Frank J. Avella's New Play FOR MAMMA to Tackle Racism, Homophobia and More in Reading at TNC

For Mamma, a new stage work that explores the plight of a biracial gay man's struggle to keep his mother alive while dealing with government red tape and a caseworker's prejudice is being presented as part of a Scratch Night at Theater for the New City.

Written by Frank J. Avella, the semi-staged reading will feature Alex Haynes, Yvette King, Paul Pakler & Tiziana Guarini as Mamma. Stage Directions will be read by Matthew Sells.

What happens when a middle-aged, low-income, biracial, gay man (4 strikes!) is forced to try and figure out how to keep his ailing Sicilian mother alive and, also, keep his family home? He elicits the help of a novice attorney and they both take on an intolerant, jaded caseworker bent on sabotaging things. As real turns surreal, a drastic decision alters everyone's reality.

For Mamma is a genre mash-up that hopes to foster dialogue about race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, class and prejudice in the U.S. today as well as the power patriarchy and erosion of basic human rights.

Admission is free ($5 suggested donation for TNC). To reserve seats email vaticanfalls@gmail.com or call 973-715-2356. Theatre for the New City is located at 155 1st Avenue between East 9th and 10th Streets, NYC. Subways: 6 (Astor Place), L (1st Av), N, R (8th St - NYU).

Frank J. Avella is the recipient of a 2018 Bogliasco Foundation Fellowship, a 2015 Fellowship Award from the NJ State Council on the Arts as well as the 2016 Helene Wurlitzer Residency Grant and Chesley/Bumbalo Foundation Playwright Award. His play, CONSENT, was a 2012 semifinalist for the O'Neill National Playwrights Conference and took part in the 27th Annual Fullerton College Playwrights Festival (2017). Frank has written 19 full-length plays; 10 have been produced. His other works include: VATICAN FALLS (2013 O'Neill Special Mention, 2017 Planet Connections Festivity--nominated for Outstanding Playwriting). LURED (2016 Dream Up Festival-sold out run, 2017 William Inge Theater Festival), about the Russian persecution of gays, FOR MAMMA (2017 TNC Scratch Night), MICHAEL'S #1 FAN, THE BUBBLE, The Mad Ones and ORVILLE STATION, which has been published in the UK by Lazy Bee Scripts. Upon reviewing Frank's farce IRIS (produced by the Know Theatre), in 2005, the Cincinnati Post wrote: "Avella's plays tend to send earthquakes through his audience's comfort zones." He is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild.