Villanova Theatre To Present TRYING By Alison Scaramella, Winner Of The 2025 Sue Winge Award
Playing for two nights only October 23 and 24 at the John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing Arts.
By: A.A. Cristi Oct. 15, 2025
Villanova Theatre will present two staged readings of TRYING, a new play by Alison Scaramella (MA ’22) and winner of the 2025 Sue Winge Playwriting Award, on October 23 and 24 at 7 p.m. in the Smith Performance Lab at the John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing Arts. Directed by Megan Bellwoar (MA ’90), the play offers a humorous, heartfelt exploration of the complexities of fertility and family in the modern world.
TRYING follows Maggie and Jamie as they navigate the emotional highs and lows of their fertility journey—a rollercoaster filled with humor, heartache, and hope. Along the way, the couple encounters a cast of allies and obstacles, from well-meaning but overbearing family members to unhelpful doctors and a particularly “terrifying pregnancy app.” With sharp wit and emotional insight, Scaramella brings sensitivity and levity to a subject that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.
“As the director for this developmental reading, I’m hoping to create the best possible environment to hear the story the playwright is telling and make the changes she needs to take it to its next iteration,” says Bellwoar. “As a mom who experienced unexpected infertility challenges, I love the play personally. But I’m most interested in what it says about marriage and about the pressures that women publicly encounter in what should be a private experience.”
The cast includes Lindsay Wheeler as Maggie, Michael Pliskin as Jamie, Gauri Mangala as Terrifying Pregnancy App Lady, Roxanne Geers, Susan Betten, Miles Noeker, and David Walker, with Troy Gartner reading stage directions. Talkbacks with the playwright will follow each performance, and the Friday evening event will also feature a post-show reception.
Performances are free and open to the public, with no reservations required. Additional details are available at villanovatheatre.org.
Scaramella, a graduate of Villanova’s MA Theatre program, has developed her work through Theatre Exile’s Studio X-hibition series and PlayPenn’s inaugural Playwright’s Cohort. Her acting and writing career has spanned New York and regional stages, including The Park Avenue Armory, The Civilians, and Ars Nova.
The Sue Winge Playwriting Award, established in memory of longtime Villanova Theatre staff member Sue Winge, supports the creation of new works by Villanova students, alumni, faculty, and staff. Since 2013, the program has fostered the development of fifteen new plays on campus, continuing Winge’s legacy of nurturing emerging voices in the theatre.
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