Legs 4 Days at Court Square Theater

LONG ISLAND CITY, NY – Writers Actors Directors (W.A.D.) is proud to present Legs 4 Days, a dynamic four-day festival of new theatrical works.

Running from Monday, May 25 to Thursday, May 28, 2026, at the Court Square Theater, the festival brings together over 70 NYC theater artists to rehearse, develop, and showcase fresh programming each night.

Inspired by experimental theater movements like Jerzy Grotowski’s “Poor Theatre” and Augusto Boal’s “Theatre of the Oppressed,” W.A.D. unites local writers, actors, and directors to foster community and collaboration. Driven by a spirit of play and ease, as well as an affinity for spectacle, the festival invites the audience deeper into our process of developing ‘lightly-staged' reading explorations.

Festival Schedule & Programming

Leg 1: The Shorts*

Date/Time: Monday, May 25 at 7:30 PM (door 7pm)

Admission: Free (Suggested donation)

Details: Five new short plays by local NYC playwrights, lightly staged by five local directors.

Daphne | Written by Holly Hepp-Galván | Directed by Malini Singh McDonald | Featuring: Marie Eléna O'Brien*, Mary Sheridan, Nick Radu-Blackburn, Ally Harwell, Mariano Morales, Brandon Geer

Swing | Written by Duncan Pflaster | Directed by Erin Solér | Featuring: Samuel James Rider, Heather Lee Rogers

Nana | Written by Logan Kovach | Directed by Ciara Berardi | Featuring: Donna Roesal*, Griffin Ostrowski, Sam Cusson*

Knight and Fox | Written by Rachel Hunt | Directed by Lena Schmitt | Featuring: Riley Sage MacMoyle, Spencer McPhee

Me | Written by Jill Twiss | Directed by Samantha Lee Manas | Featuring: Heather Danielsen, Doug Bachelis, Anna De Marinis

Leg 2: Incel Vanya*

Date/Time: Tuesday, May 26 at 7:30 PM (door 7pm)

Admission: Free (Suggested donation)

Details: A full-length play written by three-time W.A.D. "Best Writer" winner Duncan Pflaster. Co-directed by W.A.D. Producer Eric Hedlund and Ciara Berardi.

Cast: Matt Biagini*, Melissa Canaday*, Tyler Gardella*, Abigail Espinal, Malena Sadaka, Natasha Zumar, Josephine Pizzino

Synopsis: A modern adaptation of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya. Titular character John Blackwood (Matt Biagini*) is an aspiring rapper and a member of the toxic "incel" movement who airs his grievances on Twitch. Meanwhile, his 17-year-old niece Alice (Abigail Espinal) is coming into her own as a trans woman and harboring a crush on Mikey (Tyler Gardella), the local doctor. When John's famous romance novelist sister-in-law Joy (Melissa Canaday*) visits with her wife Selena (Malena Sadaka), unrequited infatuations boil over.

Trigger warnings: Sensitive Content, Gun Violence, Suicide, Sexual Harassment, Racism, Sexism, and Transphobia

Leg 3: MORE Shorts*

Date/Time: Wednesday, May 27 at 7:30 PM (door 7pm)

Admission: Free (Suggested donation)

Details: Five additional new, lightly staged short plays.

Helluva Way to Go | Written by Dylan Walsh | Directed by Artemis Truax | Featuring: Andrew E. Jones, Duncan Pflaster, Michael Shoultz, Freb Ray, Mitchell Goeke, Marissa Swanner*, Alicia Villadiego

Happy Birthday, David Attenborough! | Written by Andrew E. Jones | Directed by David H Rosen | Featuring: Layla Izabela, Axel Dunbar, Sarah Kinsey*, Zach Evenson*

suicide cafe | Written by Artemis Truax | Directed by Michael Shoultz | Featuring: Justin Bennett*, Greta Bedel, Ava Spinelli Mastrone, Claire Dempsey, Madeline Jaye*, Frank Mastrone*, Drew Branstetter

G Train Exodus | Written by Jessica Fleitman | Directed by Paige Hackworth | Featuring: Nate Walk, Katherine D'Anjolell

Cheese (Written for television) | Written by John Francis & Claudeland | Directed by Eric Hedlund | Featuring: Heather Danielsen, Justin Bennett*, Andrew E. Jones

Leg 4: Un Air de Magie – A night of French théâtre with English subtitles

Date/Time: Thursday, May 28 at 8 PM (door 7pm)

Admission: $25

Details: Déjà vu; following the previous ménage à trois, one additional à propos rêverie and theatrical soirée, served à la carte by French speaking veterans of previous W.A.D. festivals, present original, short plays and monologues highlighting the diversity of today's Francophonie.

La part du Génie | written and directed by Flo Ankah | Featuring: Myriam Phiro, Ibrahima Sidibe

Sur la Route avec le Fantôme de Jack Kerouac (staged reading) | written by Paul Rogalus, directed by Émile Aslan Lachemy | Featuring: Marie-Catherine Massie, Oscar Schuman, Émile Aslan Lachemy

Danse avec Moi | written by Lionel Berthoux, directed by Flo Ankah | Featuring: Leemore Malka, Oscar Schuman, Sofiya Rossi

Le Vent de Merveille | written, choreographed and performed by Ibrahima Sidibe

Monologues by Eugène Ionesco, Anne Hébert, Sarah Bertillon, Alisha and Shakespeare.

There is a closing fête and cocktails will be served!

Venue Information

Court Square Theater

44-02 23rd St

Long Island City, NY 11101