Domenick V. Danza

Sid Clark, an up-and-coming comic, decides to help his mentor, Jerry Monroe, get back in front of an audience. Max, the owner of the comedy club, is dead set against it. Annie, the marketing director, spins Sid’s idea into a Classic Comic Comeback night. Jerry faces his demons as he gets ready to perform again, which pulls Sid into a downward, self-destructive spiral.

Chase returns home, after eight years of being estranged from his family and community. His younger brother, Leo, is thrilled to see him, yet his father, Paulie, is skeptical. When he goes to see his old girlfriend, Toni, he is confronted with the fact that she is married and expecting her first child. He opens up to Toni, revealing the harrowing events he experienced while away. He was left with no choice but to return home. Mr. Miller, Chase’s high school teacher, encourages him to “stand tall” and face his past without fear. When Paulie has a serious health crisis, Chase steps up to more than he bargained for. He and Leo have a falling out over this, and Toni drops a bomb from their past together. The only one who offers sincere help is Aca, Toni’s husband, who Chase never trusted. After losing all of what he hoped to return home to find, Chase begins to realize what he needs to come to terms with in order to heal and move forward.

When a 60-year-old man is assaulted outside his apartment building, he says home for a few days to recover. A Police Detective wants him to identify his assailants, but he is afraid of the repercussions. His boss wants to relieve him of some of his responsibilities, but he knows that is not in his best interest. His sister tells him to go back to work, so they won’t have reason to fire him. In the short time it takes for his bruises to heal, he faces some hard truths, and his fears overwhelm him.

After an unpleasant experience with online dating, Scotty decides to stick to the boyfriends he makes up in his head. Max obsesses over possibilities and never gets past a third date, so decides to go focus on grad school. What will it take for these two men to get out of their heads and find a common ground for companionship?

This adaptation of Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis takes place in present day Brooklyn, NY. When Greg wakes up unable to move, he realizes the change that has taken place in his body is the result of years of compromising and giving up on his dreams. The expectations at his job are overwhelming. His wife, Bonnie, is focused on her own job responsibilities and family’s financial crisis. His friend, Buddy, tries to help, but ends up enabling Greg’s condition to progress to a deeper level. Greg escapes, only to find there is a long road back to himself.

Based on the short story by Luigi Pirandello, Nene & Nini are two young children whose mother recently died in childbirth, leaving them in the custody of their stepfather, Erminio Del Donzello. The women of this small town want him to re-marry so the children can have the mother they deserve. They all have ideas of who would be best for him. When the Parish Priest arranges for his niece, Caterina, to be the children’s governess, the gossip around the town gets out of control, forcing Erminio to make a decision.

Troy and Zack’s relationship is on the rocks. Zack is trying everything to make it better, including a vacation to a secluded island and dinner at a romantic restaurant that mirrors their first date. Do they have what it takes to move on, or do they just end up going round and round?

Andy lives with his aging mother. He runs errands and cooks for her while his brother, Thomas, handles all the finances and important decisions from his office. When an unexpected visitor arrives, Andy takes a closer look at his present living situation. A few things might need to change… a shift in power, perhaps.

When Jerry’s mother, Elaine, passes away, unresolved emotions rise to the surface. His wife, Angela, helps him face his sister, who is more interested in sharing an estate that does not exist. Elaine gets a chance to review her closest relationships before she moves on, yet something is keeping her stuck one place.

When Tony, Judy, and Billy’s father buys an old “fixer-upper” in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, they find an old sleigh parked in the backyard. What they later find out is that the other kids in the neighborhood think the house is haunted. In 1918 Edward died of the Spanish Flu. In 1945 James came back from the war a paraplegic, and later died at home. Their sister, Constance, took care of them both, yet haunts the old house because she has unfinished business. As Judy faces the fate of her brothers, Constance is the only one who understands and gives her the support she needs.

“The Emperor has no clothes!” What happened to the young boy who bravely spoke that truth when everyone else was blinded by fear and submission. When he and his friend set out on a quest to find a place where truth lives and thrives, they first must face the illusion of their own fears. Once that obstacle is out of their way, they are free to discover the truth about themselves and carve a place where they can make a difference.

In this one act play, Puccini’s tragic opera is transformed into a farce. Mario’s lover, Floria Tosca, confuses Marchesa Angelotti with her disguised brother. She flies into a jealous rage and searches Mario’s villa. Baron Scarpia enters, hunting for Angelotti, his escaped prisoner. His attention quickly turns to the beguiling Floria Tosca. Madcap chases ensue as each character passionately pursues their desire, while trying to keep their secrets. When the truth of Scarpia’s corrupt governance is revealed, he is taken away, restoring a sense of calm and acceptance to Mario’s villa.

As soon as Lois gets back from gassing up the bus, it will be time to leave for the next city on the tour schedule. Martin is eager to get moving. Audrey has given this stop a rating, and is ready to continue on her quest. Haley has collected her souvenir magnet that will hold her memories. When Tim drag himself to meet the bus, he reveals information about Martin’s upbringing that pushes Martin to open up about why he is anxious to move on.

Tim is anxious about substitute teaching at his wife, Andrea’s school. He is not used to getting up early, and Andrea’s morning routine on the Smith 9th St. F-train platform, which includes talking to strangers, is more than he expected.

The snowy day does not stop Janie from one of her regular visits to Grandma. After complaining about the snow, the pain in her back, and the fact that the cleaning lady is not coming until next week, Grandma’s memory is triggered by something Janie did earlier in the day. After telling Janie about the day at the beach where she first met Grandpa, the pain in her back seems to fade.

When Gaetano comes home after a hard day and utters, “I’m gonna kill him,” his mother, Sofia, knows that means only one thing. Just like his father, he needs her eggplant parmigiana to calm down. All Gaetano wants to do is vent and talk about his day, but until she realizes that he is not like his father, she doesn’t want to hear about it.

Dave and Chris decided to wait until after the holidays to separate. The time has now arrived, and Dave is having second thoughts.

Stan and Abigail are in their art class at the assisted living center. Stan is grouchier than usual, and not open to Abigail’s critique of his project. Stan’s response to feedback from the instructor is a little more aggressive than usual. This makes Abigail pry a little deeper into Stan’s personal situation.

Phil plans to follow his boyfriend, Marc, to catch him cheating. He brings his friend, Charlie, along for company. Charlie takes this opportunity to reveal his true feelings for Phil.

Teddy has work piled up on his desk that needs to get done, but his boyfriend, Max, wants him to go to the movies with him. What will win out? Max’s neediness or Teddy’s obsession?

Due to the passing of his mother, Donald thinks a new plan for the holidays is a good idea. His brother, Frank, wants to stick to the old traditions. Frank’s wife, April, thinks a change could be good. It’s a lot for them to think about.

How does a Dad, who can’t refuse his son, let him know he doesn’t want him hanging out with one certain group of friends? He distracts him by talking about the joys of gardening until the group of friends abandon him.

When Cindy and Dave start to argue about date night, Manny has to act as referee. Will revealing their true feeling rekindle the lost passion?

When Melanie accepts an invitation to a cocktail party of her old friend, Troy, who’s back in town, her husband, John, is suspicious. Melanie always called John a conspiracy theorist, yet it doesn’t take him long to see right through Troy’s charm, and figure out what he is up to.

When Aaron finds out his boyfriend is cheating on him, he quickly packs up his things and heads home on the Staten Island Ferry. He needs a hero. Someone to mend his broken sprits. Someone to save the day.

The day has finally arrived and First Daughter is leaving the nest. She is full of doubt. When she admits to her mother, father, and sister that they never gave her the support or care she needed, they respond in a way that motivates her to take charge.

When Nate invites his boyfriend, Vince, on hike in the woods, he does not expect it to be the day they face the problem in their relationship. Once they start to discuss their feelings, there is no going back.

After two years of retirement, James meets up with his old teaching partner, Bob, to share some good news. Bob’s response takes James by surprise, leaving him feeling more solitary than he hoped.

When Gene meets someone online who looks exactly like his assistant manager from when he worked at Starbucks in Chicago, he becomes obsessed. Not only is this person identical, but he has the same name… Roger Whittager. When asked, Roger denies he ever lived in Chicago. Gene is determined to find out how he successfully changed identities. Gene’s friend Valerie is concerned about the effect this obsession is having on him, but her mind is on her new boyfriend, Jonah. When Valerie confronts Roger, he runs, leaving Gene to face his own dark past.

Kim reconnects with her sister, Vivian, because she has good news. She is getting married to her partner, Janet, and they are planning on adopting a baby. This causes Vivian to assess her marriage to her husband, Marlon, and face the fact that she gave up on motherhood. This creates a problem for Marlon, as he faces past inappropriate behavior with Janet and his over controlling tendencies in his marriage. The tables turns and the power shifts as Vivian begins to see Marlon’s inner thoughts, and Kim becomes unexpectedly pregnant.

When Tony, Judy, and Billy’s father buys an old “fixer-upper” in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, they find an old sleigh parked in the backyard. What they later find out is that the other kids in the neighborhood think the house is haunted. In 1918 William died of the Spanish Flu. In 1945 Anthony came back from the war a paraplegic, and later died at home. Their sister, Judith, took care of them both, yet haunts the old house because she has unfinished business. As Judy faces the fate of her brothers, Judith is the one who understands and gives her the support she needs.

Due to his mother’s recent death, Sal decides it’s time to change some holiday family traditions. His sister, Nina, thinks they are more important now than ever. Can they come to a decision that serves both their emotional needs?

Claire wakes up on a Saturday morning with a bad cold. She blames it on stress or an impending change ahead, but cannot figure out which. When her roommates, Alina and Grace, find out that Claire had a date the previous weekend without telling them, they immediately start grilling her. Meanwhile, across town, Jason is telling his roommate, Tony, why he is hesitating to call a girl he had a date with the previous weekend. When Tony takes the initiative and texts her, he sets the wheels of fate in motion.

When Snow feels underappreciated in her life with her Prince, she meets with Doc for a therapy session. Questions come up. She considers her options. When her Prince comes home after a rough day in the kingdom, Snow explores the many ways she knows how to comfort him.

Jerome reads a text from his long-time friend Louie about recent health concerns. Jerome’s daughter seems unaffected by her father’s response, and ignores his request for assistance with his upcoming medical procedure. Louie’s son, on the other hand, is stepping up to help his father, who doesn’t want to admit he needs it. When Jerome and Louie speak, they seem to avoid the topic all together. Is this what getting old is really all about?

Andy and Andrea wake up to find that the day has been cancelled. They received an email and a text informing them, and the new reports are telling them to go back to bed and pull the covers over their heads. How can this be? The sun is coming up and the birds are chirping. Could it be the wish Andrea made right before falling asleep?

Happily ever after… Who need it? Sometimes all you really want is a day off. That’s what Cindy thinks, until her FGM whisper in her ear and she realizes she wants to go to the ball with all the other eligible young women in the kingdom. Once there, she dances and talks with Charming, not knowing he is the Prince. When her step sister, Gertie, makes a plan with Charming’s Second to expose her as a commoner and out of the Prince’s league, the Queen steps in to make sure her son has a chance for true happiness as he rises up in his role as leader of the kingdom.

Tina and her younger brother, Troy, go for a bike ride during spring break. They are both frustrated with staying in during the pandemic. When Tina reveals that she did not leave a note telling their parents where they went, Troy realizes they are going to be in big trouble. Should they head back home or do they keep riding?

When a Brooklyn Jogger sees a man fly fishing in the lake in Prospect Park, her curiosity is aroused. When a Runner also stops and takes interest in the occurrence, she notices a few similarities in the Fisherman’s responses to them. What exactly is he fishing for?

Tom is ready to get back in the swing after the pandemic. He has a new job lined up, but his partner Jack is not ready to face his fear after being quarantined in his apartment for such a long period of time.

After an argument that went too far and an afternoon in the emergency room, Joseph and Kevin have to face the dirty truth about their relationship. Kevin is resistant when Joseph suggests they take some time apart. Neither one of them is ready to admit the end is near, until Joseph reaches his breaking point and there is no going back.

It is a hot summer Saturday morning in 1963. Every time Stanley runs out into the backyard to play, the screen door slams with a bang, startling his mother, Cheryl, and making her jump. When her husband, Paulie, tells her of a risky opportunity that could create a change to their lifestyle, she has to face the truth of what has been pushing her close to the edge.

"Dialogue & Subtext for Breakfast" is a very short play about how to engage an audience while telling a compelling story. When a husband and wife sit down to breakfast, the source of the tension in their relationship is revealed as they discuss the how to build the tension in a written scene.

If you think being cooped up in you apartment during the pandemic is tough, you should stop and listen to what your furniture has to say. After another long day of serving their designed purpose, an arm chair, chaise sofa, pub table, desk, and desk chair open up and share their point of view about their unnoticed and disrespected efforts.

Tyrone’s high school drama club is holding auditions for their first Shakespeare production. The new drama teacher has chosen The Scottish Play. As he and his best friend Oscar prepare for the audition, they discuss the fact that, since they are sophomores, they don’t have a chance at any of the leading roles. Tyrone’s mother, aunt, and grandmother try to encourage Tyrone to raise his expectation by proclaiming three surprising predictions. At the audition, Tyrone is overcome with a level of ambition and desire he never fathomed he had. He betrays Oscar, who comes back to haunt Tyrone in one of his auditions scenes. He allows himself to be manipulated by Sky, the queen of the “untouchable” girls, who is ruthless in in her desire to obtain the role of Lady Macbeth. Tyrone manages to gain the attention of the new drama teacher, and has a good chance of being cast in the role of Macbeth. After opening up to his father about his fears of being cast in the lead role, Tyrone learns a few family secrets that explain a lot about the bizarre behavior over the past few days.

This play is written for high school student actors to perform for a high school audience. The main objective is to provide students a chance to perform full Shakespeare scenes within the context of a present day situation, in order gain an understanding of the intention in Shakespeare’s writing.

Cast Size: 20+
5 male, 8 female
7 – 15 supporting / ensemble roles (male or female)
Roles are written for multi-racial and gender-neutral casting.

Running time: approximately 75 minutes.

Lolli’s neighborhood is changing. Gentrification is in the air. She is very interested in the possibilities, yet has a number of rough challenges to face. Her Mother has not left the house in twenty years and Lolli lacks the social skills to handle change. When her Mother has a fall and needs hospitalization, Lolli finds herself alone and facing more than she expected. A friend of her late Father helps her navigate her way, and she befriends a neighbor, who surprisingly teaches her to face herself. When her Mother returns from rehab, Lolli realizes that the changes she she needs to make are going to be a slow process to face one day at a time.

When Ginny wakes up feeling alone on the first day of summer break from teaching first grade, she joins a local pottery class. Steph is new to class and does not know the social protocols. Barb seems to control every situation, and her side-kick Andrew enables her. When Stanley joins the class late, he gets everyone’s attention. Old bonds dissolve and new comraderies develop. The group dynamic shifts as each member of the pottery class faces change. The Pottery Studio explores the uncertainty of feeling alone, and the actions one takes to solve or accept it.

When Ares embodies a boy in the first grade in order to rendezvous with Aphrodite on Earth, he encounters two teachers who have no tolerance for his out of control behavior. Hera voices her disappointment in Ares’ lack of planning, and seeks Zeus’ help in getting him to see the error in his ways. When Aphrodite expresses her impatience with the time delay, Ares realizes he needs to handle himself differently if he wants to succeed.

While Lilly is recovering from knee replacement surgery, she has a dream about getting into a car with her two sisters-in-law, Tessa and Mimi. Her son Charlie is intrigued by the meaning of this dream, so he pushes her for details. Facing his retirement, Charlies is driven to reconnect to his younger days, surrounded by his large Italian family. He cannot help feeling the loss of his roots as the neighborhood changes and his mother shreds sentimental documents from their past. He continues to inquire for the meaning in Lilly’s dream to find what he is missing.

"What a Day!" challenges the passage of time. Written to mimic Thornton Wilder’s "The Long Christmas Diner," the audience sees the evolution of public education through the career of Miss Adams, the main character.

Manny, Matthew, and Jackie have been roommates in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn since college. The lease is up… and so is the rent. They have to decide if they want to renew. Their attempts to start their own business and be their own bosses have let them down. After seven years of trying, its time they step up and face the music. Unfortunately, denial, living in the past, and running from your own passions is much easier than facing their true selves. What they need is some intervention from other realms.

Julia is having trouble giving her son Tommy the space to be a teenager. He wants to borrow the car to hang out with his friends, but she doesn’t trust him enough yet. Not only that, but a flock of crows is taking over the park across the street and Julia’s mother, Sunny, is an emotional handful. Sunny has never forgiven herself for the accidental death of her son at a young age. As usual, Julia turns to her husband Tom for comfort and support. The fact that he has been dead for a number of years does not stop her from her regular conversations with him. When Tommy starts dating a girl that Julia does not approve of, she takes drastic action. This pushes Tommy to face the fact that he has also been speaking to people who are not always there. Through honest confrontation, this family learns how to heal and let go of the ghosts of the past and the voices in their heads. The flock of crow moves on.

Sometimes holding on causes more problems than letting go. Scott wants to quit smoking. Mandy is ready to quit her job at the coffee shop. Josie needs to quit Mandy. And Tony’s girlfriend quit him. What do they need to face in order to let go?

Hugh has a problem with his refrigerator and invites his friend Louie over to dinner. As the dog barks uncontrollably out on the back porch, Louie realizes Hugh is having more trouble than he originally thought.

Two robots wake up in a dark room where unused androids are stored until their parts are appropriated for recycling. Abandonment is difficult enough to face, but the reality that they are obsolete is devastating. They find solace in the possibility that their reprocessing can unite them in the future.

It is love at first sight for Matt when his friend George point out the crazy lady watering dead plants on her back porch. She plays into their preconceived notion of her, then realizes the possibilities that lie ahead.

Sidney seems to have a full and interesting life, until the power goes out and he faces the loss of his one true friend.

Babe has trouble remembering the names of her family members. The atmosphere in the home is a bit chaotic. When the Lost Man shows up at their door, confused and disoriented, he is welcome by all. He is unaware of the abyss that has entrapped him, but it is too late to go back.

It is sometime in the future, and an android is suing for custody of the two children she has been programmed to raise and protect. In order for her lawyer to be successful, he will need to prove she is capable of more than the responsibilities she was programmed to provide.

In order to save their home and surrounding lands from being taken over by the King of Arabia, Scheherazade asks the audience to help her distract the king by involving him in the story of Aladdin and his magic lamp. This changes the king’s outlook. He grants Scheherazade and her family their request to remain in their home if Scheherazade would tell her a new tale for the next 1,001 nights.
"1,001 Arabian Nights: The Story of Aladdin" was written to be performed with cast size of 4 through 11, and include music, dance, and puppets. It runs approximately 40 minutes and is appropriate for grades K through 3.

An Average Moe comes home from an average day to find a Troll lurking in the shadows by the nightstand in his bedroom. He’s learned all Moe’s weak spots, and is ready to lure Moe under the bed and into hiding. Unfortunately for him, Moe is very secure and comfortable under the bed. The Troll abandons Moe for another more challenging prospect, leaving Moe to crawl out and face the world on his own.

Veronica Tessoro is determined to teach her daughter, Francesco, the secrets of her most beloved recipes that made her traditional Italian family restaurant a success. One particular dish is requested for many special occasions, and this time… it has to be perfect.

Tom takes his close friend, Dale, to a hotel for the weekend so she can take a moment for accept the challenging ahead. Tom offers her a new way to face the future.
"Open the Door" was inspired by the Edward Hopper paintings "Rooms by the Sea" and "A Woman in the Sun."

Jack and Andy are splitting up. No matter how many cannoli cream donuts they eat, they cannot escape the heightened emotion involved with selling their condo.

It is sometime in the past in a small town, somewhere in Middle America. The pressure is mounting as election day is fast approaching. Mayor Blowhard’s campaign for Congress is not going well, especially since his nephew, Terrance, is constantly coming up with cockamamie ideas. When Mr. Topsoil, the farmer’s union representative, pays Mayor Blowhard a visit with a proposition, one of Terrance’s cockamamie contraptions becomes the miracle Blowhard was hoping for.

When the noise from the upstairs neighbor reaches an all-time high, Fury is unable to hold back his frustration. His wife, Serenity, tries to get to the bottom of what is bothering him. He blames it on climate change, that looming doom that no one seems to be able to get their minds around. As the disturbance from above continues to reverberate, Fury listens to the private message amid the noise.
Climate Change has been published in The Pitkin Review: Fall 2020, a literary journal managed and edited by Goddard Creative Writing MFA Students.

A chance meeting on the Staten Island Ferry leads to a disagreement and possibly a dinner date. Do opposites really attract, or is it perhaps not merely a chance meeting?

Bobby and Buck like hanging out in the basement of the Quick Copy Center after work. Ben has a fear of the basement because the store is across the street from a cemetery. Millie shows up with four tickets to the hottest concert in town, and offers to take them all. She has a secret romantic interest in Bobby, and is unaware of the crush Ben has on her. When Ben misplaces the tickets, Buck’s violent nature is exposed, and the evening is a total turnaround.
“Trade in Value” is a one-act play that runs approximately 40 minutes.

Bernard is new to the neighborhood and misses working in the garden with his late grandmother. Since Laurel is planting the garden in honor of her late husband, she wants to be alone. What easily can be a mutual beneficial situation, is wracked with anxiety and trepidation.

When Morris flirts with a young woman he meets in the cafeteria, he is quickly thrown off his game. His intention might be questionable, but her past is even worse. Is she telling the truth or is her con game better than his?
This 10-Minute Script is inspired by Edward Hopper’s painting “Sunlight in the Cafeteria.” The setting, time period and physicality of the characters come directly from the painting.

John tells Madeline that “soon” they will be able to be together and happy. When she realizes that the more John says “soon,” the more he is putting her off, she takes control of the situation by revealing a surprising secret of her own. This 10-Minute Script is inspired by Edward Hopper’s painting “The Night on the El Train.” The setting, time period and physicality of the characters come directly from the painting.

Andrew is struggling with his decision to change his job, again. He turns to his brother Mel’s for advice. Mel’s wife, Ginny, welcomes Andrew, but Mel pushes him to taking more responsibility.