Mile Square Theatre Presents, A World Premiere, LONG GONE DADDY

Mile Square Theatre, Hudson County's leading professional theatre, is proud to present the second production of its 2016 season - the world premiere of LONG GONE DADDY, written and performed by MST's playwright-in-residence Joseph Gallo. Directed by MST artistic director Chris O'Connor, performances begin July 20 and run through August 7 in the company's new venue, located at 1400 Clinton Street in Hoboken.

LONG GONE DADDY is the follow-up to Gallo's critically acclaimed Off-Broadway solo play My Italy Story ("...a compelling page turner."- New York Times). Checking-in with his alter-ego, Thomas DaGato - LONG GONE DADDY chronicles the comic misadventures of becoming a stay-at-home father. From Bruce Springsteen concerts to OBGYN appointments to the Hoboken playgrounds and back again, Gallo's semi-autobiographical play also wrestles with the memory of his own Dad, a former fireman, and the existential question, "When does a father earn the right to be called Dad?"

LONG GONE DADDY runs July 20-August 7, Thursday through Saturdays @ 8pm, Sundays @ 3pm, with a preview performance on Wednesday, July 20 @ 8pm.

Purchase tickets at www.milesquaretheatre.org

LONG GONE DADDY is recommended for adult audiences.

JOSEPH GALLO (Playwright/Performer) is the playwright-in-residence at Mile Square Theatre where he developed Long Gone Daddy, which was originally produced in a Salon Tour of homes around Hoboken, NJ. Prior work at MST includes the workshop of his play Two-Man Kidnapping Rule, which was later produced in New York City at the New Ohio Theatre, and published in Smith & Kraus's anthology 2012 Best Men's Stage Monologues and Scenes. Other MST productions include: Ya GottaBelieve! in the 5th Annual 7th Inning Stretch; and the extended run of My Italy Story, starring two-time Emmy Award-winner Tom Pelphrey, which transferred to Rutgers University, and later played at the Barrow Street Theatre in New York City. His producing credits at MST include: the 11th Annual 7th Inning Stretch; It's A Wonderful Life; A Year with Frog and Toad; and the dance/theatre installation Much Ado About Cucumbers & Cigars, where he additionally served as dramaturg, and director of the filmed version of the performance. He also directed Edith Freni's Flare for the 11th Annual Stretch, which was named one of The Best American Short Plays of 2013, and is published by Applause Books.

As a solo writer/performer he appeared in the original production of My Italy Story at Penguin Rep, which later had its debut Off-Broadway at the 47th Street Theatre in New York, starring Danny Mastrogiorgio ("...a compelling page turner."-The New York Times). Other solo shows include Whizzy and The Jealousy Piece, both of which premiered in the American Living Room festival at HERE. He is also a frequent participant at The Moth in New York City where he is a StorySLAM champion.

He currently serves as Coordinator of Theatre and Film at Hudson County Community College, where he founded and developed the college's Liberal Arts: Theatre Arts - Associate in the Arts program. Most recently he was named the 2016 recipient of the Lincoln Center Prize for Innovative Teaching in Theatre. Training: MFA in Playwriting, Ohio University.

CHRIS O'CONNOR (Director/MST Artistic Director) Chris is the Founder and Artistic Director of Mile Square Theatre in Hoboken, NJ. He conceived of and produces the annual 10-minute play festival 7th Inning Stretch, which over 10 years time has commissioned and premiered nearly 70 new short plays on the subject of baseball by some of America's best playwrights. His MST directing credits include Neil LaBute's Squeeze Play, Charlie Peter's Striking Out the Babe, Warren Leight's The Love of the Game, and Cyrano; he co-directed The Scams of Scapin, for which he played the title role; Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Core Values, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, The Garden of Rikki Tikki Tavi, God of Carnage, The Pavilion, and Circle Mirror Transformation. As an actor, Chris has been associated with Maltz Jupiter Theatre, A Contemporary Theatre, The Culture Project, Soho Rep, Hudson Stage Company, 12 Miles West, Franklin Stage Company, the 78th Street Theatre Lab, Target Margin, Gloucester Stage, Book-It Repertory, City Theatre, Provisional Theatre, The Bathhouse, Seattle Children's Theatre, Zoetic Stage, among others. He originated the role of Peter in Craig Wright's Pulitzer-nominated play The Pavilion in its world premiere at City Theatre in Pittsburgh. He recently appeared as George in Maltz Jupiter Theatre's acclaimed production of Billy Elliot the Musical. Recent television appearances include Magic City and Burn Notice. His original plays for young people have been produced at The Seattle Children's Theatre and in schools in the Puget Sound area. His play The Mascots is published in Smith & Kraus's 2011 Best 10-Minute Plays and his play Miss Ring Has Lost Her Phone was a finalist in the 2016 City Theatre's National Award for Short Playwriting. A voiceover artist, Chris can be heard on museum audio tours in museums across the country. He has taught theatre at Rutgers University, Colgate University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, SUNY Purchase, and University of Miami. Chris holds a BFA in acting from Carnegie-Mellon University and an MFA in Directing from Rutgers University. He joins the theatre faculty of Molloy College this fall.

For more information on Mile Square Theatre, please visit www.milesquaretheatre.org.

Photo credit: Joe Epstein

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