I am really excited to share that my play, The Plans We Made, was selected for the Women’s Playwright Collective’s 2025 “Not Forgotten Play Festival” at the Staten Island Playhouse (Empire Outlets) this August.
About the Play:
The Plans We Made is a ten-minute play that explores the love, loss, and pull of addiction. Set in a small north-shore Staten Island apartment overlooking the city skyline, the story follows Grey and Aurora, two lovers caught in the ebb and flow of history, desire, memory, and the haunting realities of what happens to love after an alcohol and drug relapse.
At heart of the play, I ask readers and audiences to reflect on this: Love is never the problem, sometimes it’s what we love more.
A Special Collaboration
This piece came to life under the direction of Gabrielle Canci (she/her), with performances by Lily Boulard (they/them) and Lillie Schenkel (she/her), who embodied the characters of “Grey” and “Aurora” with depth and vulnerability.
As in recovery, I believe there are no coincidences. There’s a serendipity in their shared name: “Lily.” The lily flower symbolizes both renewal and mourning, which I believe made for a perfect reflection of my play’s themes of love, recovery, and resilience.
So, for this festival, I can honestly say that their presence on stage was a reminder of how theatre can impact us simply by the shared experiences through the written word.
About the Festival
The “Not Forgotten Play Festival” is dedicated to uplifting new works by women playwrights and ensuring their (our) voices are not overlooked.
Being part of this writing collective, and this celebration of storytelling, has been an honor, and a creative gift.
I thank the Festival Director, Ariel Marcus-Hollenbeck, for her vision, leadership, and unwavering support from play proposal acceptance to closing performances.
I’m grateful to have had this writing opportunity, to see my words transformed into the three-dimensional . . . a true *page to stage* performative experience.
The Future of the Play
As a first play, The Plans We Made has opened the door for me as a playwright, affirming the power of storytelling to spark reflection and dialogue around queer love, addiction, and identity.
And, as part of WPC’s *Not Forgotten Play Festival*, each play has two opportunities to be recognized, through either the Judges’ Pick or the Audience’s Pick. Best of luck to all of the playwrights!
A win would allow me to expand the ten-minute version of The Plans We Made into a full-length production! So, fingers crossed!
Either way, I know this festival was just the beginning. I look forward to where this creative journey may lead.
