Meet the Artist: New Play Reading - "The Patrons" by Nick Gandiello

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 @ 7:00pm

Summit Community Center
100 Morris Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901

Vivid Stage's  “Meet the Artist” series is a forum that showcases new theatrical works. The series provides audiences an opportunity to experience new shows and participate in discussions with playwrights, directors and actors.

The series’s goal is to expose the adult public to the evolution of a theatrical presentation and to give the playwright valuable feedback to be used in the development of the play.

The Patrons by Nick Gandiello

Directed by Laura Ekstrand

It's the Fall of 1963, and Head Librarian Mrs. Quarter is training Rhonda to serve the community amid budget cuts and a staff shortage.  Unbeknownst to Quarter, Rhonda allows teenage patron Adam to check out a controversial book, which is soon voted for removal from the shelves by the county.  As local tempers flare against the library, the staff must choose how far they will go to protect their ideals and each other.  The Patrons explores the power of public spaces and what happens when we can't agree on what is allowed within them.

Cast: Ciara Chanel, Haley De Luna, Jose Fernando Gonzalez-Vidal, Harriett Trangucci, Chris Young