Staged Play Readings by The Theater Project

The Theater Project will present staged readings of four short plays, “Après la Fête” and “The Butler’s Pantry” by Joseph Vitale, “Going Postal” by Ed Lataro, and “The Turtle and the Woman” by Mary Jane Walsh. In “Après la Fête,” a young couple cleans up after a cocktail party at their home, but more than the glasses need sorting out. In “The Butler’s Pantry,” a couple discovers an old photograph on the evening of their anniversary. The photograph ties them to the past in ways they had not imagined. Joseph Vitale, a semi-finalist for the 2012 Eugene O’Neill/National Playwrights Conference Award, is the author of several plays, including Murrow, which will be produced Off-Broadway at the Phoenix Theatre Ensemble in May. In “Going Postal,” Bob, a postal worker, can no longer tolerate the abuse after being harassed by his supervisor for several years. Ed Lataro has had several plays produced in New York, including Not in Kansas Anymore and Otto’s Fortune. He holds a master’s degree in counseling. In “The Turtle and the Woman,” the joy of birth, the perils of life, and the meaning of friendship create an enduring bond between two women who meet at the edge of the wood in the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Mary Jane Walsh’s other plays include Ping, My Sister’s Back Is Killing Me, and Finishing it Off! A native of Elizabeth, Ms. Walsh lives in Basking Ridge and is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America. The Theater Project is an acclaimed, New Jersey-based professional theater group and the winner of two New Jersey Tony Awards. Following the performances, the audience will have the opportunity to discuss the works with the authors. The program is sponsored by the Friends of the Cranford Public Library. Admission is free and all are welcome.