OUR MISSION

We present and produce shows that are a must-see.

It’s nerve-racking to see a live show and we take the guess work out of it. If it’s here, it’s been work-shopped, vouched for, and recommended.

OUR MISSION is to present and produce work that is
FUNNY, DARK, SMART, & GREAT.

FUNNY

The work has a sense of humor. How does this apply to music? Perfectly! This means that there is a self-awareness and flexibility within the performance. Perhaps in between songs, the banter is unique, engaging, surprising, and yes, even funny.

DARK

It’s not all sugar. With great art comes great reflection, and using our platform to dig deeper into existence, humanity, sex, addiction, love, loneliness, and choice. The piece may only have a sliver of this, but in that sliver is usual the core of why it exists.

SMART

We all know the easy punchline. Punching down at others without taking ownership for our own stupidity is tired and boring. We support work that wrestles with our complexity, hypocrisy, and duality; Work that points the magnifying glass in both directions; Smart is thinking about what you are performing and how you are performing it. In other words, we love big bananas and poison apples, but we hate low-hanging fruit.

GREAT

We know when we see it. It’s talent + practice + a secret ingredient. We love when you share your secret ingredient!

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ABOUT THE Space

The Rockwell as a space has survived multiple owners and management, and yet, it lives on! A trusty block-box theater with a well-equipped light plot and sound system able to support performances from full stage productions to 18-piece bands to comedy podcasts to heart-racing burlesque.

Nestled in Davis Square, a hotbed of bars, outdoor markets, and arts-centric events, in Somerville, Massachusetts, The Rockwell twinkles with its old-fashioned marquee on Elm Street. Just steps away from The Davis Square “T” (subway) station. Formerly The Davis Square Theatre and Jimmy Tingle’s Off Broadway, our underground theater controls all its light sources to house any event at any time. We seem small but we accommodate up to 203 people and host over 500 performances annually.

THE Team

Meet Us

DEBY XIADANI

Artistic Director & General Manager

DEBY XIADANI (she/her) is a comedian, producer, musician, and award-winning comedy director. She won “Best Physical Comedy,” and “Critic’s Choice Award,” for her Fringe Festival work with “Cooking with Kathryn.” She has been a recurring invited director at Dartmouth College, her alma mater. In 2025 she co-founded the first ever Boston Fringe with Anton Monteleone. She is currently a clown teacher at The Rockwell and learning drums on the side. (“Xiadani” say it like “She-Ah-Daw-Nee”)

More info on her instagram and website.

Photo by Victoria Rubin

Jenna September

House Manager & Graphic Designer

JENNA SEPTEMBER (they/she) is a South African illustrator, graphic designer, dog walker and The Rockwell House Manager.

They thrive in operations, improving the physical space and reimagining the graphic design of the digital space.

Outside of the Rockwell, they are creating a video game from scratch. Jenna loves to explore the grey space between fantasy and reality in urban life.

More of their work can be found in their portfolio and their instagram.

Sophie McMinn

Booking & Media Assistant

SOPHIE MCMINN (she/her) is an NYC native, musician, writer, and producer — and is thrilled to join The Rockwell as Booking & Media Assistant. A Berklee College of Music alum, she works across artist booking, social media, and live event production, with a deep appreciation for the Boston DIY spirit that makes independent performance spaces shine.

Beyond The Rockwell, she works in music festival production with Rat City Arts Fest and is an occasional live sound engineer at venues across the Greater Boston area.

She also fronts her band, Sophie’s Body, and is rarely photographed upright — usually mid-floor, guitar in hand — bringing an artist’s perspective to every room she’s in.