painting and design, with hopes of eventually attending graduate school.
Her advice to prospective theatre students is simple: “You have to jump in with both feet.”
Finding a Voice Onstage
For Otto Vaval, a theatre major from Hillburn, N.Y., performing has been a lifelong passion. Growing up in a musical family, Vaval remembers being moved to tears by a high school production of “West Side Story.”
“I felt determined to make other people feel as cathartic as I did that day,” said Vaval, who began performing at age 10.
Vaval said the collaborative environment surrounding "The Drunken City" has been especially rewarding. During one rehearsal, Chappelle Streeter asked Vaval and fellow cast members Day’Zion Williamson and Victoria Ugwudiobi to share personal experiences to better understand one another and their characters.
“It was very healing, and it formed a very strong bond between the three of us, and a stronger bond with our characters,” Vaval said.
The experience builds on previous UAlbany performances, including "The Rocky Horror Show" in 2025, and classes with faculty members Shaun Patrick Tubbs, Chappelle Streeter and Kathryn Walat.
After graduating in spring 2027, Vaval plans to move to New York to pursue acting and writing.
Vaval encourages other students to explore theatre at UAlbany, regardless of their major. “Go for it! It is so easy to get involved,” Vaval said, pointing to opportunities in acting, design and backstage production.
Tickets for “The Drunken City” are now available, with performances continuing through Sunday.
Visit the UAlbany Performing Arts Center for showtimes and ticket information.