New Name And A Slew Of Fresh Readings For Naked Stage

It’s been almost exactly a year since The Naked Stage unveiled its newest enterprise: a black box theater named “The Bridge” at the Bridgehampton Community House. And now, fresh developments are on the horizon for the theatrical incubator/laboratory: a name change and a whole flurry of performance-based activity.

The Naked Stage—which mounts productions, readings and original plays by local talent at Guild Hall in East Hampton and at the 800-square-foot, 58-seat space at The Bridge—has been renamed Hamptons Independent Theatre Festival, or HITFest for short, according to its founder, Josh Perl, and Director of Development Peter Zablotsky, who both sat down for an interview at The Bridge earlier this month.

As funny as it might sound for those in the know when it comes to theater, the old name, The Naked Stage (which, in actor parlance means a theatrical presentation on a bare stage with minimal props), became a bit of a hindrance when it came to finding sponsors, Mr. Perl noted.

“We operate on a shoestring,” he said. “Looking for sponsorship as we grow, the name has maybe inhibited us from expanding if someone doesn’t know what it means.”

Perhaps visions of the late 1960s/early 1970s musical “Hair” come to mind?

“This is theater dedicated to text without the trappings,” Mr. Perl explained. “But there is also a very high standard for the performances.”

With a brand-new name comes a spate of “HITFest Spring Fling” readings at The Bridge. The schedule is ambitious, but, according to Mr. Perl, that is kind of the point of HITFest.

“Yes, we put these things up quickly. But we want people to know that there is art happening here,” he said.

First off for the series, “Playboy of the Western World” by John Millington Synge, with lead artist Peter Fitzgerald, will stage on Saturday, March 19, at 8 p.m. Next up is “Three Days of Rain” by Richard Greenberg, with lead artist Morgan Duke on Saturday, March 26, at 8 p.m.

On April 1, “The April Fools,” a night of stand-up and improv comedy, with lead artists Marcus Johnson and Mr. Perl, will be performed at 8 p.m. And a multi-week production of “Museum” by Tina Howe, with lead artist Tina Howe and a cast numbering in the dozens, will be mounted on April 3, 10 and 17, at 4 p.m. each

day. Mr. Perl reported that HITFest will hold auditions for this production on Sunday, March 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and that all are welcome to try out.

Including the community, whether it be by attending as an audience member or participating as a cast member, is a big part of what HITFest stands for, according to Mr. Zablotsky, who noted that close to 400 people attended Naked Stage productions last year.

“My major expectation is to continue to increase community involvement,” he said. “We want to have theater in the community ... Theater that works in harmony with the community.”

Additional upcoming “HITFest Spring Fling” performances at The Bridge will include: a Spanish reading of “La Casa de Bernarda Alba” by Federico García Lorca, with lead artist Minerva Perez, on April 9, at 7 p.m.; an afternoon of dance with the A&G Dance company on April 10, at 6 p.m.; and the series-ending “HITFest Short Play Weekend” on April 15, at 8 p.m. and April 16, at 2 and 8 p.m., with lead artists Jonathan Wallace, Mr. Perl and Mr. Zablotsky.

As for the rest of the year, HITFest will continue to stage readings at both Guild Hall and at The Bridge, with the hopes of continuing at both spaces, according to Mr. Zablotsky, who added that he sees The Bridge as a place that eventually will be “hopping year-round with a variety of activities.”

Mr. Perl concurred.

“I’m a dreamer. I could just imagine where we’ll be five years from now,” he said. “That desire to create culture burns so brightly for me.”

Admission to most performances at The Bridge is $10 at the door. For more information or to view a more complete schedule, visit hitfest.org.