Unconditional, a musical memoir
New York City, New York | Theatre
Drama, Musical
In a world where empathy, community and hope seem to be fading from view, Unconditional offers a way forward, while honoring and remembering the beauty of the past - the memories that make us, well, us. It asks - how do we pick up the pieces? How do we live again in the face of impossible loss?
Unconditional, a musical memoir
New York City, New York | Theatre
Drama, Musical
1 Campaigns | California, United States
26 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$18,545
Goal: $75,150 for production
In a world where empathy, community and hope seem to be fading from view, Unconditional offers a way forward, while honoring and remembering the beauty of the past - the memories that make us, well, us. It asks - how do we pick up the pieces? How do we live again in the face of impossible loss?
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
In the wake of one of life’s most profound challenges - losing a child - Margot Rose’s UNCONDITIONAL, A Musical Memoir forges a path to resilience with a commitment to go on in a world of unpredictability...
UNCONDITIONAL, A Musical Memoir tells the remarkable true story of two women who dared to build a family on their own terms. In a time when LGBTQ+ families had few roadmaps and even fewer legal protections, the story follows their years-long journey through fertility treatments, financial sacrifices, community support, and unwavering commitment to becoming parents until...the unspeakable happens. What begins as a deeply personal quest becomes a celebration of chosen family, perseverance, and the extraordinary things people will do for love.
This is not simply a story about how a family begins—it is a story about how a family endures. Decades after achieving their dream, an unexpected tragedy forces them to confront loss, identity, and the meaning of unconditional love itself. Through humor, heartbreak, original music, and profound honesty, UNCONDITIONAL explores the resilience of the human spirit and the bonds that sustain us through life's most difficult moments. At its heart, the musical asks a universal question: when everything changes, what does it truly mean to remain a family?
“Must see...Margot is a powerhouse, spell-weaving storyteller.”
–Amanda Callas, Broadway World.
“This is a beautiful, rollicking, true story. A play with music, Unconditional… written and performed by the extraordinary Ms. Rose with rock star vibrancy, great humor, and poignancy that will tear at your heart. It’s a study in acting, in writing and in how to engage an audience, therefore every creative in town should see this master at play. Rose is so alive in every single moment…she is spellbinding in this 85-minute cruise. Unconditional…is a rare gem of a story and of a storyteller””
–Virginia Schneider, Hollywood Times
“Exceptional, thought provoking, empowering and deeply effective.”
–Amalisha HuEck, Hollywood Revealed
“She slayed the saber-toothed tiger of grief, one song at a time, one story at a time. And we, as a city of loss, are better for it.”
–Chris Cassone, Discover Hollywood
We are currently scheduled to be running at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club from October 12 - 25, 2026! Before then, we'll need to finish casting our band utilizing New York talent as well as a select few returning faces from past productions that will be flying out with us from CA! We still have a long road ahead of us and that's where you, the people who still believe in the power of live theatre, come into play!
Budget Breakdown (Ask: $75,000)
- Crew & Band Payroll – $50,150: The largest portion of the budget is allocated to crew and band payroll, ensuring fair compensation for all production personnel, musicians, and key creative designers/their crew throughout the project.
- Travel & Lodging – $15,000: This allocation covers airfare, ground transportation, and hotel accommodations for the creative team, as well as select musicians and designers traveling from Los Angeles, ensuring the team can be on location for all prep work, rehearsals and the length of the run.
- Production and Rehearsal Gear and Rentals – $10,000: These funds are dedicated to renting the professional equipment and rehearsal space needed for the production, including lighting, audio, costumes, props, production design and other specialty gear required to execute the creative vision at a high production standard.
Together we can make sure that the stories that are worth telling still get to be told!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Crew and Band Payroll
Costs $50,150
Necessary to appropriately compensate all of our wonderful talent, professional band, technicians and day players for rehearsals and shows.
Production and Rehearsal Gear and Rentals
Costs $10,000
To rent the instruments, rehearsal space, microphones, lighting equipment, projectors, set pieces and everything else needed!
Travel and Lodging
Costs $15,000
In order to house our wonderful creative team, performers and band mates during the 2-3 months prior to (rehearsals) and during our run!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer, Producer and Lead Performer Margot Rose began her stage career Off-Broadway as Alice in the original company of I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking it on the Road at Joe Papp's Public Theatre before moving to Los Angeles with the show. Working as an actor, songwriter and storyteller, she has appeared in numerous TV series and films including 48 Hours, 21 Jump Street, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Desperate Housewives. For over a decade, Margot has produced and hosted Sidedoor Salon, a multi-discipline performance group, and has been an invited storyteller with Listen to Your Mother, Shine, Beyond Baroque and more. Margot performed her solo musical, Springloaded, in Los Angeles. In January 2019, Margot began work on her musical memoir, UNCONDITIONAL. In January 2024 the Los Angeles Fountain Theatre produced a three performance workshop of the piece and on February 15, 2025, UNCONDITIONAL opened its first full production at the Skylight Theatre in Los Angeles. Margot received her BFA from NC School of the Arts and attended the Yale Drama School.
Director Anne Kenny has worked as a dramaturg to develop UNCONDITIONAL for the stage since its inception in 2019. As a development producer/executive, Anne has worked with over 40 artists and thought leaders to bring their compelling stories to life on stage and screen including projects for Cineflix, Emerson College and Warner Bros.
William Mellon grew up with his twin sister, Nora, in the house at the center of the musical - as he is actually Margot Rose's son referenced in the show! Recently, William has spent over a decade working in different creative capacities across commercial and narrative projects for clients like Disney and T-Mobile, as well as producing feature films such as DISCOMFORT, TEXAS (2027) and MIRROR IMAGE (2027) in the independent space. This marks his return to producing UNCONDITIONAL alongside his wonderful mother, Margot Rose, to whom he owes his whole sense of artistry.
Co-Composer, Arranger and Musical Director Aaron Benham is an award-winning music director, conductor, and composer. Credits include: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Nat'l Tour), An American in Paris (Nat'l Tour), The Book of Merman (Off-Broadway), It's All Your Fault, Tyler Price (LA, World Premiere), Transcendence Theatre Co. (Sonoma), Writer's Theatre, Chicago; Second City (Chicago). His original children's opera Once Upon a Windy City was presented by Chicago Opera Theater, and his musical Bewildered premiered with Hell in a Handbag (Chicago). Aaron has taught Musical Theater performance at NYU, Northwestern, Roosevelt, and AMDA. BFA, Emerson College. Love to Chris, Molly, and Brownie.
Co-Performer Melina Young is an actor, writer, and musician from Los Angeles, CA. She trained at Bard College, the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival. She brings her lifelong study of classical piano and voice to her work in theatre and is currently working on her debut EP. Favorite theatre credits include: Whitney White’s Three Sisters (Fisher PAC), Just Like Now (Williamstown), Macbeth (LAMDA), My Mom, My Dad, & the TV News(Embarrassing Productions), Unconditional: A Musical Memory (1st workshop, Fountain Theatre). She’s honored to be a small part of telling Margot’s story. She wants to thank absolutely everyone she loves and her Ma’ for singing her Circle Game to sleep.
We would also like to thank La Mama Experimental Theatre Club for Co-Producing Unconditional, A Musical Memoir with us!
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
In the wake of one of life’s most profound challenges - losing a child - Margot Rose’s UNCONDITIONAL, A Musical Memoir forges a path to resilience with a commitment to go on in a world of unpredictability...
UNCONDITIONAL, A Musical Memoir tells the remarkable true story of two women who dared to build a family on their own terms. In a time when LGBTQ+ families had few roadmaps and even fewer legal protections, the story follows their years-long journey through fertility treatments, financial sacrifices, community support, and unwavering commitment to becoming parents until...the unspeakable happens. What begins as a deeply personal quest becomes a celebration of chosen family, perseverance, and the extraordinary things people will do for love.
This is not simply a story about how a family begins—it is a story about how a family endures. Decades after achieving their dream, an unexpected tragedy forces them to confront loss, identity, and the meaning of unconditional love itself. Through humor, heartbreak, original music, and profound honesty, UNCONDITIONAL explores the resilience of the human spirit and the bonds that sustain us through life's most difficult moments. At its heart, the musical asks a universal question: when everything changes, what does it truly mean to remain a family?
“Must see...Margot is a powerhouse, spell-weaving storyteller.”
–Amanda Callas, Broadway World.
“This is a beautiful, rollicking, true story. A play with music, Unconditional… written and performed by the extraordinary Ms. Rose with rock star vibrancy, great humor, and poignancy that will tear at your heart. It’s a study in acting, in writing and in how to engage an audience, therefore every creative in town should see this master at play. Rose is so alive in every single moment…she is spellbinding in this 85-minute cruise. Unconditional…is a rare gem of a story and of a storyteller””
–Virginia Schneider, Hollywood Times
“Exceptional, thought provoking, empowering and deeply effective.”
–Amalisha HuEck, Hollywood Revealed
“She slayed the saber-toothed tiger of grief, one song at a time, one story at a time. And we, as a city of loss, are better for it.”
–Chris Cassone, Discover Hollywood
We are currently scheduled to be running at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club from October 12 - 25, 2026! Before then, we'll need to finish casting our band utilizing New York talent as well as a select few returning faces from past productions that will be flying out with us from CA! We still have a long road ahead of us and that's where you, the people who still believe in the power of live theatre, come into play!
Budget Breakdown (Ask: $75,000)
- Crew & Band Payroll – $50,150: The largest portion of the budget is allocated to crew and band payroll, ensuring fair compensation for all production personnel, musicians, and key creative designers/their crew throughout the project.
- Travel & Lodging – $15,000: This allocation covers airfare, ground transportation, and hotel accommodations for the creative team, as well as select musicians and designers traveling from Los Angeles, ensuring the team can be on location for all prep work, rehearsals and the length of the run.
- Production and Rehearsal Gear and Rentals – $10,000: These funds are dedicated to renting the professional equipment and rehearsal space needed for the production, including lighting, audio, costumes, props, production design and other specialty gear required to execute the creative vision at a high production standard.
Together we can make sure that the stories that are worth telling still get to be told!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Crew and Band Payroll
Costs $50,150
Necessary to appropriately compensate all of our wonderful talent, professional band, technicians and day players for rehearsals and shows.
Production and Rehearsal Gear and Rentals
Costs $10,000
To rent the instruments, rehearsal space, microphones, lighting equipment, projectors, set pieces and everything else needed!
Travel and Lodging
Costs $15,000
In order to house our wonderful creative team, performers and band mates during the 2-3 months prior to (rehearsals) and during our run!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer, Producer and Lead Performer Margot Rose began her stage career Off-Broadway as Alice in the original company of I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking it on the Road at Joe Papp's Public Theatre before moving to Los Angeles with the show. Working as an actor, songwriter and storyteller, she has appeared in numerous TV series and films including 48 Hours, 21 Jump Street, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Desperate Housewives. For over a decade, Margot has produced and hosted Sidedoor Salon, a multi-discipline performance group, and has been an invited storyteller with Listen to Your Mother, Shine, Beyond Baroque and more. Margot performed her solo musical, Springloaded, in Los Angeles. In January 2019, Margot began work on her musical memoir, UNCONDITIONAL. In January 2024 the Los Angeles Fountain Theatre produced a three performance workshop of the piece and on February 15, 2025, UNCONDITIONAL opened its first full production at the Skylight Theatre in Los Angeles. Margot received her BFA from NC School of the Arts and attended the Yale Drama School.
Director Anne Kenny has worked as a dramaturg to develop UNCONDITIONAL for the stage since its inception in 2019. As a development producer/executive, Anne has worked with over 40 artists and thought leaders to bring their compelling stories to life on stage and screen including projects for Cineflix, Emerson College and Warner Bros.
William Mellon grew up with his twin sister, Nora, in the house at the center of the musical - as he is actually Margot Rose's son referenced in the show! Recently, William has spent over a decade working in different creative capacities across commercial and narrative projects for clients like Disney and T-Mobile, as well as producing feature films such as DISCOMFORT, TEXAS (2027) and MIRROR IMAGE (2027) in the independent space. This marks his return to producing UNCONDITIONAL alongside his wonderful mother, Margot Rose, to whom he owes his whole sense of artistry.
Co-Composer, Arranger and Musical Director Aaron Benham is an award-winning music director, conductor, and composer. Credits include: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Nat'l Tour), An American in Paris (Nat'l Tour), The Book of Merman (Off-Broadway), It's All Your Fault, Tyler Price (LA, World Premiere), Transcendence Theatre Co. (Sonoma), Writer's Theatre, Chicago; Second City (Chicago). His original children's opera Once Upon a Windy City was presented by Chicago Opera Theater, and his musical Bewildered premiered with Hell in a Handbag (Chicago). Aaron has taught Musical Theater performance at NYU, Northwestern, Roosevelt, and AMDA. BFA, Emerson College. Love to Chris, Molly, and Brownie.
Co-Performer Melina Young is an actor, writer, and musician from Los Angeles, CA. She trained at Bard College, the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival. She brings her lifelong study of classical piano and voice to her work in theatre and is currently working on her debut EP. Favorite theatre credits include: Whitney White’s Three Sisters (Fisher PAC), Just Like Now (Williamstown), Macbeth (LAMDA), My Mom, My Dad, & the TV News(Embarrassing Productions), Unconditional: A Musical Memory (1st workshop, Fountain Theatre). She’s honored to be a small part of telling Margot’s story. She wants to thank absolutely everyone she loves and her Ma’ for singing her Circle Game to sleep.
We would also like to thank La Mama Experimental Theatre Club for Co-Producing Unconditional, A Musical Memoir with us!