WRITING THE WALLS 2026: The Black Box Chronicles: Dramatic Disturbance at Studio Theater In Exile

Writing the Walls 2026 turns to short plays for 2026. Studio Theater in Exile @ Hudson Valley MOCA  1701 Main Street, Peekskill, NY 10566. February 27, 28, March 1, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 2026 Fridays at 7:00PM, Saturdays and Sundays at 3:00PM brings Black Box Chronicles: Dramatic Disturbance inspired by the Psychological Portrait show at Hudson Valley MOCA.

Twelve Playwrights were selected out of almost 200 submissions by The Studio Theater in Exile WTW short plays, 2026, committee. Quint Spitzer, New Rochelle is co-producing the series with Jeremy Gratt, Producer, and Mara Mills, Artistic Director of STIE. The playwrights come from Westchester and the NY Metro area.

Participants Marie Wall, Ed Friedman, Katerina Spilio, Eric Percival, Bruce Apar and Grace O'Malley are residents or work in Peekskill or Cortlandt, the rest of the cast and directors are from the Hudson Valley, New Rochelle, and Nyack, N.Y. Gerry Micera, who is acting and directing is the theater and choral director at Putnam High School in Putnam Valley.

Writing the Walls began in 2005, using the incredible contemporary artwork from exhibits at Hudson Valley MOCA as inspiration. The concept of using art as inspiration for writing is not new, but for 21 years HVMOCA has redefined the process, using the artwork as inspiration to write poems or plays. Writing the Walls allows the audience, who walks through the gallery to enter the theater, to develop a new appreciation of the intersection of narration, art, and interpretation. “And,” says, Mara Mills, who created Writing the Walls with Livia Straus, co-founder of HVMOCA, “It is always a celebration of the talent and imagination of our community.”

For writing the walls/black box chronicles: plays2026.eventbrite.com. $25 general admission, $20 seniors, students and HVMOCA Members.

Producer, Jeremy Gratt

Artistic Director, Mara Mills

Co-Producer 2026 Short Plays, Quint Spitzer

Stage Manager 2026 Short Plays, Carrie Ford

Playwrights: Jack Rushton, Bette Siler, Ed Friedman, Derek Tarson, Ruth Apolonia Zamoyta, SC Stowe, Steve Gold, Laurie Treacy, Liz Burk, Brian Petti, Bara Swain, and Ric Siler

Directors: Derek Tarson, Mara Mills, Robin Jareth, Quint Spitzer, Ed Friedman, and Gerry Micera

Actors: Bruce Apar, Gavino Olvera, Marie Wall, Benna Strober, Nick Byrne, Eric Percival, Julian Hargrove, Kelly Kirby, Kristy O'Driscoll, Elizabeth Mialaret, Misti Tindiglia, Derek Tarson, Ed Friedman, Debbie Buchsbaum, Brian Bagot, Katerina Spilio, Grace O'Malley, Chasity Perez, and Gerry Micera