CROSS PURPOSES & THE EXPERT to Open at American Theatre of Actors

The historic American Theatre of Actors will present a dynamic double feature of new plays by acclaimed playwright Frank Cossa. Under the sharp direction of Ken Coughlin, Cross Purposes and The Expert will run for a strictly limited, two-week engagement from June 3 through June 14, 2026, at the ATA's Beckmann Stage as part of its theatrical complex.

This provocative, 80-minute evening features an ensemble cast including Amanda Cannon, Cristina Vera, Jonathan Beebe, and Riyadh Rollins, delivering a masterclass in contemporary drama, razor-sharp comedy, and social critique.

The evening kicks off with Cross Purposes, a quick-witted, gripping snapshot of contemporary friction that plays out over a coffee, a diet coke, a hangover, and a crucifix inside a local diner.

The story follows a brilliant but deeply hungover professor who finds himself caught in a vice of intense judgment, facing the sharp, simultaneous disapproval of a no-nonsense waitress and his own student.