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In the spirit of the old “Let’s put on a show!” trope, a group of State University of New York College at Geneseo alumni have descended on East Hampton this month to stage a production of Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph’s “Gruesome Playground Injuries.”The production will be the first to come out of Genny Productions, a theater company founded by the play’s director, Brian Clemente, and a handful of fellow Geneseo alumni and friends with working experience in all facets of the entertainment industry.
“Everyone involved, from the actors to the crew, went to Geneseo,” Mr. Clemente said. “It’s really a reunion of sorts.”
Originally from Broadalbin, New York, Mr. Clemente earned a bachelor’s in English and theater at Geneseo before relocating to Long Island, where he earned a master’s in directing from Stony Brook Southampton. Over the past few years, he has worked on notable productions on the East End including Guild Hall’s presentations of “All My Sons,” starring Alec Baldwin and Laurie Metcalf, and “The Night Alive.”
He said the two actors—Julia Mascotti and Jacob Alden Roa, playing Kayleen and Doug, respectively—first approached him with the script of “Gruesome Playground Injuries” and expressed interest in doing the show as a staged reading in Manhattan. However, once he told them about his experiences at Guild Hall, the team made plans to relocate the project to the East End, and a fully staged production took flight.
“It’s a really, really good play for these two actors,” Mr. Clemente said. “I’m excited for people to see them in these roles.”
Ms. Mascotti, a Long Island native, graduated from Geneseo with a degree in musical theater. Since graduating she has established herself as a company member of Playhouse in the Square in Memphis, Tennessee, and the Commonweal Theatre in Lanesboro, Minnesota.
Her stage partner, Mr. Roa, has also worked professionally. After graduation he moved to New York City, participating in myriad theatrical projects.
The show, which was first produced in 2009, tells the story of two friends over the span of 30 years after first meeting in their elementary school nurse’s office.
“[The characters] have this connection where they understand each other in a world where not a lot of people do,” Mr. Clemente said. “What draws them back together are these injuries—physical and emotional—when one is in trouble or hurt.”
The show was written in 2008, a time when social media was less influential on the capacity for meaningful relationships, Mr. Clemente explained. “It’s about reaching out and actually having in-person contact.”
Mr. Clemente said Guild Hall, which is being rented out for the performances, is the perfect venue for the style of the piece. Its intimacy, he said, offers the audience an experience to be immersed in the gritty beauty of the story.
He noted he is also excited to share the show with a community like East Hampton that has a history of arts appreciation.
Moving forward, Mr. Clemente said that while he would like to plan other endeavors for Genny Productions, he would also like to see how this first attempt goes before making any plans.
“This is a testing ground … a maiden voyage,” he explained. “We would all like to see what comes of it.”
“Gruesome Playground Injuries” opens at Guild Hall, 158 Main Street, East Hampton, on October 27 and continues through October 30 with showtimes at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and a 3 p.m. performance on Sunday. Admission is $25. Tickets can be purchased at brownpapertickets.com/event/2627001.
on Oct 25, 2016