MHS Junior Nicky Glossman’s “What About Waldorf” At Luna Stage On Monday

 One of the hippest theatrical nights in the area takes place the first Monday of each month at The Luna Stage Theater Company, close by in West Orange. There, the 50-seat Studio Luna holds its New Moon Reading Series devoted to works in progress by both established and emerging playwrights.

This Monday, January 3, an unusually young playwright, Nicky Glossman—a junior at Montclair High School—will see his "What About Waldorf" presented. Glossman started writing the play during his sophomore year and finished it this summer. The first of three thematically related plays, Nicky completed the next two parts of his trilogy this academic year and wrote a one act play as well.

New Moon describes Glossman's "What About Waldorf" as "a darkly comic tour-de-force that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish."

The evening is a family affair: Nicky's father, James Glossman, is directing. Glossman senior is a well known director nationwide who has enjoyed a lengthy association with Luna Stage. Long time Montclair residents, the Glossmans also include Nicky's mother, a former librarian, and older brother Alex, a theater major at Northwestern.

"I grew up reading. I grew up with language. And I grew up seeing and being in theater," Nicky said. "I also have an uncle who is an actor and I have acted in plays all my life." Glossman, 16, recently appeared with the fairly well-known actor Len Cariou in a staged reading of "Orwell in Utica."  Len Cariou starred in the original production of "Sweeney Todd" on Broadway.

"I give all my writing to my family and a few friends at school to read. If what I hear has merit, I make changes," Nicky said. "I am lucky to be surrounded by very intelligent, experienced people."

Studio Luna's New Moon series has been directed by dramaturg Cheryl Katz for five years. It presents script-in-hand readings by professional actors who are cast by Katz and the play's director.

This time out, the four person cast is made up of the actors Nicky had in mind while writing. "This is the best of all possible worlds," Nicky said. "I grew up knowing the actors personally; I had them in mind while writing this play."

If you haven't been to a New Moon reading, be prepared for an audience of area theater professionals and theater lovers, as well as artists and filmmakers. "We've been drawing strong audiences all season," Katz said. Audience members are a valued part of the evening and participate in the discussion that follows each month's script-in-hand, bare stage reading.

"The New Moon series allow playwrights to get invaluable feedback from audience members," Katz said. "Each reading is followed by a talk-back with the playwright. It's also a great opportunity for the artistic staff at Luna to get to know our community members and share a collaborative exchange with them."

What's  next after the reading?  "If we feel a strong connection to a play, we offer to aid in the further development of the play," Katz said, "We work toward a workshop or a production on our main stage."

 Recently, Luna Main Stage performed, "And Then I Wrote A Song About It," a one man musical play that premiered at Luna in November and ran through Dec. 19th.   The project started out as a staged reading.  

Luna Stage Theater Company is a nationally recognized equity theater founded and run by long time Montclair resident Jane Mandel and her husband, noted actor Frankie Faison.  As actor and artistic director, Mandel and Faison run the day-to-day operations of the theater give the final final go-ahead to all productions.  Mandel also reviews all recommended plays and directs various Luna Stage productions.  A Montclair theater for many years, Luna moved this year into a new, state-of-the art complex at 555 Valley Rd. in West Orange, where it anchors that township and Orange's Valley Arts District.

See www.lunastage.org or call (973) 395-5551 for more information. The suggested donation is $5. The reading starts at 7:30 p.m.