Semi-Staged Reading of FROCI By Frank J. Avella to Take Place At NYU Casa Italiana

Ashley Garrett will present a semi-staged reading of Frank J. Avella's FROCI, a brand-new play about growing up queer and Italian-American in the late 1970s and 1980s. Following a well-received reading at The Tank on September 27th, a second presentation will take place at Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò at New York University, 24 West 12th Street, NYC on October 24th at 6:30pm.

FROCI examines the Queer Italian-American experience in a bold honest and unique manner. FROCI takes place in suburban NJ in the late '70s and '80s during seismic cultural, political and social shifts. The play follows Gio, a young closeted cinephile and his wacky family and friends, navigating life during extreme times.

FROCI is part of an epic work that deals with themes of identity, loyalty, immigration, discrimination and forced assimilation as well as deep-seeded notions of masculinity that lead to internalized homophobia-all against the backdrop of seismic cultural, political and social shifts.

The play runs 2hrs 45 mins and there will be an intermission.

FROCI will be directed by Daniella Caggiano and feature Nicholas Louis Turturro, Lucas Anderson, Elisabetta D'Avenia, Edward L. Simon, Tiziana Guarini, Jacopo Costantini, Giulia Cowie, Joshua Vega, Hilary Kelman, Eleanor Ruth and Alice Barrett Mitchell. Stage directions: Kalen J Hall.

Avella is the award-winning author of VATICAN FALLS, LURED and CONSENT. His short film, FIG JAM, has played Festivals all over the world.

NYU Casa Italiana is currently presenting the exhibit, 1982-2002: A Chronology for Italian Queer Movements.

Photo credit: Ashley Garrett