CORONATION to Receive Staged Reading at Chain Theatre in Spotlight New Works Fest
Simon Huynh and Yuliana Sleme lead the cast of Peter Fenton's dark teen comedy.
Bucks County, Pennsylvania playwright Peter Fenton will present his dark comedy play CORONATION as a staged reading at midtown Manhattan's Chain Theatre July 1 & 2 as part of the 2026 Spotlight New Works Fest. The Spotlight New Works Fest, co-sponsored by Gitelman & Good Publishers and CPA Theatricals, is a curated festival dedicated to showcasing new shows written for educational and community stages.
CORONATION, written and directed by Peter Fenton, is a story of power, privilege, and visibility disguised as a teen comedy. When cornered by the no-nonsense guidance counselor, a charming but overlooked high school senior tells the story of how he hatched a scheme to manipulate the vote for Homecoming Queen in favor of his big-hearted longshot friend to settle a years-long grudge. His plan went horribly right.
The cast will be led by Simon Huynh as Dan opposite Yuliana Sleme as Maria. The supporting cast includes Monah Yancy as Mrs. Lowry, Sophrena Swanson as Janelle, Blue Colacchio as Candice, and Derek Crosby as Bryan with stage manager Brooke Hall. Sleme previously starred in Fenton's Off-Broadway debut ABANDON ALL HOPE in 2023, while Yancy is a frequent collaborator of Fenton's at Passage Theatre Company in Trenton, New Jersey. Colacchio is reprising their role from the play's original workshop production at Newtown Arts Company.
"I started developing this play in 2024 right here [in Bucks County] and a few high schools nationwide have picked it up for workshops," shared writer/director Peter Fenton. "I love Mean Girls and I believe New York is ready for a here-and-now take on the dark teen comedy." Cast member Simon Huynh added, "The themes of this play go much deeper than your average teen comedy. It's about characters from underrepresented communities taking back power in an institution that has always undermined them."
The reading will be presented at 4:30pm on July 1 and at 7:30pm on July 2. All tickets are free, reservations can be made here.
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