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BURNING LEAVES Premieres at A.R.T./New York Theatres

TOSOS Theatre Company presents the world premiere of Tom Rowan's "BURNING LEAVES," directed by Graydon Gund, at the Gural Theatre. This new play explores the relationship between a young teacher and his closeted student in a small Midwester

BroadwayWorld·Sep 25, 2026·via BroadwayWorld

BURNING LEAVES Premieres at A.R.T./New York Theatres

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The play explores education, friendship, and love through the relationship between Matt Leland and Jesse Wade.

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TOSOS Theatre Company, NYC's Historic LGBTQIA+ Theatre Company, will present the world premiere of Burning Leaves, a funny and profoundly affecting new play written by Tom Rowan , directed by Graydon Gund. Sixteen performances will be staged at the Gural Theatre at A.R.T./New York Theatres, 502 West 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019 from September 26-October 17, 2026. Opening night is Saturday, Sept. 26 at 7:00 p.m.

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In need of a fresh start, Matt Leland, a young actor on the run from New York, takes a job teaching at a small high school in the Midwest – where he finds himself feeling unprepared for the unexpected challenges that await. His most talented student is Jesse Wade, a troubled sixteen-year-old on the verge of coming out. Isolated in the small conservative town, Jesse desperately needs a gay role model—and other things Matt may or may not be able to provide. Burning Leaves is a humorous, compassionate play that asks serious questions about education, friendship, and love.

"Burning Leaves is by turns funny and devastating. Making you laugh, tear up, and feel for these characters, as they stumble their way through shifting social and political terrain,' says Gund. 'To me, the play is about balancing a connection with another person who needs you and how that will be perceived."

Gund directs a cast of six, including Campbell Idol, Brady Dalton Richards *, Annemarie Rosano *, Jonathan Stewart *, Sophie Tananbaum, and Becky Rusch*.

Performances are Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $45-$70 (plus fees) and can be purchased by visiting Zeffy.com . Direct ticketing link: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/tosos-presents-burning-leaves

The running time is two hours, plus one 15-minute intermission.

Burning Leaves was a part of TOSOS Theatre Company's Doric Wilson Playwrights Project, a reading series that celebrates writers from throughout the LGBTQIA+ timeline, presenting works from past generations of playwrights alongside writers of today.

*Appearing courtesy of Actors' Equity Association.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-off-broadway/article/BURNING-LEAVES-Will-Open-at-Gural-Theatre-at-ARTNew-York-Theatres-20260925)._

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