Some parents handle the chaos of child-rearing with nighttime glass(es) of chardonnay. Others escape to late-evening reality TV binges or vent heavily in Reddit support groups.

For Kristina and Graham Fuller, the Boulder-based duo behind “That Parenting Musical,” the answer was different: They turned the sleepless nights, toddler tantrums and existential crises of parenthood into a full-blown musical comedy.

Why just survive parenthood when you can set it to music?

“That Parenting Musical” recently wrapped a successful off-Broadway run, bringing the Fuller’s hilarious take on parenthood to New York audiences. The show chronicles the Fullers’ journey through the ups and downs of raising kids, transforming late nights and toddler tantrums into toe-tapping numbers and laugh-out-loud scenes.

What started as a creative outlet for two people “in the trenches” of parenthood became an unexpected hit, thanks in large part to Boulder’s supportive arts community. With the help of local friends, musicians and theater fans who fell in love with their story, the Fullers took their show from a hometown production all the way to New York’s Theatre Row. This is a good example of how Boulder’s creative spirit can shine on any stage — big or small.

The Fullers’ love story — and the creative path that led to “That Parenting Musical” — is nothing short of epic. Growing up just a few miles apart, their musical journeys first intersected in middle school jazz choir.

Kristina and Graham both attended Boulder’s Centennial Middle School and then Boulder High, where their shared love of music and theater began to intertwine. Kristina moved to Colorado from California at age 8 and immediately gravitated toward the arts, joining the choir and immersing herself in Boulder’s theater scene. By high school, she and Graham were both members of the jazz choir — though, according to Graham, the romance didn’t quite begin there.

“Kristina was always just a little too cool for me,” Graham said. “I mean, she was definitely on my radar, but I never really thought I had a chance until later — maybe once I’d gained a bit of coolness myself, but definitely not in jazz choir.”

The pair both attended the University of Colorado Boulder, where Kristina majored in vocal performance, with an emphasis on opera, building her foundation in music theory and technique, while Graham continued to perform and explore music. He had already been acting and singing in musicals from a young age, performing with the Lafayette-based Peanut Butter Players and in Boulder High productions. A natural songwriter, Graham experimented with piano and voice, even founding Mile 21, CU Boulder’s first a cappella group — which is still going strong today.

Though they were friends throughout college, it wasn’t until both had moved to New York — Graham to study law at Brooklyn Law School and Kristina to pursue a master’s degree in musical theater at NYU — that their friendship blossomed into romance.

They reconnected over late-night AIM chats, and soon they were dating.

“Graham proposed on the Brooklyn Bridge, so our love story has a little bit of Boulder and a little bit of New York mixed in,” Kristina said.

The couple returned to Boulder after their studies, where they eventually found themselves missing the creative energy of their early years while balancing careers and raising two young children.

“On one of our first nights away — just the two of us — we started talking,” Kristina said. “I was teaching voice and taking care of the kids, Graham was working full-time, and we were just … in it. I remember saying, ‘If we don’t do something creative, I don’t know what I’m going to do!’ I needed an outlet. That was the moment we started creating ‘In the Trenches.’”Inspired by the ups and downs of parenthood, the Fullers began to craft a musical comedy about their parenting experiences, originally titled “In the Trenches.” The project eventually took shape as “That Parenting Musical,” which follows the story of a mom and dad — loosely inspired by Kristina and Graham — who navigate the struggles and joys of two young children, simply referred to as “Child One” and “Child Two.”

Alongside them are the mom’s single, child-free best friend and her new boyfriend, Todd, who add another layer of humor to the scenes. The show unfolds in a series of musical vignettes, following the parents from the moment they discover they’re expecting a child, through sleepless nights, toddler tantrums and preschool drop-offs — all sung completely in song.

The Fullers drew heavily from their experiences raising young children, especially in the show’s early numbers. In the song “The Most Dangerous Thing in the Room,” for example, Child One performs a tap-dance number highlighting the endless, accidental ways kids can get seriously wounded by their surroundings — from exposed outlets to sharp corners to loose cords. For Graham, those real-life moments of panic became comedic inspiration.

“That whole phase of trying to keep this little human alive while they seemed hell-bent on killing themselves accidentally — it was intense at the time, but now it’s hilarious,” he said. “That’s how we dealt with a lot of the intense moments we faced as parents. We gave those experiences some time and, upon reflection, with enough distance, they became perfect material for comedy.”

The entire show is a delicate balance between humor and heartfelt moments.

“Parenting is intense,” Kristina said. “It has its deeply emotional moments, but we wanted the show to be fun — a night out where parents can feel seen and laugh without going too deep into the tough stuff. It’s comedy as escapism, with just enough authenticity to resonate.”

The musical would not have been as a resounding success, said Kristina, if it weren’t for the support from the Boulder Community. One of the Fullers’ early supporters, Dan Graeber — a music director and pianist from Louisville — has been part of the project almost since day one. Graeber served as the play’s orchestrator and co-arranger, contributing to both Colorado performances and the off-Broadway production in

New York.

“Dan is ‘all things music’ for us,” Graham said. “He’s been there through it all, and it’s incredible to work with someone so dedicated and talented.”

Then there’s Vidyushi Goyal, known in the Colorado music scene as Mr. Knobs. Goyal, a Boulder native and Mile 21 alum, made her off-Broadway debut when “That Parenting Musical” opened in September. After seeing a video of her performing with Mile 21 several years ago, Kristina was convinced.

“Whoever that is, we need her to sing our stuff,” Kristina said. “She’s been with us ever since, all the way through to the New York run. It was incredible to see her bring that same Boulder energy to the off-Broadway stage.”

The musical’s journey from workshops in Colorado to the bright shiny lights of New York City wasn’t without its challenges. Originally scheduled for its off-Broadway debut at the renowned 54 Below club in April 2020, the production faced delays due to the pandemic. However, “That Parenting Musical” officially opened off-Broadway at Theatre Row on Sept. 12, 2024, marking a major milestone for the Fullers and their entire creative team.

“Early on, we didn’t really know if we were going to be any good at this until we started putting our stuff out there,” Graham said. “Once we saw that people were responding to it, we thought, “OK, this could actually be a thing.” From that point, our goal was to make it to off-Broadway. It took a lot of adventure and perseverance, but we’re really proud to have gotten it there.”

Graham added: “In an ideal world, it would’ve had an even longer run, but commercial theater in New York right now is insanely expensive, so it’s hard to sustain a show. But we’re grateful — it ran for about eight weeks, built some solid word of mouth and street cred, and we’re really proud of the production we put on stage. It was an incredible experience to see something we created make it to that level.”

Now back in Colorado, the Fullers are exploring ways to keep “That Parenting Musical” on its journey.

“We’d love to see it tour or even go international, maybe in cities like Chicago or London,” Kristina said. “But for now, we’re working to make it available for other theaters to produce across the country, and we’re always writing. We have a holiday spinoff in the works and a new show, ‘Miss Manhattan,’ which we hope to debut next summer here in Boulder County.”

With ambitions set on a Broadway debut for “Miss Manhattan,” the Fullers are eager to keep bringing their stories to life.

“If ‘In the Trenches’ was an off-Broadway dream, ‘Miss Manhattan’ is Broadway,” Graham said. “It’s bigger, juicier and built for New York. I’m excited to keep developing it right here in Boulder.”