Chicago-Based Theatrical Development Company

Where Stories Come Alive

CasaMer Productions nurtures original works for the stage and screen—stories that challenge, inspire, and endure.

Explore Our Work →
2025
Founded
2
In Development
Possibilities

About CasaMer Productions

CasaMer Productions is a Chicago-based theatrical development company dedicated to nurturing original works from conception to production.

We believe in stories that don't just entertain—they illuminate. Our focus is on developing sophisticated, emotionally resonant work that explores the complexity of human connection, the weight of inheritance, and the courage it takes to build something new.

From musical theatre to screen, we're committed to the long, careful work of bringing exceptional stories to life.

  • Original Voices

    We champion writers and stories that bring fresh perspectives to timeless themes.

  • Rigorous Development

    Great work emerges from patient, disciplined craft. We invest the time stories deserve.

  • Emotional Truth

    We're drawn to work that earns its sentiment—stories that make audiences feel because they're true.

Projects in Development

A Work in Progress - Musical poster showing Della Starletta on balcony

New Musical

A Work in Progress

Two men. Two families full of secrets. One inheritance that's about to blow it all wide open. Ed and Paul have been together long enough to think they know each other. They don't. When Ed's past comes calling with a gift he never asked for, it sets off a chain reaction that will force both men to confront the lies they've been telling—to their families, to each other, and to themselves.

Read More →
SOLAMINA 3.0 - Dystopian cityscape with gleaming towers and impoverished streets

Science Fiction Thriller

SOLAMINA 3.0

A near-future thriller set in Brazil at a moment when humanity has quietly handed the machinery of survival to an all-knowing optimization system. Cities gleam with abundance—yet beneath that surface lies a rigid calculus that decides who thrives and who is quietly left behind.

Read More →
← Back to Projects

A Work in Progress

A Work in Progress

Two men. Two families full of secrets. One inheritance that's about to blow it all wide open.

Ed and Paul have been together long enough to think they know each other. They don't. When Ed's past comes calling with a gift he never asked for, it sets off a chain reaction that will force both men to confront the lies they've been telling—to their families, to each other, and to themselves.

The show explores four generations of men who built walls instead of doors—and asks whether the pattern can finally be broken. Set in contemporary Chicago but haunted by a century of family mythology, A Work in Progress features a cast of eccentric truth-tellers, a structure that peels back secrets like layers of old wallpaper, and a love story that refuses to let its characters hide.

A sharp, funny, heartfelt new musical about what happens when the life you've been building starts collapsing under the weight of everything you've buried.

← Back to Projects

SOLAMINA 3.0

SOLAMINA 3.0

SOLAMINA is a near-future science-fiction thriller set in Brazil at a moment when humanity has quietly handed the machinery of survival to an all-knowing optimization system. Cities gleam with abundance, efficiency, and technological grace—yet beneath that surface lies a rigid calculus that decides who thrives and who is quietly left behind. At the center of this world is a young architect of progress, celebrated as a visionary, who has built a society that runs flawlessly on data, discipline, and sacrifice.

As social divides deepen, voices from the margins begin to challenge the moral cost of perfection. Artists, scientists, and dissidents—each with different stakes in the system—collide over questions that no algorithm can resolve: who gets to define "the greater good," what human dignity is worth, and whether control can ever coexist with compassion. Personal loyalties strain under the weight of ideology, and love, friendship, and belief become acts of quiet resistance in a culture optimized against them.

Blending political thriller, emotional drama, and grounded futurism, SOLAMINA explores a world where the future has already arrived—and asks whether humanity still has a say in how it is used. With a visually rich Brazilian setting, morally complex characters, and themes drawn from real emerging technologies, the story invites audiences to confront a chilling possibility: that the most dangerous tyranny may be the one that insists it is saving us.

Our Team

JM

James J. Merriman

Founder & Creative Director

Jim's love for musical theatre began in his school years and deepened through active involvement in the Music, Band, and Theatre departments at Northwestern University. After a successful career in law and business, he is now pursuing his lifelong passion for writing for the stage and screen—bringing analytical rigor and a deep appreciation for narrative craft to every project.

JC

Joel G. Casas

Writer & Managing Director

A lifelong artist, Joel has built a career in the visual arts with an eye toward complex, emotional storytelling. His natural gift for narrative, sharp wit, and inclusive perspective make him an ideal creative partner—someone who sees both the big picture and the human details that make stories resonate.

Contact Us

Let's Start a Conversation

Whether you're interested in collaboration, investment opportunities, or simply want to learn more about our work, we'd love to hear from you.

Location: Chicago, Illinois