CP2 Series

CP2 Readers Theatre offers an exciting opportunity for actors, directors, and audience members to experience theater in a fresh way, with full dramatic readings of selected plays. No costumes, no sets, no props, and the actors perform with scripts in hand. These shows are an incredible opportunity to experience great theater stripped to its essence: the playwright’s words.

CP2 Mini-Festival #1
October 2021
Reading #1 THE CHILDREN
Friday, October 8 at 8pm
Saturday, October 9 at 2pm
Directed by Jeff Battersby

In a remote cottage on the lonely British coast, a couple of retired nuclear engineers are living a very quiet life. Outside, the world is in utter chaos following a devastating series of events. When an old friend turns up at their door, they’re shocked to discover the real reason for her visit.

 

 

Reading #2 A NUMBER
Saturday, October 9 at 8pm
Sunday, October 10 at 2pm
Directed by Louisa Vilardi

Human cloning is the subject of this beguiling psychological thriller that blends topical scientific speculation with a stunning portrait of the relationship between fathers and their sons.

 

 

CP2 Mini-Festival #2
December 2021
Reading #1 MARY’S WEDDING
Friday, December 3 at 8pm
Saturday, December 4 at 2pm
Directed by Christine Crawfis

A love story set against the backdrop of World War I, Mary’s Wedding is an epic, unforgettable story of love, hope, and survival, a moving memorial to both the Great War and great love.

 

 

 

Reading #2 MOLLY SWEENEY
Saturday, December 4 at 8pm
Sunday, December 5 at 2pm
Directed by Cindy Topps

Three points of view about a poignant drama are related by three characters addressing the audience directly. First there is Molly, blind since early infancy, who describes her world before and after an operation to restore some of her sight. Her husband, Frank, who pushed Molly into this operation, relates his view of his wife’s journey into sightedness and his dealings with her doctor. Molly’s once-famous eye surgeon, Mr. Rice, watches both Molly and Frank and reveals his opinion of them along with his own fears in handling the operation. Through it all we see each character’s painful and happy histories, their memories and the events that led them to meet. Their stories interweave on stage, threading in and around each other’s lives, until the unexpected and touching conclusion to this striking tale.

CP2 Mini-Festival #3
March 2022
Reading #1 GRAND CONCOURSE
Friday, March 4 at 8pm
Saturday, March 5 at 4pm
Directed by Dorothy Luongo

Having dedicated her life to religious service, Shelley runs a Bronx soup kitchen with unsentimental efficiency, but lately her heart’s not quite in it. Her brisk nature masks an unsettling fear that her efforts are meaningless. When Emma – an idealistic but confused college dropout – arrives to volunteer, her reckless mix of generosity and self-involvement pushes Shelley to the breaking point. With keen humor and startling compassion, Heidi Schreck’s play navigates the mystery of faith, the limits of forgiveness, and the pursuit of something resembling joy.

 

 

 

Reading #2 UNCANNY VALLEY
Saturday, March 5 at 8pm
Sunday, March 6 at 2pm
Directed by Kristin Battersby

Drawing on current research in artificial intelligence and robotics, UNCANNY VALLEY charts the relationship between Claire, a neuroscientist, and Julian, a nonbiological human. As Julian is “born” a few body parts at a time over the course of the play, Claire teaches him how to be as human as possible: mirroring people’s speech, engaging in small-talk, playing a musical instrument. Their deepening friendship and Julian’s growing “humanity” lead to the revelations of an unhealed sorrow in Claire’s personal life and, ultimately, the purpose for which Julian has been created. UNCANNY VALLEY explores the painful divide between creator and creation, the inherent unpredictability of consciousness, and how we are redefining what it means to be human in the twenty-first century.

 

CP2 Bronze Sponsor – LAWRENCE J. PAGGI, PE, PC

 

 

 

CP2 Silver Sponsor – Stewart’s Shops