A fantastic portrayal of life in the political arena, spot on. With much for the family to sort through, as is the case with most families, only to have it all in the line of a political firing squad. Well done!

Premiere Stages, the professional Equity theatre in residence at Kean University, is pleased to recognize “Cicada” by Nick Gandiello as a semifinalist for the 2019 Premiere Play Festival. “Cicada” rose through a competitive selection process conducted by Premiere staff and a panel of outside theatre professionals to become one of 23 semifinalists out of 659 submissions. The panel was particularly impressed by Nick’s lovely, often humorous dialogue, complex and compelling characters, and the slow burn of the conflict; and although the story of Benny’s family is tragic, it is also powerfully moving and uplifting. Our congratulations and thanks to Nick.

I recommend this play. It felt larger than 6 people and straddled both comedy and drama expertly. While set against a political campaign by a democratic woman, the heart of the play revolves around the death of the daughter 12 years ago. Fast forward to the week ramp up towards the vote when the mudslinging reveals this painful piece of their collective history, mixed with the joy of the oldest daughter returning home to introduce her female fiancé to the fam. There is race, LGBT, feminism, and PTSD issues wrapped up in a well-crafted dramedy.