The Gene Frankel Theatre Festival Jury Panel includes Thomas R. Gordon, Francesca Ravera, and Thomas G. Waites
(NEW YORK, NY) -- The inaugural Gene Frankel Theatre Festival will light up NoHo with a festival of new theatrical works. Running from August 4–17, 2025, the two-week festival will showcase an exciting lineup of 25 one-acts and short plays, selected from over 100 submissions. Performances run nightly and on the weekends at the historic Gene Frankel Theatre which has been featuring groundbreaking new work for over seven decades. All featured plays are New York premieres, with many also making their world debut.
A distinguished jury panel—Thomas R. Gordon, Francesca Ravera, and Thomas G. Waites—will recognize excellence in acting, directing, and playwriting. Awards will be given for Best Male Actor, Best Female Actor, Best Director, and Best Play in both the one-act and short play categories. Winners will be announced on August 17 during a Gala and Awards Ceremony, which will also include live performances by guest artists Thomas G. Waites, Francesca Ravera, Jason Lee, and more.
Tickets are $28.22 (students/seniors) and $38.62 (general) and are available for purchase online. The Gene Frankel Theatre is located at 24 Bond Street in New York, NY. Subways: 6 to Bleecker Street, B/D/F/M to Broadway/Lafayette.
Gene Frankel Theatre’s owner and artistic director Thomas R. Gordon has curated, in collaboration with award winning actor Francesca Ravera, a unique lineup featuring original work by some of New York's finest playwrights.
Gordon shared why he was driven to create the festival, “I was inspired to do this festival by my former business partner Gail Thacker, who is also the former owner of the Gene Frankel Theatre. Gail is also doing a festival in August with Lucky Pearto at the GFT called 15 Minutes of Frame, so I thought it would be great to have August be a month of festivals. I also wanted to add my own personal touch to this festival to make sure we have a great time and that we are presenting great theatre. We are looking to create new opportunities for artists and unique shows for our audiences. We want to invite talented artists to not only join our community, but the New York City theatre scene”.
Ravera went on to say, “What I love about this festival is that it not only awards artistic excellence, but it also fosters community engagement and connection within the theater scene. It’s a space that supports boundary-pushing work and amplifies vibrant, bold voices and the impact of their work. Audiences can expect a diverse program of short plays and one-acts that range from sharp comedies and gripping dramas to, innovative works. Each piece is selected for its strong storytelling and distinctive voice, ensuring a compelling and dynamic theatrical experience”.
BIOGRAPHIES
Thomas R. Gordon is the owner and Artistic Director of The Gene Frankel Theatre and the Artistic Director of The Onomatopoeia Theatre Company. Before moving to New York Thomas worked as a director, actor, lighting designer, sound designer and theater teacher in both Virginia and California. Directing credits include: You Are Not Alone, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Picture of Dorian Grey, The House of Bernada Al-ba, Of Mice & Men, Medea, Arsene Lupin VS Sherlock Holmes, Let's Play: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, among others. The critically acclaimed production of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is currently playing at the GFT through July 26.
Francesca Ravera is a New York-based, award-winning actress. She recently starred in Truth be Told by William Cameron at The Gene Frankel Theatre. Her Off-Broadway credits include lead roles in The Hummingbirds by Garret Jon Groenveld at Chain Theatre, a dystopian play that also toured Italy following its successful New York premiere; Constellations by Nick Payne at Gene Frankel Theatre, which also toured Italy; Blackbird by David Harrower at the New Ohio Theater; Two Rooms by Lee Blessing at Access Theater; North of Providence by Edward Allan Baker; and The Nina Variations by Steven Dietz at Chain Theatre. She also starred in productions at Urban Stages Theatre, including Espresso by Lucia Frangione and The Way We Get By by Neil LaBute, which toured Europe. Francesca has appeared in the feature film Ulysses: A Dark Odyssey and played the lead in the dramatic short film Claire, earning 'Best Actress' awards from nu-merous festivals. She has also featured in several short films, including Creature of the Night directed by Kaya Tone, Osiris directed by Tamara Hansen, and Windows to No-where, another film by Tamara Hansen. Francesca serves as a jury member for the New York Movie Awards and The Telly Awards.
Thomas G. Waites has built a decades-spanning career in film, television, and theater. His television credits include multiple guest appearances on Law & Order (six times), as well as The Punisher, Homeland, Oz, NYPD Blue, All My Children, and One Life to Live. On stage, he starred opposite Al Pacino in American Buffalo, appeared on Broadway in Search and Destroy with Griffin Dunne, rocked out in the cult musical Teaneck Tanzi with Debbie Harry, and shared the stage with Dick Latessa and Frances McDormand in Awake and Sing! He also founded the TGW Acting Studio, which Backstage named the #1 acting school in NYC. With Lucky Man, he finally tells his own story loud, raw, and beautifully unfiltered.
