NEW YORK, NY –
“Sally allows me to return to the chaos and humor of adolescence with honesty and affection,” says Eleanna Finokalioti, reflecting on her role in the Off-Broadway musical Always Young, now entering its final days at Theater for the New City and running only through February 1. “It’s a privilege to tell these stories from the stage — stories we all recognize as part of who we became”, she adds.
Shortly after her Broadway industry debut in the reading of the musical comedy What’s Going On, Tonight? produced by Steven Krone, former president of Village Roadshow Pictures (The Matrix, Ocean’s Eleven, Mystic River), Finokalioti returns to the stage in a leading role that further solidifies her presence in the city’s performing arts scene.
In Always Young, that premiered on January 15, she portrays Little Short Sally — small, stubborn, sensitive, and fearless — a young woman who laughs loudly, gets hurt, rises again, and speaks her truth without filters. The role places her firmly in the spotlight and marks an important milestone in her artistic journey. This is her third Off-Broadway appearance within five years of work in New York, reflecting a path shaped by thoughtful choices and consistently compelling performances.
Created by playwright and director Mark Tunstall, Always Young draws inspiration from his London musical Kidults (2024) and revisits adolescence through a poetic, humorous, and lightly surreal lens. School memories, first heartbreaks, and moments of self-discovery unfold in a narrative that moves fluidly between laughter and emotional depth.
The musical is written and directed by Tunstall, based on Cautionary Tales for Kidults, with music by Lulu Chen, Tom Hatfield, Tiffany Lovegrove, Carlo Villa, and Tunstall himself. Since its Off-Broadway premiere, the production has already sparked conversation about potential Broadway development.
