ABOUT MARILYN EXPOSED
New musical offers a provocative reexamination of Marilyn Monroe’s life, ambition, enduring legacy, and a shocking discovery no one discusses. NEW YORK, NY (May 2026) Producers John Lant and Cornell Christianson will present the Off-Broadway world premiere of MARILYN EXPOSED, a new musical exploring the public mythology and private complexity of one of the 20th century’s most iconic cultural figures, an empowered woman many only saw as a sex symbol.
Beginning performances in June 2026 at the historic Actors Temple Theatre in New York City’s Theatre District, the production stars Romy Hansen as Marilyn Monroe, supported by an ensemble cast of emerging and established performers.
Written by Cornell Christianson.
Music and lyrics by Broadway composers Norman Thalheimer and Beth Lawrence.
MARILYN EXPOSED is directed and choreographed by Broadway veteran CB Murray.
Blending music, movement, and dramatic storytelling, the production seeks to revisit Monroe not simply as a Hollywood symbol, but as an ambitious artist, entrepreneur, and woman navigating fame, power, and personal reinvention.
So, why now…?
“Marilyn Monroe remains one of the most recognized misunderstood figures in American popular culture,” said writer and producer Cornell Christianson.
“With MARILYN EXPOSED, we wanted to move beyond the familiar headlines and public caricatures to explore the intelligence, ambition, and humanity behind the icon.” The production examines Monroe’s legacy through a contemporary theatrical lens, inviting audiences to reconsider the woman behind the image and the cultural forces that shaped her story.
CAST
Romy Hansen as Marilyn Monroe
Featuring:
Braden Andrew, Aidan Babbitt, Collin McConnell, Craig M. Cartwright, Daniel Robert Burns, Emily Rose Phelan, Jeyna Lynn Gonzales, Logan Durrah Broadnax, Nathaniel Barry, Sara Jane Beneke, and Shannon Compton
Produced by John Lant and Writer/Producer, Cornell Christianson
Direction & Choreography by CB Murray
Music & Lyrics by Beth Lawrence and Norman Thalheimer
Music Direction and Additional Vocal Arrangements by Erich Rausch, Additional Arrangements by Kent Jeong-Eun Kim, Ed Kim
Casting by Tamra Pica Casting, Costume Design by Amanda Scanze, Set and Projection Design by Ruihan Huang with AV Design by Spyridon Prekas Samantha Stone as Production Stage Manager.
Marilyn Exposed 