Book/Music/Lyrics By…

On the Homefront of WWII America, women of all ages, races, and classes have joined the workforce at Kaiser Shipyard in Richmond, CA. Rosie Brooks, a naive housewife trying to protect her new husband while he fights in the Pacific, and Lula Davis, a determined woman who migrates with her family from Oklahoma in search of work, navigate the sexism and racism of a changing world, clashing with each other in the process. When the freedoms they each fight for are taken out of their control, Rosie and Lula struggle to find the true meaning of progress when every step forward means three steps back. Inspired by the Rosie the Riveter “We Can Do It” propaganda that has become a symbol of the modern feminist movement, ROSIE analyzes the time period from a complex, contemporary perspective using a blend of Big Band Swing and Contemporary Musical Theatre music.

The Reality of Now is a story of high schoolers facing the insanity of building their adult lives. From college applications to family conflicts to teenage love triangles to evil twin hallucinations (yes you read that right), high school is tough for everyone. Charlotte is a young writer struggling to find her voice, plagued by constant visions of a darker, more cutthroat version of herself that fights for control and threatens to consume her entirely. Nate and Maggie are the school’s long time golden couple, but when Nate pulls away to deal with problems at home, Maggie starts to realize their flame may be dwindling for good. Meanwhile Bridget, Nate’s cynical younger sister, dreams of a previously unattainable path beyond high school, which would take her away from everything she has always known. Written by a high schooler for high schoolers, Annika Stenstedt’s debut musical is an interpretation of the fears and desires her and her classmates experienced throughout their final years of adolescence.

Since 2023, Annika has been a lyricist and composer for Pixel Playhouse, a channel dedicated to creating accessible, original musical theatre content for the internet. Her songs with Pixel Playhouse thus far have been inspired by Disney, romance book tropes such as Enemies to Lovers, and other popular media including the A Court of Thorns and Roses book series by Sarah J. Maas.