Premiere Showcase Presents "The Half Of It" At Phillips’ Mill

NEW HOPE, PA — Drama at Phillips’ Mill presents "The Half of It," a new play written by Domenick Scudera and directed by Griffin Horn, as this year’s premiere showcase production.

An original, fully developed, never-before-performed play, "The Half of It" runs July 18 to 20 at 7 p.m. with a 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday, July 21.

"The Half of It" is a new biographical drama based on the life of Bert Savoy, one of Broadway’s first major drag performers. The story is retold by his partner, Jay Brennan, years after Bert’s death. As Jay explores his memories of Bert, he pulls back the curtain on the dazzling life they lived together - traveling the Vaudeville circuit, advising would-be celebrities backstage, playing the press against itself, dodging their exes, discovering new ambitions as performers and falling in love all along the way. It is a charming portrait of a larger-than-life personality.

The Half of It is this year’s Premiere Showcase presentation at Phillips’ Mill, July 18-21.

“The play highlights the groundbreaking and inspirational work of this artist while shining a light on the origins of contemporary drag performance and the LGBTQ+ community in the early part of the 20th century,” says Scudera. “I am a proud and vocal member of the LGBTQ+ community. I am hopeful that 'The Half of It' will allow audiences to learn more about our community’s history and to learn from the lessons of our past.”

Playwright, director, and performer Scudera has a B.A. from Colgate University and an M.F.A. from Penn State. He is a professor at Ursinus College where he co-founded the Department of Theater & Dance and served as its former chair.

Born from Scudera’s artistic and academic passions, "The Half of It" revives Vaudeville routines used by Savoy throughout the play. Scudera was a winner in the 2023 Phillips’ Mill Emerging Playwright Competition.

Griffin Horn, a New Hope native, has been working with Phillips’ Mill for over a year as the Mill’s Theater Resident, directing the 2023 Premiere Showcase "Voices!" by Joy Nash, working as a Master of Ceremonies for the Emerging Playwright Competition and the student playwriting competition, "Play With Words."

In December, he staged "Promises to Keep: A Yuletide Ceremony," an adaptation of Victorian ghost stories. Horn has a B.A. in Drama from Kenyon College and an M.F.A. in Playwriting from Temple University. He was a finalist for the Terrence McNally Award and is an alumnus of PlayPenn's The Foundry and the Playwrights Cohort.

A bonus for playgoers is an accompanying exhibition of 12 paintings of New Hope drag queen celebrities by Bucks County artist Dot Bunn. Two of the paintings, shown here, are Summer Clearance and Pumpkin. Summer Clearance is Domenick Scudera’s drag persona.

"Pumpkin" by Bucks County artist Dot Bunn.

"The Half of It" continues the Mill’s commitment to new work, particularly in the wake of the pandemic, when many theaters - especially theaters devoted to new work - have closed.

“New play development has taken a big hit since the pandemic,” commented Horn. “The fact that both Phillips’ Mill and its audiences are stepping up and making space for new plays and new playwrights is a genuine act of courage. I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

Tickets are $25 for members and $30 for general admission. Opening night tickets are $40 for members and $45 for general admission and include a post-performance reception with wine and hors d’oeuvres. For tickets, click here.

Phillips’ Mill Community Association is located at 2619 River Road, New Hope 18938. Call 215-862-0582 or visit www.phillipsmill.org .