Published on April 2, 2024 | 
| Written by Carol Ann Benanti
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Sundog Theatre announces its six short plays and creative team for “Scenes from the Staten Island Ferry 2024,” to be presented Saturday, April 6, to Sunday, April 14, at New Dorp Moravian Church Theatre.
“Scenes from the Staten Island Ferry 2024″ is Sundog Theatre’s 22nd annual presentation of six new and original one-act plays about everyone’s favorite boats, the Staten Island ferries. Interestingly, Sundog Theatre has received more than 50 submissions of unique and never-produced plays. Winners receive an “honorarium” and a fully staged production. This year, playwrights were asked to adhere to the theme “things are not what they seem” while still maintaining a comedic or dramatic effect.
The directors for “Scenes from the Staten Island Ferry 2024″ are Barbara Brandt, and James Barone, Larry Marshall, Austin Nakamura, Craig Stoebling, and Ken Tirado, who call Staten Island home. The producer is Susan Fenley. Victoria Colella is co-producer. Stephen Fehr serves as set/stage designer, and Margaret Grace is production stage manager.
Sundog Theatre’s Scenes from the Staten Island Ferry 2024 winning plays are:
“Cold Hot Coffee” by Margaret McAleese, directed by Barbara Brandt Kinter, features Peter Gilleece and Miranda Coplin: The 2007 winner of the “My Brooklyn” writing festival sponsored by the Brooklyn Public Library, McAleese has been a participating writer in two 48-hour film projects, as well as a 24-hour novel project.
“Lost Connection” by Louis Affortunato, directed by Larry Marshall and featuring Shea Ryan and Bridgette Leigh: Affortunato is a writer and filmmaker who has written and directed several short films and one feature film. He also co-wrote the satirical feature play, “The Teacher’s Lounge,” recently produced through Ghostlight Plays for their inaugural Ghostwriter’s Playwrights Festival.
“SUNRISE~Sunset = Goodbye” by Theo Gallagher, directed by Ken Tirado and featuring Kleo Mitrokostas and Seth Garrett: Gallagher spent 30 years teaching high school chemistry/physics and retired in 1999. He wrote “De Ja Columbus,” produced by Thespian Productions in New York City, “The Losers” and “Silly Numbers,” produced by Sundog Theatre and Spirit Equity, produced by Lakeshore Players Theatre in White Bear Lake, Minn.
“They Look Just Like Everybody Else” by Courtney Emerson, directed by James Barone and featuring Andris Pinkhasik, Amie Margoles, and Brittany Eberight: Emerson is a visual artist whose love of the arts has inspired her to dive into all aspects of stage arts, such as acting, prop and costume design, and directing, as well as joining the Dramatists Guild as a playwright this past year.
“Would You Believe Me?” by Matt Gilleece, directed by Austin Nakamura and featuring Annia Brito and David Leon: Gilleece is a prize-winning screenwriter, playwright, lyricist, actor, and musician. His plays have been workshopped and performed at venues from New York City to Los Angeles to London, most recently at Ghostlight Players’ “Ghost Writers Playwright Festival.” His plays were featured in Scenes… 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, and “A-Bridged History of Staten Island,” a musical he wrote with his son, Peter, was produced by Sundog Theatre in June 2023.
Performances are set for Saturday April 6, Sunday, April 7, Saturday, April 13, and Sunday, April 14, in New Dorp Moravian Church Theatre, 2205 Richmond Rd.
