BURNED Will Make Invitational Reading Debut in Midtown Manhattan

An invitation-only reading of BURNED, a new play by Cameron Forster, will be presented at Matthew Corozine Studios in Midtown Manhattan on Tuesday, November 3rd at 1:30 PM. The developmental presentation represents a collaboration centering a tight-knit collective of independent New York theatrical voices. The reading will feature a company of twelve local artists, followed by a brief 10-minute talkback with the ensemble and playwright.

About the Play

When siblings Jack and Tori visit their great-aunt Sarah at a nursing home built where Benson's All-Female College once stood, they discover that Sarah is being haunted by her sister Abigail—one of five victims who died in the devastating fire that destroyed the college in 1915. As the siblings begin to uncover a truth their aunt has spent a lifetime trying to bury, they realize that the dead are far from forgotten.

BURNED is a deeply human story about grief, loss, memory, and what remains after tragedy.

The presentation stars two independent artists focusing on the play's core sibling dynamic:

Hanna Mandel (Tori): An NYU Tisch/Atlantic alum and NYC-based actor who brings a fierce, grounded truth to new work. Known for her recent turn on CBS's FBI and upcoming indie screen projects, she returns to originate the role of Tori, having previously anchored the character in the play's early development at The Flea.

Daniel Oliveri (Jack): is a New York-based actor and University of Colorado Boulder BFA graduate. His recent credits include The Bard at Bristow (Romeo), the New York premiere of Locker Room Talk, Kabul Waltz, and multiple seasons with the Colorado Shakespeare Festival. He is thrilled to return to the spooky world of Burned.

About the Playwright

Cameron Forster (He/They) is a Western New York-based actor and playwright who graduated from SUNY Fredonia with a BFA in Acting. He recently performed aboard the Disney Magic Cruise Ship as an Entertainment Host and an understudy in Rapunzel's Royal Table. As a playwright, his work includes Sea Glass and Burned, which were both featured at the Rogue Theater Festival in the summer of 2025 and 2026.

The Company

The complete collaborative team bringing this presentation to life includes:

Raquel Sciacca (Abigail)

Azarael Israel (Sarah/Mrs. Foster)

Ellis Gage (Dom/Morrison)

Mars Wardell (Casey)

Devon Goffman (Principal Phineas T. Edwards/Father Daemon)

Amanda Myst Leske (Beatrice)

Daniel Mitura (Nurse David/David)

Gemma Vodacek (Clara)

Michael Valvo (Stage Reader)

The final casting announcements for the remaining roles will be finalized ahead of the presentation.