A Duet Of DeVita Plays To Be Presented At The Queens Short Play Festival

One of New York's most prolific playwrights, Doug DeVita, has two featured events at The Secret Theatre's Queens Short Plays Festival. The Secret Theatre, a leading professional theatrical company in Queens is gearing up to produce a mammoth new works festival starting at the end of February and running through March.

Doug DeVita, a two-time O'Neil Semi-Finalist (Fable & Just A Rumor), was also Semi-Finalist for Barrington Stage (Phillie's Trilogy), B Street Theatre's Comedy Festival (Goddess Of The Hunt), and We Screenplay's Diversity Competition (The Fierce Urgency Of Now). His work is published by Next Stage Press and Smith & Kraus.

His works are featured in the festival in two programs:

PROGRAM B: Fri., February 23; Wed., March 6; Sun., March 10; Sat., March 16

Shitty Shitty Bang Bang by Doug DeVita, directed by Eric C. Webb featuring Marie Elèna O'Brien* and Emerson West

Two days before Christmas, 1968. 18 year-old college freshman Celia McDougal and her mother, 48 year old Veronica, are finishing dinner at the Pancake House next door to the hospital where Veronica's father has just died. Veronica doesn't want to spoil her young son Phillie's holidays with the news of his grandfather's death, and tries to enlist Celia's help in keeping the boy from finding out until after his birthday in February. Celia is not too keen on helping her mother, but acquiesces when she realizes she can use this as leverage to get something she wants.

PROGRAM E: Sun., February 25; Tues., March 5; Sat., March 9; Thurs., March 14

Mrs. Platte by Doug DeVita, directed by Robert Liebowitz featuring Calum Giles, Rose Zisa, and Jessica L Vera

February, 1970. At a bookstore in a shopping mall on Long Island, 10 year-oldPhillie McDougal is trying to decide what books to buy with his birthday money. He is surprisedand overjoyed to run into his former teacher, Mrs. Ann Platte, who had been replaced after thefall semester by a perfectly awful woman for reasons that Phillie doesn't quite believe. Hopingagainst hope she will be returning to St. Mary's, Mrs. Platte gently but firmly lets him knowthat's not going to happen, deftly sidestepping the issue without ever giving him the true reasonbehind her sudden departure.

The theatre is located at 38-02 61st Steet, Woodside,New York.

Visit THESECRET THEATER WEBSITE for showtimes and tickets

The duet of DeVita featured events are produced by SOAR Productions and Jay Michaels Global Communications, LLC