Program B

September 3 - 6

First Five Minutes

by Dale Hess and Katelyn Donnelly both of Pittsburgh PA

Produced by Iron Horse Theater Company

Two men spend one last night packing up an apartment that used to be a home. Benjamin is still in love. Sebastian, if he's being honest, and tonight he finally is, never quite was.

As they sort through ten years of shared life, the objects in the boxes keep pulling them back: the hopeful early days in Seattle, a Saturday afternoon in San Francisco where something started to slip, the comfortable distance of Austin, and the quiet resignation in NYC. By the time the movers arrive, they've figured out what belongs to who and say goodbye in the only way two people like them know how. Honestly, and with a lot of love.

Dale Hess is a 37 year old former theatre kid, hospitality professional, and current corporate workplace guy who is making his co-writing debut with this play. He has renewed his passion for writing over the last year and is working on his debut novel--mostly sober. After a few more bottles of wine, who knows what project might be next?
Katelyn Donnelly is a 28 year old lighting designer turned leasing agent who is making her co-writing debut with this project. In the past year, she has taken up writing as a passion project, drawing inspiration from every day moments, especially ones that culminate in the decision to tandem write a play over a bottle of wine at Solera.

CAST/CREW

Amanda Orr (Director)

Blake Dowd (Sebastian-Sebby)

Joshua Reed (Benjamin-Benny)

Undiscovered Country

by Dana Leslie Goldstein of Brooklyn, NY

Produced by Community Theatre Players of Ben Avon

They’re an unlikely pair, but Elizabeth and Teddy have been happily married for decades. After Teddy’s passing, Elizabeth struggles to find a way to go on without him, but maybe she doesn’t have to.

Dana Leslie Goldstein is a playwright, lyricist and librettist who has won the New England New Play Competition, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Playwriting Prize, Different Voices New Play Award, ACTF New Play Award and numerous development grants. A librettist and lyricist in the BMI Musical Theater Workshop, Dana is currently under commission to write book and lyrics for a new musical for National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene and KEAKA Productions. Her play GO DOWN, MOSES will premiere in NY in May, 2026 at ART/NY. Dana’s work has been seen at Symphony Space, Manhattan Theatre Club, Cherry Lane, Culture Project, Women’s Project, The York, Theatre80, New Dramatists, ART/NY, Vineyard Playhouse, Brave New World, The Road (L.A.), PRT (FL), ETC (Chattanooga), American Stage (FL), Left Edge (CA), on Ellis and Liberty Islands, at the U.N. and elsewhere across the U.S., as well as in Canada, Australia, the UK and Singapore. Dana’s plays are published by Next Stage Press, Smith & Kraus, Applause Books, Sordelet Ink and Palmetto Press. For more information, please visit www.danalesliegoldstein.com Agent: Michael Moore, Michael@MichaelMooreAgency.com

CAST/CREW

Jim Critchfield (Director)

Libby Larsen (Producer/Stage Mgr)

Katy Wayne (Elizabeth)

Ron Gmys (Teddy)

Ruth is Dead

by Donnie Buckingham of Swissvale, PA

Produced by The Heritage Players

Ruth is dead; murdered. Years later, her husband Jamie sits down for an interview with a true-crime documentarian about Ruth's death. But Jamie has never done an interview like this, and real-life is messier than it seems on the slick shows of the streaming age.

Donnie Buckingham has never had a play performed professionally. He did write two plays that were performed by his high school theater club. He was also the president of Please Clap Improv Club at Elon University, but that was the opposite of playwright when you think about it.

CAST/CREW

Colleen Hammond (Director)

Nicole Zalak (Producer)

Ethan Butler (Jamie)

Olga Brindar (Interviewer)