BOO Selected as Week Three Winner of Players Theatre's Boo! Short Play Festival

West Village audiences continued to embrace the Halloween spirit last weekend during the third and final weekend of The Players Theatre Boo! Short Play Festival. The latest selection of frightening 15 minute plays premiered to sold out audiences, delighting fans of the funny and macabre.

Last weekend's audience-selected winner was "Boo", written by Sean O'Leary and directed by Mario Corry.

In this terrifying tale, paranormal investigators Henry (Ron Barba) and Dave (Joe Naimoli), along with their producer Kim (Margaret Champagne) and their resident psychic Claire (Chelsea LeSage), are investigating a haunted house for their TV show, which is in danger of being canceled. This has led to pressure to get results, infighting, and heavy drinking. Strange things begin happening, but are the occurrences supernatural or the results of real worldly pressure?

"Boo" was among four other original plays that bewitched and beguiled viewers.

"Dearly Departed", written by Frank Stancati and directed by Catherine Lamm, invites audiences to a wake for Vinnie Scarpucci, who is being mourned by his wife Ann Marie (Lexie Showalter). Her brother Bobby (Joseph Bosse) shows up to support her, and they are eventually joined by Bobby's fiancé Clay (Scott Keyes). It is soon revealed that Ann Marie isn't the only one who had a special relationship with Vinnie.

"Ghost Light", written by Alli Hartley-Kong and directed by Jonathan Samarro, features a group of community theatre members from New Jersey who believe a perfect afterlife is the chance to do what you love, with the people you love, forever. Or is it? James (Tom Lambrix), Elisabeth (Cheryl Bookstaver), and Rob (Ian Federgreen have settled into their new afterlife. After an unexpected death, their old friend and newest companion Tyler (Chris Parisi) must make a choice about how to spend eternity.

"Husk", written by Erin Proctor and directed by Rose Kortrey, follows the biblical story of Cain and Abel-with a twist. Cain (Sam Danko) has just invented murder by killing his brother Abel (Jarrett Cordeiro). Their mother Eve (Dana Tortora) doesn't understand what has happened to Abel. Soon her confusion turns to horror as Abel becomes reanimated and beings to torment Cain and Eve.

"Midnight Roundup", written by Charles Rix and directed by Joseph Fusco, suggests that an extremely dystopian future could be just around the corner. Under the "The Neighborhood Enforcement of the 2025 Reproductive Act," church-going NERA Officer Janet Moscapino (Mazal Karlick) arrests Michael Roman (Tanner Bolin) and Pete Vega (Sam Sommer), a newly married gay couple. Under the law, their failure to engage in straight-sex that could potentially lead to procreation is tantamount to abortion, which is illegal. When they argue a legal exception, the Officer executes new methods of enforcement.

The Players Theatre is now accepting submissions for its Luv Short Play Festival, which runs Feb 9-26, 2023. To learn more or to submit an original short play, visit: www.ShortPlayNYC.com

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