Brelby Productions (previously known as the Brelby Theatre Company) returns to live productions this month with a new iteration of its successful celestial fairy tale “Luna & Solis.”

Brelby, previously located at 7154 N. 58th Drive in Historic Downtown Glendale, shifted during the pandemic and is now producing as a nomadic company. Its upcoming production will open with a weekend in Phoenix at the Phoenix Conservatory of Music and will close in Glendale with a free weekend of performances at the Fruit Packing Shed located in Sahuaro Ranch Park, 9802 N. 59th Ave., thanks to a Glendale Performing Arts Grant.

“Luna & Solis” is written by Brian Maticic and features music by Maticic, Helen Morris and Ben Cleaveland, which garnered a 2020 ariZoni Theatre Award of Excellence for Best Original Composition. The storytellers theatre piece is told by an ensemble of actors who also double as musicians and puppeteers.

“We’re excited to be bringing ‘Luna & Solis’ back to the stage,” Artistic Director Shelby Elise Maticic stated in a news release. “This is the next step in preparing the show to participate as a selection for this summer’s San Diego International Fringe Festival.”

The piece has been in development since premiering in 2019 as a one-act in the Herberger’s Lunchtime Theatre offerings. It was then presented later that year as a full production in Brelby’s season, but has continued its progress over the past two years.

“The show is a beautiful story about the importance of communication, kindness and understanding,” Shelby Elise Maticic stated.

In “Luna & Solis” the sun and the moon have loved one another from afar for eons, but their responsibility to humanity keeps them apart. They are only able to meet in person during an eclipse, when they take corporeal form. Meanwhile, two rival towns have reached a crucial breaking point in their tenuous relationship. The town of Partume, led by Samuel, mines and creates tools and goods for both villages. The town of Azure, led by Amara, fishes and farms to provide both communities with food.

Under the manipulative leadership of Dolo, both town leaders take strides to undercut each other with potentially devastating consequences. Their children Sienna (Sam’s daughter) and Aaron (Amara’s son) have secretly maintained a friendship over the years, and hatch a plan to bring their towns together and circumvent the dark plans of Dolo and his son, Dez.

Luna and Solis however, have grown weary of putting the lives of humans above their one happiness, and decide to run away together during the latest solar eclipse. What will humankind have to do to restore the balance? Can Sienna and Aaron convince Luna and Solis that humanity is worth saving?

“Luna & Solis” features direction by Shelby Elise Maticic and music direction by Jenny Gantwerker and Brianna Fallon, who also perform in the cast. The ensemble also includes performances by Ali Giordano, Brian Maticic, Anabel Olguin, Emma Domakeczna, Nickela Rooney, Kevin Fenderson, James Beneze, Rebecca Ulbrich, Conor Pamiroyan and Isabella Saenz.

Tickets range from $15-20 and are available at lunaandsolisplay.com. Free seats for the closing weekend also available through this site.

Due to COVID protocols masks are required of all attendees in the performance venues.

Visit patreon.com/brelby.com.