(ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ) -- First Avenue Playhouse presents Men Are Dogs weekends from April 17 to May 2, 2026. This is Joe Simonelli's hilarious comedy about Dr. Cecelia Monahan, a therapist running a support group for single and divorced women.
Cecelia has troubles of her own, but it's her ensemble of neurotic patients who provide the action when a "volunteer" role-player becomes the hapless victim of their not-inconsiderable ire.
The production is directed by Donna Jeanne.
Performances take place Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30pm; Sunday matinees at 2:30pm. Reservations can be made by calling (732) 291-7552.
First Avenue Playhouse is a dessert theatre located at 123 First Avenue in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. An intimate venue with comfortable table seating. Bringing Broadway theatre to the Jersey Shore since 1988. New productions monthly, presenting Comedies, Dramas, Mysteries, & Musicals. Enjoy delicious Cake, Coffee or Tea 1/2 hour before the curtain and soda at intermission.
Joe Simonelli is an American playwright. He first began his career as the resident playwright for First Avenue Playhouse. His most notable published works are Men Are Dogs, Ladies in Lingerie, and Heaven Help Me. All published with the number one play publisher, Samuel French Inc. (Concord Theatricals) His popular valentines opus With This Ring is with Stage Rights (Broadway Publishing)
Simonelli grew up in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn, New York, where his father, Phillip, was a local orchestra leader. Joe was exposed to Broadway at an early age as his parents encouraged him and his four siblings to attend the theatre. Starting at the age of seven he saw such stars as Danny Kaye in Two by Two and Katharine Hepburn in Coco. Simonelli appeared on stage as early as the second grade beginning with elementary school productions at St. Patrick's Grammar School until his senior year at Xaverian High School in Brooklyn when he was featured as one of the Jets in West Side Story.
Forty years later he played the role of Lt. Schrank in an equity production on Staten Island, New York, Simonelli didn't seriously get into theatre and writng until the age of forty when he tried out for a local community theatre production in New Jersey. Shortly thereafter he started writing plays and submitting them around New York City and Los Angeles.
