Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Dundee Rep Theatre have announced that their critically acclaimed production of A History of Paper will transfer to New York for its US premiere in February 2027.
The award-winning musical, which stars Tony, Emmy, BAFTA and Olivier Award winner Alan Cumming alongside Olivier and BAFTA Award winner Shirley Henderson, will run for a strictly limited 13-week engagement at Stage 42 from 12 February to 16 May 2027.
The production will be presented in a co-production with Sonia Friedman Productions, Jerry Goehring and Pemberley Productions, and marks the first Off-Broadway transfer from either Pitlochry Festival Theatre or Dundee Rep Theatre.
Directed by Dundee Rep Theatre Artistic Director Andrew Panton, A History of Paper charts a love story through the physical paper artefacts that define a relationship and a lifetime, from letters and postcards to shopping lists, train tickets and menus.
The musical began life as a BBC Radio 4 play by Oliver Emanuel in 2017 before being developed with composer Gareth Williams at Dundee Rep Theatre. It later premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2024, where it won a Fringe First Award, before being selected by Alan Cumming as part of his inaugural season as Artistic Director at Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
Alan Cumming said: “I am so thrilled to bring A History of Paper from my home country of Scotland to my adopted home in New York City. This is one of these rare shows that transcends its own story and manages to touch an audience in a really visceral and beautiful way. And it utterly belongs in New York City. Since taking over as Artistic Director at Pitlochry Festival Theatre it has been my plan (and dream) to start a theatrical exchange channel between Manhattan and our theatre in the hills. This is the first show to do so and I couldn’t be happier to be doing it alongside Shirley, who I first worked with over forty years ago!”
Shirley Henderson said: “When Alan whispered backstage to me that we might be taking our show A History of Paper to New York, my heart skipped a beat. In that moment, I felt excited, a little scared but happy to be holding hands with Alan as we take this beautiful piece of writing with sweet music on the next part of its journey. I never imagined it was possible to have the opportunity to step onto the New York stage. I am glad it’s with my lovely friend Alan Cumming.”
Andrew Panton added: “Creating this show with Alan, Shirley and our amazing creative team has been a dream. Some stories ask us to lean a little closer. A History of Paper is one of them – the story of one relationship quietly becoming about all of us: the people who shape our lives, the memories we hold on to, and the ordinary moments we come to treasure most. The work I’ve seen in New York has long inspired me to make theatre, and to see work developed at Dundee Rep reach international audiences is a powerful reminder of why we invest in new work and the artists who create it. I couldn’t be more excited to bring our beautiful show to New York City audiences.”
The transfer follows a growing international profile for Scottish theatre, building on the success of Dundee Rep Theatre’s No Love Songs, which transferred internationally in 2025.
The creative team includes designer Ana Inés Jabares-Pita, lighting designer Bruno Poet, sound designer Alexandra Faye Braithwaite and musical supervisor, musical director and pianist Gavin Whitworth.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
