DARK ORCHID to Make World Premiere at Gene Frankel Theatre Festival
Heather Violanti's noir play, directed by Jennifer Sandella, stars N. Marie Teagno and David Michael Kirby.
Heather Violanti's short noir play DARK ORCHID is set to make its world premiere at the Gene Frankel Theatre Festival in Manhattan, running August 2 through 15, 2026. Set in 1944 Hollywood, the 15-minute play follows a failed screenwriter named Myrtle who, after a famous novelist attempts to steal her idea, moves to claim her own creative future. Directed by Jennifer Sandella, the production features N. Marie Teagno, David Michael Kirby, David Dowlett, and Mona Bruno, and plays as part of Block 8 at 24 Bond Street on August 2 at 5 p.m., August 8 at 7:30 p.m., and August 15 at 2:30 p.m., with tickets priced at $25 to $35.
Violanti commented on the play's origins: 'This play was inspired by the sass and style of film noir, the stream-of-consciousness writing of William Faulkner, and the long-standing discrimination experienced by women within the entertainment industry. It's a celebration of the creative spirit as well as a love letter to Old Hollywood.'
PRODUCTION DETAILS
WHAT: DARK ORCHID
WHO: Written by Heather Violanti; Directed by Jennifer Sandella; Featuring N. Marie Teagno, David Michael Kirby, David Dowlett, Mona Bruno
WHEN: August 2 at 5 p.m.; August 8 at 7:30 p.m.; August 15 at 2:30 p.m.
WHERE: Gene Frankel Theatre Festival, 24 Bond St., Manhattan (near 6/B/D/F/M)
HOW MUCH: $25–$35+
RUN TIME: DARK ORCHID is a 15-minute play within a 90-minute show block
TICKETS: www.genefrankeltheatrefestival.com
BIOS
Heather Violanti (Playwright) is a playwright and dramaturg currently based in New York City. Her plays have been produced at the RATNYC, Dream Up Festival at Theater for the New City, the Radioactive Festival, the Women's Theater Festival, the DR2 Lounge, and MusicalFare Theatre. Her play Waltz of the Exterminator was published in the Best Ten-Minute Plays of 2021 by Smith & Kraus. Two other short plays, The Bald Mousetrap and Fish Story, are published by Brooklyn Publishers. She has an MFA in Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism from Yale School of Drama.
Jennifer Sandella (Director) is a Brooklyn-based theatre artist with a foundation in classical text and performance. Jennifer is the Artistic Director of Random Access Theatre and the Executive Director of The RAT NYC. She holds an MA from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and a BFA from Hofstra University. Recent directing projects include: Miranda from Stormville (RATCO), The Potemkin Play (Here Arts), Rosmersholm (The Old Stone House/RATCO), The Taming of the Shrew (Brooklyn Bridge Park: Shakespeare at Sunset), Save the Robots (West Village Musical Theatre Festival/NYMF). Jennifer is an associate member of the SDC, a 2015 Drama League resident artist and a member of the Director's Lab West ('14 cohort). www.jennifersandella.com
Violanti, who holds an MFA in Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism from Yale School of Drama, has had work produced at the Dream Up Festival at Theater for the New City and the Women's Theater Festival, among other venues. Her play Waltz of the Exterminator appeared in the Best Ten-Minute Plays of 2021 published by Smith and Kraus. Director Jennifer Sandella serves as Artistic Director of Random Access Theatre and holds an MA from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London.
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