TODAY'S SPECIAL to Make Debut at Chain Theatre Summer One-Act Festival

Chain Theatre One-Act Festival will debut Today's Special by returning playwright Luisa Tanno Leslie. Lyn Meeker and John Blaylock will star in this tale directed by Chain's Managing Director, Rick Hamilton.

This is no ordinary day at Max's Upper West Side Diner where Kay once frequented. We see them reunite and discover something extraordinary in Today's Special by Luisa Tanno, appearing at the Chain Theatre Summer One-Act Festival July 11th at 2:00 pm, July 17th at 6:30 pm, and July 24th at 8:30 pm.

This play marks another reunion--Tanno and director Rick Hamilton went to theatre school together in the early 1990s, on the Upper West Side. They reconnected post-pandemic while following each other's work.

“Having seen his delicate hand as a director in past Chain productions, I knew that Rick was the perfect person for this story,” says Tanno. “It's been revelatory to watch him, and our incredible actors delve into the work with such care and curiosity. “

Today's Special features Leslie Lynn Meeker as Kay and John Blaylock as Max. Both are veteran New York actors which is apropos for this piece which continues Tanno's exploration of NYC encounters and the ways strangers, or casual acquaintances, can sometimes show us more about ourselves than those who know us best. Her play Potholes, which appeared at the Chain in 2025, followed Chris and Tracy who shared a strong connection on a bumpy plane ride that kept them thinking of each other throughout the ensuing 10 years.