NEW YORK, NY — This summer, the spirits of literary giants will haunt the New York stage as Laros Theatre presents a special, one-night-only showing of the new gothic musical, MY GHOSTS.

The production serves as a featured event of the ManiFestival, an inaugural new works festival produced by Diamond Mesh Inc. Theatrical Productions (led by Matt Bader and Faith Pasch). Scheduled for August 4 at 9:15 p.m., the performance acts as a “Grand Finale” for the festival’s special event series, intentionally timed to celebrate the birth of romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley—the radical thinker and husband to Frankenstein creator, Mary Shelley.

A Tunefully Dark Comedy of Literary ProportionsMY GHOSTS is a fantastical dark musical comedy that pulls back the curtain on the agony of creation. The story follows acclaimed author Cab Curio as he struggles to defeat his most relentless “inner critics” — the literal ghosts of Shakespeare, Marlowe, and Wilson. Racing against a ticking clock, Curio seeks the aid of Lenore, a mysterious clock tower ghost with a secret of her own, in a desperate bid to find his voice before his time runs out.
The musical is the brainchild of a powerhouse creative duo:Book by Erica Elsa Laros: A poet, artist, and New York Times-published obituary writer.Music & Lyrics by David Laros: An international piano entertainer and veteran musical theatre composer and director.

MY GHOSTS had two successful workshop production in New York prior to this off-Broadway showing. It is also featured on Channel Indie TV.

The ManiFestival Mission: Reclaiming ConnectionThe ManiFestival (running July 16th – August 9th) arrives at a time of deep digital isolation. Diamond Mesh Inc. created the festival as a response to the “why” behind modern loneliness, seeking to build a bridge between the artist and the audience.“You did not stumble upon these questions. You found them,” says the Diamond Mesh mission statement. 

“We have been looking for you too.”The Mainstage LineupIn addition to MY GHOSTS and a series of one & two night only special events, the ManiFestival features three anchor productions:

Club 27 (Written by Maeve Z. O’Connor; Starring Faith Pasch): A confessional cabaret grappling with the spirits of Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, and the infamous “27 Club.”

Piss.JPG (Working Title) (Written by/Starring Michael Gardiner & Justin Jager; Dir. Daniel Yaiullo): A “Gen Z Waiting for Godot“—an absurd romp through the American stage that is as life-affirming as it is impossible to explain.

The Silly William Gambit (Written by/Starring Matt Bader; Dir. Justin Jager): An eccentric chess prodigy plays seven real-time matches against a mysterious entity on a train bound for Hell (or Philadelphia).

TICKETS & SHOWTIME for MY GHOSTS – August 4 @ 9:15 p.m.Full ManiFestival schedule: July 16 – August 9, 2026

Contact info@jaymichaelsarts.com