Four Long Island Plays at Community Theater
The Studio Playhouse’s latest production is “Four,” a group of four one-act plays written by Long Island playwrights. It will be performed from next Thursday through Dec. 3 at LTV’s Studio 3 in Wainscott.
The community group, which was formed earlier this year in collaboration with LTV, performed “Destry Rides Again” in June. This time they have plays by Frank Tangredi, Michelle Murphy, and Hortense Carpentier.
Mr. Tangredi’s “Extracurricular” and “Along the Fault Line” explore human relationships under unusual and imaginative circumstances. Colby Herbst and Deborah Marshall star in “Extracurricular.” Ms. Marshall also stars in “Along the Fault Line” with Sima Freierman. Mick Benderoth directs “Extracurricular” and Anita Sorel, the founder of the theater group, directs “Along the Fault Line.”
Michelle Murphy has a one-act, two-scene play called “Still Here,” which has been adapted by Ms. Carpentier, who also directs. The story centers on a troubled man whose dysfunctional family visits him at a rehab center only to find he has checked out with an unnamed woman. The first act reveals the dynamics of the family, while the second centers on the man and his reconnection with an old flame who may or may not be just what he needs. The play stars Carolyn Feldshuh, Lee Michel, Elena Prohaska-Glinn, Jeff Sleed, and Stacie Selfe.
“Ashes” is the fourth play and was written by Ms. Carpentier and directed by Mr. Benderoth. The play deals with guilt, regret, and ultimate forgiveness. It stars Robert Anthony, Rosalind Brenner, and Trish Kern.
The producers noted that the plays they have chosen deal with weighty issues, but not without humor. Tickets can be purchased at ltveh.org and are $15 and $10 for students and those over 65. The casts include professional actors and those walking the boards for their very first time. The group holds workshops called the Actors’ Dojo on Monday evenings for those who want to hone their craft. New scripts from up-and-coming playwrights are being sought.
The Studio Playhouse will return in February with “Valiently Vaudeville,” a showcase of local talent, and in May with “Lil’ Abner,” a musical based on Al Capp’s comic strip.