The de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) will host a one-night-only presentation of Rey of Light—a new musical with book by Jen Cohen and music and lyrics by Nicky Phillips—inspired by the extraordinary lives of H.A. and Margret Rey, creators of Curious George.
Featuring Southern Miss members of the Hub City Players, the performance will take place at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27, in the Joseph Paul Student Theatre inside the Thad Cochran Center.
This moving and joyful event will not only bring the Reys’ story to the stage, but will also mark a long-awaited family reunion of the Reys’ descendants. The family will gather from around the globe to celebrate the remarkable legacy preserved in the internationally renowned de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection, which houses the Reys’ original manuscripts, letters and artwork. The performance is free and open to the public, and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. (Parents, please note: the musical is intended for audiences ages 12 and up).
The evening will feature a powerful and intimate concert-style presentation of Rey of Light with professional actors, live music and archival images from the Rey Papers. The performance represents the musical’s latest milestone following development at top theatrical institutions including the ASCAP Stephen Schwartz Workshop, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Randolph College for the Performing Arts, the Goodspeed Musicals Johnny Mercer Writers Grove and the Canadian Music Theatre Project at Sheridan College.
“This is not a children’s musical,” said book writer Jen Cohen. “It’s a story about finding hope in the darkest times—about two artists who risked everything to preserve their freedom and creative spirit. Sharing this story and our process of writing a new musical in the place where their legacy is housed is one of the most meaningful moments in our journey so far.”
The musical is the result of years of in-depth research and creative development by Cohen and composer-lyricist Nicky Phillips. The writers began their process at the de Grummond Collection, studying the Reys’ original documents and sketches. Their journey also took them to Paris, where the Reys lived before fleeing Nazi-occupied France by bicycle, and to Waterville Valley, N.H., where they were awarded a creative residency at the Reys’ former cottage and composed early songs for the piece.
In addition to the performance, Cohen and Phillips will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a musical, the significance of archival storytelling, and their experience working with the Rey legacy.
“To present songs from Rey of Light surrounded by the Rey family, the Hattiesburg community, and the students and faculty of USM is incredibly special,” Phillips said. “The energy of this campus and the generosity of the de Grummond team have already shaped our process in beautiful ways.”
Cohen added, “This isn’t just a presentation to us—it’s history, emotion and legacy all converging in one incredible night.”
About the Show
Rey of Light is inspired by the real-life story of Margret and Hans Rey, Jewish refugees and creators of Curious George, who fled Nazi-occupied Paris in 1940 with their manuscript in hand. Their remarkable journey was one of survival, hope and creativity amid persecution and war. The story highlights the courage and strength of immigrants and honors the Reys’ contribution to American culture—the joy they brought to millions of children worldwide—and their enduring message of resilience.
About the Writers
Jen Cohen is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (summer program), and the Lyric and Book Labs at NMI in Los Angeles. She is an alumna of the Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals, the Interlochen Center for the Arts and the ASCAP Stephen Schwartz Workshop. She serves on the Board of Directors of Canadian Friends of Interlochen.
Cohen has worked extensively as a choreographer and director at Soulpepper, Young People’s Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, Harold Green Jewish Theatre, Tarragon and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in Toronto. She was nominated for the Siminovitch Prize in Directing and the Mike Ockrent Theatre Directing Fellowship (SSDC, N.Y.). Her awards include a Dora for Best Production of a Musical (A Year with Frog and Toad) and Best Choreography (James and the Giant Peach) at Young People’s Theatre.
Nicky Phillips is an award-winning composer and lyricist and an alumna of the BMI Lehman Engel Advanced Musical Theatre Workshop, where she received the Jean Banks Award for outstanding achievement in musical theatre. She was mentored by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Craig Carnelia through the Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project.
Her work has been showcased at Lincoln Center, 54 Below, Don’t Tell Mama and the New York Theatre Barn. Selected musicals include Rey of Light (with Jen Cohen); The Last Party (with Steven Gallagher); In Between (with Sarah Ziegler and Gallagher); and In Flanders Fields (with Robert Gontier). Phillips is co-writer of The Tweens ’N Teens Songbook: New Musical Theatre Songs for the Young (ish) Performer. Her songs can be heard in Season One of the Netflix animated series Vida the Vet, with Season Two coming soon. Click here for more information.
About Hub City Players
The Hub City Players professional theatre company was formed in 2012 for an original FestivalSouth production. Its success led to many more popular productions and multiple American Prize in Musical Theatre award-winning shows. They have developed a devoted following who have come to expect exceptional performances, great production value, and a wonderful escape through theatre. Click here for more information.
About the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection
The de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection is one of North America’s leading research centers in the field of children’s literature. The Collection holds the original manuscripts and illustrations of more than 1,400 authors and illustrators, as well as more than 200,000 mostly American and British published books dating back to 1530.