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The 28-year-old, Westport-born writer's new play, "Before This New Year," is set to begin production later this month before making its Off-Broadway debut on March 19. It's the culmination of years of work that started after she achieved her dream at just 18 years old, but not the one she wanted.
The Staples High School graduate said she was a math and science kid growing up and never considered being a writer. It wasn't until she spent a year at the University of Chicago that she felt the pull of the pen.
"I had an existential crisis," she told the Daily Voice. "... I realized I had worked incredibly hard to get into a place like the University of Chicago, but without any understanding of who I was or what made me happy."
Sonenclar decided to take a year off from school and move to New York to study acting. It was a decision her mother, Sheryl Silverstein, said came out of nowhere, but she knew her daughter would find her footing — Liana always did.
"I was shocked!" Sheryl said. "She never expressed any desire to act. She was totally into academics at Staples. ... So when she told me about her plan to chase her acting dreams in NYC, it seemed to come out of nowhere. But I was so impressed that a 19-year-old could devise such a well-formulated plan, and I could hear how burnt-out she was from continuing on the academic path."
Sonenclar was accepted to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and fell in love with writing. She wanted to tell complex stories with complicated characters like the ones that had inspired her.
She started the first draft of "Before This New Year" around then, and over the next eight years — through setbacks, struggles, and a pandemic — she honed the script through rewrite after rewrite.
"It kind of became my identity for a while," she said with a laugh. "But I'm very proud of what came out. It made me a writer."
The story may sound familiar, though Sonenclar says it's not autobiographical. According to the show's website:
High school track star Alison Bennett (Kaci Walfall, CW's 'Naomi') had met every expectation—until it all fell apart. After her first semester of college, Alison returns home for the holidays and reconnects with her former teammate Haley (Emily Carey, HBO's 'House of the Dragon'). As old feelings resurface, they must confront the choices that ended their running careers and reshaped their lives.
Along with Walfall and Carey, Ella Stiller — daughter of actors Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor — has joined the cast. Obie Award winner Knud Adams will direct.
"The coming-of-age story is popular in film, but the genre doesn't really exist in theater," Sonenclar said. "I think the stage is the perfect place for that kind of story. It allows you to develop characters and narrative in front of an audience."
"Before This New Year" explores self-discovery through relationships, Sonenclar said. Though it focuses on youth, she believes it's a story for audiences of all ages.
"It’s an enjoyable time," she said. "It’s a good play for parents to take their kids to. It’s funny. It’s hopeful. It’s not a downer of an evening."
For more information and tickets for Before This New Year, visit beforethisnewyear.com. To learn more about Liana Sonenclar or her upcoming projects, visit lianasonenclar.com.
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