Notable Works Publication and Distribution Co., Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of environmental and social issues through the arts, is set to debut a live staged reading of its musical Sell Division: Breaking the Chains of Perception on Nov. 15 at the Bobby Hackett Theater at the Community College of Rhode Island. The cast and crew share how this project began as “a tiny concept” in 2022 and in two years’ time became a full-on musical production that asks the audience to self-reflect.

The room fills with gut-wrenching laughter — the kind that leaves everyone momentarily

speechless — as the group of retired ladies who wrote the script for Sell Division, a musical comedy addressing social issues like misinformation, disinformation, stereotypes and labels discusses how they found one of their leads for the cast.

“She just keeps kicking her leg up and down, like this,” exclaims Bina Gehres, her voice filled with shock as she recalls how she and Noreen Inglesi discovered the “perfect Valerie” during an impromptu meeting at the Rhode Island Songwriters Association. Bina demonstrates, crossing one leg over the other and kicking it up and down with quick, confident movements: “She just keeps doing that.”

“I looked across at Noreen, and we exchanged a look that said she is the perfect Valerie,” adds Bina. Each of the retirees tries to contribute but is momentarily silenced by belly laughs that stop them in their tracks.

Once the ladies regain their composure, Noreen adds, “She had the colored hair,” to which Bina finishes, “And the tattoos.” Both women clasp their hands together in unison and exclaim simultaneously that her personality is “so sweet.”

And that is how Maddie Cardoza gets cast as Valerie Taylor — no audition necessary.

Maddie felt an instant connection to Valerie’s character upon reading her description; the tattoos, ripped jeans and vibrant style resonated deeply with her own appearance. Recognizing that she was, in some way, “typecast” for the role, Maddie reflects on how her younger self often misjudged others — particularly the “pretty, popular girls wearing stilettos” — based solely on their appearance. She considers how these common misconceptions form the basis for the musical and acknowledges how integral the behind-the-scenes work of the scriptwriters is in bringing these topics to the forefront.

Sell Division: Breaking the Chains of Perception is a two-act musical that explores the impact of misinformation, disinformation and societal stereotyping. Set in a world where people are judged by their appearances — such as clothing, hairstyle and social status — the story follows a diverse group of characters as they struggle with the labels placed upon them. The characters, caught in a web of misunderstandings and surface-level judgments, communicate and confront their differences through powerful music and lyrics.

As the story unfolds, the characters begin to break down the walls created by these superficial perceptions, realizing that they are more than the sum of their outward appearances. Through the lyrics in the songs, they come to understand one another on a deeper level, challenging the stereotypes that have defined them. Sell Division is an exploration of how empathy, self-acceptance and open communication can break the chains of perception and build a more inclusive, understanding world.

een Inglesi, co-founder and artist-in-residence of Notable Works, began this project shortly after her mother’s passing and describes the creative process as “therapeutic.” Reflecting on her mother’s values, Noreen says, “My mom made it a point to never judge people on how they look.” She, along with Bina Gehres, Marianne Quinn and Mary Zema, co-wrote the script, drawing on their diverse backgrounds and shared experiences.

The idea for the musical originated when the four women met for lunch in 2022, but it was during a trip to a quaint art store in Cape Cod that Mary and Marianne stumbled upon the core concept. The owner of the art store was visibly upset, and when asked why, Mary remembers, he expressed frustration about an upcoming town meeting: “They want to gentrify the town — corporations are coming in and trying to take over local businesses.”

This notion of gentrification serves as a foundation for the story’s themes of disinformation, misinformation, stereotyping and labeling, with a recurring theme of “you can’t judge a book by its cover.”

Valerie’s misconception of Cecilia, who wears Gucci shoes, resonates with Maddie’s experience. She says, “Playing Valerie brought me back to my high school days

and gave me a sense of nostalgia for how I used to base things on appearance.” Noreen adds, “Cecilia thought Valerie was this tough girl who never read anything, yet she was an avid reader.”

These themes of deceptive appearances are prevalent in the musical. Noreen elaborates: “The opening scene depicts the gentrification of the town. Everyone is enamored by Lola’s looks and is oblivious to the town being taken over.”

Noreen also recounts a scene in which Cecilia gets her Gucci heel stuck on a platform. When she tries to pull her heel out, she goes flying off the platform right into Valerie, her arch-nemesis.

Chaos ensues. Noreen explains: “The music and lyrics reflect the conversations we must have with each other to dispel the misinformation, disinformation, stereotypes and labels imposed on us by politicians and the media.”

Marianne relates to the unseen aspects of the musical: “As a retired social worker, I am more of a behind-the-scenes person; this is all new to me.” She emphasizes how the audition process resonated with her, as she could feel the energy of the people auditioning.

Marianne was struck by the power of that experience, which continues with the current cast, showcasing their hard work and talent — a sentiment shared by the other three script writers.

One of the behind-the-scenes elements that Mary was involved in was naming the characters. She recalls naming one character Grifter and laughs, explaining that it means “shoplifter,” so even the character names play a role in appearances.

Mary, Marianne, Bina and Noreen come from different backgrounds, yet they bond over their contrasts and similarities, enjoying one another’s company and their commitment to improving society through the arts.

When asked about their status as retirees, Bina says, “We get nothing for what we do. We just love it, and we feel like we are doing something for the community,” to which Noreen finishes, “And that’s what Notable Works is for us.”

The live staged reading of Sell Division: Breaking the Chains of Perception —A Musical in Two Acts will debut at the Bobby Hackett Theater at the Community College of Rhode Island’s Knight Campus on Friday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m.

Directed by: Mary Zema and Noreen Inglesi

Script by: Bina Gehres, Noreen Inglesi, Marianne Quinn and Mary Zema

Music by: Noreen Inglesi and Mary Zema

Made possible by: The Charles Sullivan Fund for the Arts and Humanities