Kingdom Theatre Playwright Weekend Showcase is a Success

Kingdom Theatre ended its 2023 production season with its "Playwrights Weekend Showcase," held on November 3rd and 5th, 2023, at 250 W 54th Street. The showcase had many highlights thanks to the creative vision of Kingdom Theatre's Artistic Director, Nickolas the III. This groundbreaking theatre came into existence in February 2020, right before the pandemic.

Basking in the glow of this successful theatrical showcase, Nicholas the III said, "My long-range vision for Kingdom theatre is to become a top-class Equity Union house that will garner respect and accolades,such as taking some of our plays to Broadway and on International tours. We aim to transform hearts through the Arts." Nickolas the III loves the creative process, from casting to costumes to rehearsals, and finally seeing the work on stage and the audience'sreactions.

Opening night featured a meet-and-greet receptioncomplete with wine and delicious food. To kickstart the evening, Susan ("Dr. Sue") Horowitz, Ph.D., gave a riveting performance of original music. Horowitz is a playwright, creator of musicals, an actor, a singer-songwriter, and the author of "Queens Of Comedy."
Next, the audience got a snippet of a new work in development, "The Kingdom Monologues," written and directed by Nickolas The III, which featured two sharp actresses, Roseanne Ludwigson and Daniela Ceus. Their stellar performances left the audience wanting more.
Then, the presentation of new 10-minute plays began.The audience thoroughly enjoyed "Pineapple Rebound," written by Jordan Miller and directed by Darwin Sealey. The story centers around Alex, whoreturns home from an awful date. Sad and alone, Alex releases all her pain to an unexpected friend. Sealey's simple yet powerful approach to directing this one-woman show had Jennifer 'Luv' Bonaparte giving an unforgettable, heartrending performance.
The next play was "The Menu," written by Cindi Sansone-Braff and directed by C.Kelly Wright. In thisdark comedy, Chris receives an Evite to a Come-As-You-Are Party at The Final Exit Bar and Grill. Taifa "Harmony" Bartz gave an electrifying performance as Chris. Bartz, born into a musical family, is the daughter of two-time Grammy winner Gary Bartz. She has been singing, acting, and dancing since she was two years old and followed her passion by studying music, theatre, and dance in college. She now leads her own jazz/funk/neo-soul band and has starred in and directed many stage, film, and TV productions. Meanwhile, the role of Pat was powerfully portrayed by Nubia. While aptly demonstrating her talent as an actor, Nubia is also a poet and a classical hip-hop artist from the Bronx. Nubia's album, "THE UPTOWN QUEEN," is available on all digital distribution platforms. Many predict one day, she will be a Grammy-winning songwriter and perhaps an Oscar-winning actress.
After a short intermission, the play "Bad From the Beginning" by Dr. Prince Duren was presented. Brilliantly directed by Temese Chavis, this play revolves around a young writer who learns that his words are more powerful when placed in the right hands than hands, unlike his own. Andrew Hamilton and Francisco Lake, two up-and-coming actors, were believable in their respective parts and displayed a charismatic stage presence.


Sunday, November 5th, ended the showcase with ariotously funny comedy act performed by Kenny Blacc. He kept the laughter going as the entertainment continued with musical performances.

The audience loved the staged reading of a sampling of "Poetic Justice," a comedic twist about Edgar Allan Poe and Marilyn Monroe. The three cast members included playwright-singer-actress Susan "Dr Sue" Horowitz, Broadway actor Peter Kingsley, and composer Stephen Cornine. Peter Kingsley ("Monty") trained for the stage at The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and earned his Actors Equity card at The American Shakespeare Festival. He appeared on Broadway in the original cast of "Amadeus" and starred Off-Broadway in Hammerstein's production of "The Beauty Part." Stephen Cornine is a well-respected Music Director/Composer/Arranger/Vocal Coach/Accompanist with an extensive piano and music theory background.
"Sunflowers On Mother's Day," written by Marcus Harmon and expertly directed by Ina Norris, proved to be another outstanding short play. In this mesmerizing production, a grieving son remembers his mother and their close bond on Mother's Day. He receives a visit from her and begins to heal during this angelic visit. Norris is the Kwanzaa Film Festival founder and producer, and she did an A+ job with seasoned actress Flora Gillard, who always delivers an award-worthy performance. Actor Chris Kusiappouh gave a stellar performance alongside Flora in Sunflowers on Mother's Day.

To learn more about the Kingdom Theatre, visit their website: Kingdom Theatre.