All Nighter, a play written by Natalie Margolin and directed by Jaki Bradley, debuted off-Broadway on March 9, 2025. The show is a 12-week limited engagement starring Kristine Froseth, Kathryn Gallagher, Julia Lester, Havana Rose Liu, and Alyah Chanelle Scott. All Nighter follows a group of roommates through their last all-night study session before college graduation. The entire story takes place around a table in the school’s ballroom, the realistic set complete with recycling bins and glass doors, and it remains the same throughout the duration of the show.
Prior to All Nighter, I was familiar with these actresses in their respective film and television roles, such as Liu in Bottoms and Scott in The Sex Lives of College Girls, but their talents clearly extend far beyond the screen. Froseth plays Darcie, the peacemaker of the group who turns out to have quite the secret hidden behind her “good girl” persona. Gallagher plays Jaqueline, who has a tough exterior but is just as scared and insecure as any other college senior. Lester plays the loud and quirky Wilma, who pops in and out throughout the story, but never seems to be studying. Liu plays Lizzy, a theater major who suffers from extreme anxiety. Throughout the story, Lizzy is the one trying to keep everyone happy. Last but certainly not least, Scott plays Tessa, who falls into the type A “it girl” role. Each actress did an incredible job of portraying their characters with all of their complexities.
Emily Gorman, 21, said, “The stacked cast was definitely a driving factor for me to purchase tickets since I am a big fan of everyone involved! On the other hand, I wanted to see this limited run because I am going into my senior year of college and this show was focused on these friends’ last all-nighter before graduation, which I have done many times with my friends.”
It’s impossible to choose one actress that stood out more than the others because they all were fantastic in their own right. There was a clear chemistry between the small cast, which made this story all the more believable. Gallagher and Liu had the most emotionally intimate scenes, and I found myself tearing up everytime they took the spotlight together. Lester took the cake for comedic relief in her pigtails and neon outfit, and while her character wasn’t lacking in emotional complexities, she was always sure to get a big laugh whenever she took the stage. Scott and Froseth portrayed tension and betrayal in a way that sent chills down my spine, carrying the cast through the explosive conflict of the story.
While dramatized significantly, this play did an excellent job of capturing the ups and downs of female friendships in college. There were strong aspects of the people-pleasing behavior that young women often fall into, which I think is very important to show when telling a story for and about 20-something-year-olds. There was also the more messy side of friend group dynamics, where two girls would take turns breaking off from the group to talk about their friends behind their backs. The intimate theater was primarily filled with women in their teens and 20s, and it was evident that this portrayal struck a chord.
“All Nighter is relatable as a college student in many ways because there are many issues talked about and highlighted during this 90-minute show. As college students we go through a lot in our four years whether that’s friend drama, anxiety, or homesickness. Even if you don’t directly relate to these specific characters and these issues, you will still be able to see yourself in some aspects,” said Gorman.
I highly recommend catching All Nighter on your next NYC night out. It’s the perfect show to see with your college besties, but for the wellbeing of your friendships, avoid deciding which one of you is most like each character.