Ashley Griffin and Zane Carney are collaborating on a new musical that sets the Salem witch trials against the backdrop of the American political system.
Entitled Witch Hunt, the musical will feature a book and lyrics by Griffin with music by Carney.
The new musical focuses on the repressed children of well-known Washington figureheads. When caught at a rave in the basement of a satanic temple, the kids decide to manipulate the political game to reclaim their voice and power—taking to social media, claiming they’re the victims of witchcraft, and displaying their injuries live on the internet. Their families use the situation to try to eliminate their rivals, but when the kids, led by Abigail Williams, begin turning on their own family members and family friends, Washington goes into a tailspin. Abigail, suppressed for years from speaking out against her rapist—Justice John Proctor—uses the cry of witchcraft to literally force his head on the chopping block.
A concept album is expected to be released in the coming year.
Griffin's work has been produced or developed at New World Stages, MTC, Playwrights Horizons, and A.R.T. She received the WellLife Network Award and a county commendation for her Off-Broadway play Trial, directed by Lori Petty. She has received five NYIT Award nominations across multiple categories.
Carney’s discography includes playing on Thundercat’s Drunk, John Mayer’s Paradise Valley, John Daversa’s Grammy-nominated Big Band jazz album Kaleidoscope Eyes, and writing and recording on Avril Lavigne’s Head Above Water. Prior to forming a band with Evan Rachel Wood (EVAN + ZANE), he served as lead guitarist, arranger, and founding member of CARNEY with his brother Reeve Carney, a rock group that opened for U2 and was signed to Interscope Records before being cast in Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark.
