Season 2, Episode 5: Behind every summer is a community that keeps Fire Island alive. This episode explores the history of the beloved Pines Pantry through the eyes of its iconic Pantry Girls, alongside the volunteer firefighters of The Pines and Cherry Grove who protect the island from fires, hurricanes, beach erosion, and an uncertain future.
THE HUMANITARIAN to Open at Zeiders American Dream Theater
Directed by Leila Stephanie, the production will be staged in THE Z's Studio Theater.
By: A.A. Cristi
Zeiders American Dream Theater (The Z) will present The Humanitarian, a new American thriller by playwright Irene Ziegler, November 13-22, 2026, as part of its Curtain Up! New Plays Series.
Directed by Leila Stephanie, The Humanitarian follows longtime liberal activist Carol Rankin as she prepares to receive a prestigious Humanitarian of the Year Award. Just one hour before the ceremony, long-suppressed truths surrounding a murder in Richmond's Chimney Hill threaten to unravel the life she has built, putting her career, reputation and family at risk.
“It's truly a thriller, it's fast paced, there are just constantly new things being revealed and it keeps you on the edge of your seat,” said director Leila Stephanie. “You might think you know the ending, but [playwright] Irene she puts a twist on you!”
As the script says, “What we bury does not disappear, it waits for us just below the surface,”
Through Carol's unfolding crisis, The Humanitarian explores the tension between public virtue and private history, challenging audiences to consider the complicated relationship between personal accountability, morality and the legacies people leave behind.
NEXT STEPS IN WORKSHOPPING
The production is part of The Z's Curtain Up! New Plays Series, which supports the development and presentation of new theatrical work. The series gives audiences opportunities to encounter plays in development while helping bring new stories and perspectives to the stage.
In August, The Z presented a public rehearsed reading of The Humanitarian on July 25, 2026. The reading invited audiences to experience the script and provide feedback as the creative team prepared the work for its workshop production.
“In this next step, we get to explore these characters even deeper, and on top of that, we get to physically create this world with amazing sets, costumes, and lighting to match our talent cast,” said Stephanie.
By moving the play from a public reading toward a fully staged production, The Z demonstrates its commitment to supporting playwrights, investing in original work and connecting audiences with the creative process behind new theater.
The Humanitarian is presented with production partner Atlas Partnership. The Curtain Up! New Plays Series is sponsored in part by the David R. Goode Charitable Lead Annuity Trust and The Shubert Foundation.
Performances will take place in The Z's Studio Theater, offering audiences an intimate setting for this suspenseful story of secrets, consequences and the uncertain boundaries of moral responsibility.
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