Strongbox in the Park
a Festival of Stage and Song
Friday, July 22 through Sunday, August 7, 2022, 7:30 PM
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays ONLY, at Memorial Park in East Rockaway
Bring a chair, pack a picnic and enjoy an evening of original one-act plays complimented with songs from local musicians. This is an outdoor event.
Pay what you wish, but reserve your tickets now!
Produced by Tony Leone and Marla D’Urso
Featuring the following original plays:
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Squirrels in a Knothole
By Peter J. Stavros
Directed by Kevin Delano
Three foul-mouthed squirrels critique corporate America while pondering the meaning of life. Will these furry friends find significance in their monotonous lives of lounging in the sun and looking for the best trash can in town? Or will they be lunch for a predatory hawk?
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Head over heels
By Dana Hall
Directed by Cameron J. Marcotte
After a successful first date, Kevin walks Monica to her door. They are joined by Monica’s protective and sarcastic Brain, and although they can’t see her she is the manifestation of Monica’s inner world. In this high-octane comedy, will Monica follow her head or heart?
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Cliche
By Keith Whalen
Directed by Sam Hood Adrain
It’s a world turned upside down, as a square-peg-in-a-round-hole shoots the breeze with a woman talking exclusively in cliches. It’s all Greek to this wet blanket, but will he learn to read between the lines and let sleeping dogs lie or will he shoot from the hip? You’ll laugh all the way to the bank during this showstopper of a comedy.
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Man in Basement
By Arlene Hutton
Directed by Sam Hood Adrain
In the very perfect kitchen of a very perfect suburban home, a wealthy but charitable couple discuss their very imperfect situation: what should they do about the strange man who has inexplicably moved into their basement?
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Ink & Paint
By Danielle Moore
Directed by Bailey Nassetta
A historical docudrama, Ink and Paint tells the stories of four female animators working for the Walt Disney Company in the 1930s. Members of the group informally known as the “the Nunnery,” these four women share their experiences working in a male-dominated industry in the shadow of global conflict and labor uprise.
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I, Phone
By Tom Moran
Directed by Sam Hood Adrain, Kevin Delano, Bailey Nassetta, and Cameron J. Marcotte
As she drives to a first date, Melanie suspects that the directions given to her by her iPhone are not taking her where she wants to go. But in this hilarious comedy, Melanie might just discover that the constant companion in her pocket knows her better than she knows herself.
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Going Up
By Joseph Vitale
Directed by Bailey Nassetta
During a book-signing for their newest best-seller “Ten Steps to a Better You,” an author gets trapped in an elevator alongside an eccentric self-help connoisseur. With no way to call for help, tensions flare in this close-quarters comedy about what really happens when you meet your heroes.
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Them, Us (A friendly ghost story)
By James Still
Directed by Cameron J. Marcotte
Three ghosts haunt a dark and empty theater with only one question on their minds: when will audiences return? A play for those who’ve longed to return to the fullness of life and for those who’ve longed to return to the theatre together as a community.
Directors
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Sam Hood Adrain
is an actor, director, and producer based in New York City. He was the recipient of the 2021 BroadwayWorld Long Island award for his direction of "The 39 Steps" here at Strongbox Theater last summer. As a theatre artist, Hood Adrain has worked on stage and off at companies across the country including Audible, BRIC Arts & Media, Dramatist Guild Foundation, FRIGID New York, HERE, Infinity Theatre Company, IRT Theater, Ithaca Shakespeare Company, MCC Theater, Missoula Children's Theatre, MITU580, The Flea, and Trinity Repertory Company.. He is a published playwright whose works have been called “heartbreaking…. complex... and thought-provoking” (Theatre is Easy), have been presented in NYC at HERE, The Nuyorican Poéts Cafe and IRT Theatre, toured to Providence and Toronto and produced as a radio play by the Cleveland Radio Players. TV credits include "Search Party" and "Law & Order." Sam is proudly a Co-Artistic Director of WWTNS? BFA NYU: Tisch, Experimental Theatre Wing. www.samhoodadrain.com
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Kevin Delano
is an actor and comedian from Schaghticoke, New York. He is delighted to be returning for Strongbox Theater's second season. After graduating with a degree in acting from Marymount Manhattan College, Kevin has spent the last several years performing all over NYC in theater, sketch comedy, improv, TV and film. Most recently Kevin had a small role on CBS's FBI: Most Wanted, and completed shooting for a Netflix documentary series that will come out later this year. You can follow him on social media @KevinDelano or visit his website www.Kevin-Delano.com for more information.
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Cameron J. Marcotte
is a Rhode Island born director currently based in Brooklyn, New York. Formerly, he was Founder and Artistic Director of High Frequency Theatre in Pawtucket, RI and Education & Marketing Director at Kaleidoscope Children’s Theatre in Cranston, RI. Other directing credits include The Flu Season (Marymount Manhattan College), Betty’s Summer Vacation (MMC), House of Blue Leaves (MMC), ‘Til Love Do Us Part (FRIGID Festival), Così Fan Tutte (NY Opera Exchange), Snapshot Memories (National Theatre Institute), Barbie Blended (NTI), and Breathe (NTI). Cameron is also the former creator of a weekly sketch comedy web series “Sketchy Saturday” with Kevin Delano. BA in Theatre Arts, Marymount Manhattan College. Cameron was happy to re-start his career as a theatre artist last summer as assistant director on Strongbox’s “39 Steps” and is thrilled to return to direct and produce “Strongbox in the Park.” Cameron is also a freelance web designer and pro video gamer.
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Bailey Nassetta
is a Brooklyn based director and educator. She specializes in developing new works, as well as facilitating classes and devised performances for younger populations and those with disabilities. She has directed works at the Kennedy Center, Edinburgh Fringe, Stonestreet, Theatre Row and The Upper Jay Arts Center. Bailey is a teaching artist for Co/Lab, Queens Theatre and Irondale. She is also a resident artist of SlugFest Theatre. Education: MA - Educational Theatre in Colleges and Communities at NYU Steinhardt (part-time/current), BFA w/ honors - NYU Tisch, Experimental Theatre Wing (2015). Grants: The Puffin Foundation (2021). Bailey is excited to be making her Strongbox Theater debut and would like to thank Tony and Marla as well as the cast and creative team for their collaboration!
CAST
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SARITA ALVARADO
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Megan Mariko Boggs
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Kevin Delano
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Lauren Dietzel
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Lucy Livingston
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Coleman Shu-Tang
musicians
JILL BELLOVIN
also known by her stage name Jill B Lovin, is a musician and entrepreneur born and raised in Long Island (Baldwin), NY. Jill took an interest in music from an early age and learned to play over a dozen instruments by the time she graduated from Baldwin High School in 2013. She then attended Carnegie Mellon University where she studied bassoon performance and creative writing. Jill is a singer/songwriter and performer at local restaurants, cafes, and events and also performs with the West Islip Symphony Orchestra as a bassoonist, and regularly coordinates open mic nights/open jams in Brooklyn and Long Island. Her first full length album is being released at the end of 2022 featuring songs that cover topics of self love, existentialism, and breakups.
KATHARINE CALABRESE
is an actor, singer/songwriter, dancer and musician from East Rockaway. She holds her BFA in Theatre Arts from Cap21 Conservatory/Molloy University. She enjoys walks at dusk in the summers, blowing bubbles with her niece and nephew, and going to yoga class...namaste! Many thanks Tony, Marla, and the whole creative team and cast. She hopes you enjoy the performances!
“JACK AND MARY” MCCARTHY
are longtime singing and marriage partners. For a long time, Jack, a published song-writer, played gigs as a musical bottom feeder whose every band may as well been called Jack and the Catfish. As he got older, his only path forward was to enlist his much younger wife Mary in his musical endeavors. Jack and Mary are so grateful to be part of the talented folks
of the Strongbox Theater Company and the audiences who make the arts one of the best things about being human.