(RAHWAY, NJ) -- American Theater Group (ATG), a professional theater company in Central New Jersey, will continue its free Monday night play readings on January 22, 2024 with Des Trucs by JD Scalzo at Hamilton Stage in Rahway at 7:00pm.  This will be first public reading of the drama.

Des Trucs explores a unique, unexpected, but impactful relationship that arrives when needed the most. Debating life, love and the value of things, two neighbors turn friends and provide the help each other didn't even realize they needed.

The reading will be directed by Brendan Stackhouse and will feature Tony Award-winner Michele Pawk, who will play Tricia. Pawk was a founding member of ATG and serves on the Board of Directors. She currently stars in Wicked on Broadway as Madame Morrible; she will be joined by Max Kantor (Rough Trade (The Tank), I Am Barbie (Bridge St. Theatre), who will play Peter.  A Q&A discussion with the playwright and the cast will follow the reading. While the reading is free, donations will be gratefully accepted.

“We were thrilled with the success of our first Monday Night Play Reading in December,” said Jim Vagias, ATG’s Producing Artistic Director, “and we are committed to continuing our mission of providing a platform for new playwrights and new works.”

JD Scalzo has worked in theatre and film as an actor, writer, and producer. A graduate of NY’s Wagner College Theatre, Scalzo is a two-time San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Nominee for his performances in Warplay (New Conservatory Theatre Center) and Maggie's Riff (Faultline Theatre). He was most recently seen in East of Berlin at Bridge Street Theatre in Catskill. Scalzo created, wrote and starred in Jaded, a web series available on Revry. He and Brendan Stackhouse are creative collaborators with other projects in development.

Brendan Stackhouse has worked on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in various theatres around the tri-state area as both a Director and Choreographer. He will soon join the national tour of Les Miserables as the Resident Director.

Hamilton Stage is located at 360 Hamilton Street in Rahway and is independently operated under the governance of Union County Performing Arts Center.

American Theater Group (ATG), founded in 2012, produces new and classic works primarily by American playwrights with an emphasis on the development of new works and the rediscovery of undeservedly neglected older ones. The company also focuses on offering quality arts-in-education programming. ATG programming is made possible in part by funds from the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.