the show
BESTIE ISLAND is a new original synth-pop musical. The filming of reality competition show "Bestie Island" is supposed to be a Bahamian week of sloshed confessionals and catty challenges in a tropical paradise—until a contestant goes missing. Jamie, a desperate-for-cash young mother, quickly gets swept up in the chaos and before she knows it…she’s an unwitting accomplice to a string of crimes. Packed with Easter eggs from "The Bachelor" and "The Real Housewives", BESTIE ISLAND feels like Kim Petras, Slayyyter, MUNA, and Carly Rae Jepsen collided with Little Shop of Horrors and then spilled all over the wildest corners of your Instagram nightmares.
IRL (in real life)
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We are coming to NYC's Court Square Theater in October 2025
Colby Lapolla,
music and lyrics
Colby Lapolla (she/her) is a producer, vocal producer, engineer, and songwriter in Los Angeles known for her meticulous ear and expertise in pop, R&B, indie, and alternative music. With a gift for bringing out career-defining vocal performances effortlessly, she’s earned praise from artists and fellow producers alike for her ability to create “magic” in the studio—an ability shaped in part by mentorship from vocal production legends. Colby’s diverse discography is represented by a variety of major licensors, and the tracks she’s contributed to have garnered millions of streams. Described as a future “global hitmaker” by several prominent creators, she is focused on living up to that title. Colby is a breath of fresh air in the studio, thrives in new environments, and is dedicated to empowering the next generation of women and gender-expansive folks in music creation. Her recent collaborations include work with Madame Gandhi, AGNEZ MO, Diane Warren, Disney, and Hasbro, among many others. She is a full-scholarship alum of Mix with the Masters and actively collaborates with organizations like She Is the Music, We Are Moving the Needle, and SongWriteClub. She also serves as a mentor with GirlsMakeBeats and is a voting member of the Producers and Engineers Wing of the Recording Academy.
Sarah Caroline Billings,
book and some lyrics
Sarah Caroline (SC, she/her) Billings is a playwright, librettist, and lyricist from the Concho Valley in Texas and has lived in Queens, NYC since 2016. Her work has been staged in New York City at the Barrow Group, Cherry Lane Theater, and Club Cumming, as well as at institutions including American University in DC and Belmont University in Nashville. She is currently a Terrence McNally New Works Incubator lab semi-finalist, Premiere Stages’ Play Festival finalist, and was a 2024 DGF Fellows finalist. SC was a founding member of Fight Club (a writer’s group for women in theater and film in NYC), and a new play reader for Orlando Shakespeare Theater. She is mentored by Jenny Rachel Weiner and a member of the BMI Lehman Engel Advanced Bookwriting Workshop. SC's work often centers women and their non-romantic relationships and aims to ease the shared weight of existential shame. Sometimes in a fun way. :)
full synopsis. buckle up.
Jamie (a bottom of the barrel choice for creator and Wealthy Wife Alicia, and executive producer Matt) joins reality competition show "Bestie Island" as a last-minute replacement contestant. A former Lovestruck (think "The Bachelor") contestant - Jamie willI be paired with a Wealthy Wife (think "The Real Housewives") to compete with her “Bestie” for a cash prize. Drowning in debt from a brutal custody battle, young mother Jamie sees this as her chance to turn things around for her family.
Jamie humiliated herself on night one of Lovestruck and was consequently bullied off the internet. The other competitors, stunned by Jamie’s nonexistent influencer presence, lay out just how much money she’s missing out on. They craft her online persona—a relatable young mom just trying to "figure it out". When the show reveals that both challenge wins AND audience engagement during nightly broadcasts will boost a contestant’s chances of winning, Jamie (determined to play the game this time) dives back online, reluctantly guided by her Wealthy Wife “Bestie,” Vicky.
During a show challenge, Jennifer (a Wealthy Wife) mysteriously vanishes. Jamie (emboldened by her growing social media presence) decides to expose the truth online. Her post goes semi-viral. Sensing an opportunity, production pivots, reframing the show around the disappearance. A new wave of viewers tunes in, eager to see how the mystery unfolds, while Jamie emerges as the unexpected whistleblower at the center of it all.
Rival Becca, jealous of Jamie’s growing popularity, broadcasts devastating lie about Jamie’s “Bestie,” Vicky. Desperate to stop the online hate targeting her teammate, Jamie approaches Alicia (a seasoned reality veteran) to team up against Becca. Alicia comes clean: Jenn's "disappearance" was no accident, but a calculated stunt to transform the series into a true crime cinéma vérité - a groundbreaking move in the world of reality television. Jamie is shocked, but then proposes they fake another disappearance - this time, taking out Vicky’s bully. With the executive and field producers' support, Jamie and Alicia stage a series of dramatic “disappearances”, sending ratings through the roof. As the followers and sponsorship deals pour in, Jamie finally feels like she’s winning. But what she doesn’t realize is that these “disappearances” aren’t staged at all - Alicia has orchestrated something a lot darker.
Jamie’s journey on "Bestie Island" transforms her. The young mother securing a better future for her daughter morphs into a ruthless clout-chaser. Meanwhile, the audience, aware of Alicia’s crimes early on, should be desperate to see how Jamie will react when she uncovers the shocking truth during the most dramatic live finale in reality television history. 😏
BESTIE ISLAND's depravity goes down smooth with bubblegum and synth pop bangers. The ideal audience is 13+ and familiar with the current landscape of influencer and reality tv culture, but could appeal to a wider audience. This is a musical that celebrates women’s wrongs, but then unmasks the consequences. BESTIE ISLAND feels like this smiling purple devil emoji. 😈
