Iris Salomon, Artistic Director of Barnspace Productions, invites Howard Meyer to create a resident ensemble of professional actors, directors, and playwrights. Howard Meyer does so, including both professionals and advanced students from his existing acting program. Axial Theatre begins!
2000
Persephone Rising
The Kiss
The Fall of Athens
The company is invited to perform at Fleetwood Stage’s Platform Series, a festival of new works by emerging theatre-artists. In this weekend-long presentation of five original one-acts, the company plays to sold-out audiences.
Persephone Rising by Howard Meyer and Behind Easton by Emily Masciandaro are re-staged as a full production at the Barnspace in Katonah.
Bret Primack’s The Fall of Athens and Howard Meyer’s The Kiss are workshopped at The Schoolhouse Theatre to sold-out audiences.
The company is invited to the Fox Lane Middle School to restage Persephone Rising, sharing the stage with renowned theatre and film actor, Stephen Lang.
Feature article in the New York Times by staff-writer Kyle Minor documents Axial Theatre’s unique collaborative process.
Arcadian Arts, a local, not-for-profit arts organization, sponsors the Axial Theatre. An Advisory Board including noted writers, producers, and community professionals, is formed.
Howard Meyer and company members visit seven area high schools and middle schools and read excerpts from The Kiss. The play, dealing with relevant themes for this age group, provokes rigorous dialogue. Program includes Q & A about a life in the dramatic arts.
A full production of Howard Meyer’s The Kiss inaugurates the professional theatre space of Northern Westchester Center for the Arts in Mt. Kisco.
Elizabeth Phelps’ Paperwhite and Bret Primack’s Today’s Specials receive their initial staged readings at the launch of the Reading Series of New Plays at NWCA.
Bret Primack’s Today’s Specials is workshopped at The Schoolhouse Theatre to sold-out audiences.
The company begins work on its first collaborative writing project based on the theme of resurrection.
The New York Times
A Play Date for Playwrights Who Meet in a Weekly Workshop
By E. KYLE MINOR
Published: October 1, 2000 > Click here to read this article.
Howard Meyer’s Acting Program, which has offered acting classes in Westchester County for the last eight years to students of diverse ages and levels of experience, merges with Axial Theatre, adding an educational component to the new organizational structure.
The company stages its first benefit featuring student performances as well as presentations by area and company professionals. All That’s Fair, a new play by Howard Meyer, receives its first workshop production at Northern Westchester Center for the Arts in Mt. Kisco.
Howard Meyer’s Persephone Rising appears in the Samuel French One-Act Festival at the American Theatre of Actors in NYC.
The merger of Axial Theatre and Howard Meyer’s Acting Program is complete. The entire organization will be run under the corporate heading Axial Theatre, Inc., a newly formed not-for-profit 501 C-3 corporation.
NYC play reading series is launched, meeting alternate Sundays at Caymichael Patten Studio in NYC, where an invited group of actors, writers and directors will develop new plays with Axial to be considered for future productions in Westchester.
A series of 7 new plays in varying stages of development was presented over the course of four nights at The Schoolhouse Theater in Croton Falls, NY. Each night, directors, writers, and actors new to the Axial Theatre family were presented. Included were excerpts from Brian Quirk’s one-man show Portraits, Peter Killy’s Windows on the World, and Howard Meyer’s Jerry.
NEW WORKS in NEW YORK, a Staged Reading Series of 8 new plays in development, was presented over three nights at HERE in New York City, continuing the development of our NYC creative community as well as an audience for Axial Theatre in NYC.
Missing Parts, an Evening of one-act Plays about the Search for Connection by Patrick Davin, Linda Giuliano, Howard Meyer and Susan Jennifer Polese, presented at HERE Arts Center, NYC.
Billy Bubblehead, by Tony Howarth, performed as a site specific performace at the Amawalk Friends Meeting House. The Company’s second feature article appears in the NY Times. An extremely favorable review appears in the Journal News.
State of Obsession: America’s 51st State, an evening of One-Act plays by Brian Quirk, Robin Rice Lichtig, Brian O’Neill and Kristy Hasen presented at HERE Arts Center, NYC.
The New York Times
A Theater Group's Drama-Worthy Gathering Place
By CYNTHIA MAGRIEL WETZLER
Published: May 23, 2004 > Click here to read this article.
Axial finds its first full time home in Pleasantville, at 48 Wheeler Avenue and forms a relationship with the Jacob Burns Film Center. Axial begins a concerted effort to expand its Board of Directors. By 2007, the board is 9 members strong.
The New York City Reading Series moves to Pleasantville and is renamed, ‘Axial Playwrights.’
Axial applies for NYSCA funding, was approved and funding has continued to date.
They obtain the first of what becomes a multi-year grant from the William T. Morris Foundation.
Axial engages in its first improvisational creation of a full-length play. The first act of The Contract, about the challenges of growing up in a dysfunctional family, co-authored by the entire company, is the first piece to be performed in their new home in Pleasantville in the Spring of 2005. The complete work, The Contract Parts I & II is presented in it’s entirety in the Fall of 2005
Axial makes plans for an ongoing full season of scheduled work that will include a fall workshop production or reading, a winter production of one act plays (that develops into the 10 Minute Play Festival), and a spring Full Production.
In the Spring of 2006 Lost in Paradise is presented at the Bedford Hills Community House. As a result of the success of the production, the play is shot for local television and optioned for a motion picture.
In the Fall of 2006 a staged reading of Marrow, by Brian Quirk is presented.
In the Winter of 2007, Axial inaugurates its first 10 minute play festival: Power Lunches and Disorderly Conduct.
Axial’s first retrospective video is produced: “Axial Theatre, The First Seven Years.”
"Axial Theatre, The First Seven Years.”
In 2007, a glowing review from The Journal News brings so many new audience members to spring production of Two Hearts that the local town board asks us to move our performances to another venue. Two Hearts: Chance Encounters and Unlikely Connections, an evening of short play were written by Linda Giuliano and directed by Stephen Palgon, Brian Quirk, Tony Howarth, and Howard Meyer, completes its run at St. John’s Episcopal Church. The short play in the evening, The Last Delivery, features 92 year old theatre and radio legend, Clifford Carpenter. A YouTube video interview is produced to promote the show and honor Mr. Carpenter.
Interview with Two Hearts Guest Star
92 year old Cliff Carpenter
Much of the rest of 2007 is consumed with search for a new space, which can house productions and the acting program. Space issues resolve in the fall of 2007. Both divisions will find their home at St John’s Episcopal Church in Pleasantville. Productions will formerly commence in January 2008 with the acting classes to follow in the Fall.
Tunneling Through: Glimpses from the In Between, an evening of five 10-minutes plays officially inaugurates our performance home at St. Johns in January 2008. Plays presented were written by Ryan Mallon, Patrick Davin, Gabrielle Fox, Stephen Palgon, and Linda Giuliano and were directed by Stephen Palgon, Margie Ferris, Chuck Bradley, Rachel Ann Jones, and Tony Howarth. Guest artist extraordinaire Robert Kya-Hill makes his debut with the company.
In March, Axial is invited to perform selections from Tunneling Through at the Westchester Arts Council’s Arts Exchange opening for theatre and film actor, Campbell Scott.
In the Spring of 2008 Howard Meyer’s powerful full length tragedy, AngelBeast was produced to glowing reviews. It was directed by Mollie O’Mara and featured Finnerty Steeves, James Davies, Stephen Palgon, Rachel Ann Jones, Margie Ferris, Ryan Mallon, Quinn Warren and Charlotte Exton.
In July, Axial is invited to present its first staged reading event “Under the Stars,” at the band shell at the Mohegan Colony. Short plays under consideration for their 10th anniversary season ten minute play festival are presented.
Our 10th anniversary season opens with a feature article in the New York Times about the company’s decade long history.
To commemorate our 10th anniversary and to kick off the season, Axial presents two short favorites from the past (Junior, by Brian O’Neill and the Shroud of Turin by Linda Giuliano) plus two new short plays from the current New Play Development Series (Baby Talk, by Jeanne Dorsey and The Ride by James Christy). Inside/out: what remains within? what must come out? features performances by Gail Greenstein, Laura Credidio, Ryan Mallon, Howard Meyer, Sara Carbone, Gloria M. Buccino, Dale Furnia, Sean Weil, Cesar Leonardo, Margie Ferris, Michael Raymond Fox, Mark Gorham, & Cyndi Sciacca.
Tunneling Through:
Glimpses from the In Between
AngelBeast
Inside/out: what remains within?
what must come out?
The New York Times
Troupe Still Evolving as 10th Season Opens
by Cynthia Magriel Wetzler October 17, 2008 > Click here to read this article.
The 10th anniversary season concludes with Howard Meyer’s critically acclaimed comedy, Cherry and Jerry. Directed by Mr. Meyer the production features performances by Rachel Jones, Sean Weil, Brian Pracht, Patrick Davin, Gloria M. Buccino, Jess Erick and Cyndi Sciacca. YouTube videos are produced about the show.
The 2009-2010 kicks off with our 4th annual one act festival: Angels & Visions featuring plays by Guest Artists (and Pulitzer Prize nominees) Adam Rapp and Gina Gionfriddo, critically acclaimed writers Matt Hoverman and Jessica Dickey, and company writer Ryan Mallon.
In June, Linda Giuliano’s full length play, The Black Madonna, gets its first public workshop. In September, Howard Meyer’s new full length, WELCOME, This is a Neighborhood Watch Community has its first public reading at the esteemed Hudson Valley Writers’ Center. Both plays enjoyed extensive development at the Axial Playwrights series that previous season.
Axial presents For The Love of Money, it's first series of interrelated monologues. Company members present pieces from Katie Atcheson, Jessica Dickey, Gabrielle Fox, Linda Giuliano, Matt Hoverman, Tony Howarth, John Kuebler, Ryan Mallon, Carol Mark and Howard Meyer, exploring our collective relationship to money. The evening garnishes a rave review from Peter Kramer in the Journal News.
Welcome This is a Neighborhood Watch Community, was presented at Axial in November, 2010 directed by Drama Desk award-winner, Josh Hecht. Joining the Axial company was LABrynth Theater Company co-founder, David Deblinger, and Emmy-nominated actor, Jon Lindstrom.
The Long Island private school that Justin Campbell attends has hired an esteemed English teacher with a famous literary last name. This teacher, who holds very opposite views than Justin’s father, quickly becomes Justin’s mentor, much to his father’s consternation. This family drama, set in the affluent community of Montauk, centers on the power struggle between these two role models, Justin’s father, a hedge fund manager with financial power and influence, and Justin’s mentor, a man with powerful ideals, and the impact this struggle has on the family and the developing 16 year old that lies between them.
Axial MayFest:
A Festival of New Plays
A weekend of workshop presentations of new plays
Axial Presents Script-In-Hand Stagings of
New Plays in Development All pieces will be performed by Axial company members and special guest actors.
Friday, May 6th Nectar by Katherine Baldwin Eng directed by Josh Hecht cast Laura Crededio, Rachel Ann Jones*, Gail Greenstein, Marisa Lowe
Audrey, a pregnant Midwestern housewife and Veronique, a famous movie star, find themselves in a chance meeting in a European city in search of a famous elderly writer they both have had affairs with. In Nectar, Katie Baldwin Eng takes a hilarious and magical look at the complex transition from life without a child to life with one, and also examines in hysterical fashion our very obsessive fixation with celebrity. Drama Desk award-winner Josh Hecht directs.
Saturday, May 7th Searching for God in Suburbia, by Matt Hoverman directed by Suzanne Agins cast Ronan Babbitt, Mark Gorham*, Ann Gulian, Michael Holmes*, Heather Nicolson, and Sean Weil*
Matt Hoverman's (who's play Who You See Here is bound for Broadway under the direction of Christopher Ashley) collection of one-acts take a hilarious look at the foibles, myths, and obsessions of life lived in the suburbs. One of the one-acts in this collection, Indian Guys, was presented in Axial's Angels & Visions Festival in Fall 2009. Princess Grace award-winner Suzanne Agins directs.
Sunday, May 8th JUMP by Ryan Mallon directed by Francesco Campari cast Mike Fox, Ann Gulian, Heather Nicolson, Ben Pagano* and Brian Pracht, Ward Riley and Clare Schmidt*
Axial Company member Ryan Mallon's fugue about the challenges of relationships at various stages of life. Three couples and an older man find themselves on a Hudson River bridge in various stages of relationship highs and lows. Each paring's situations are very specific, but how these couples' lives overlap and intersect provides the extra magic in this wonderfully crafted one-act. NYC Theatre Company FIXITSOLIFE Artistic Director, Francesco Campari directs.
Feathers Sometimes Soar on the Breath of God by Ward James Riley directed by Laura Credidio cast Dan Held*, Aisling Mulhern
In her own lifetime, the poet Emily Dickinson was completely unknown. Anxious for recognition, she sent samples of her poetry to a leading American editor and man of letters named Thomas Wentworth Higginson, whom she believed would help her achieve success. Years of correspondence culminated in a meeting between the two on August 16th, 1870. Whatever happened during that meeting no one will ever really know. What is known is that Emily Dickinson never attempted to publish her poetry again. In this one-act play, Axial Company member, Ward James Riley, through thorough research of their correspondence combined with a marvelous creative leap, imagines this meeting between Higginson and Dickenson. Axial Company member, and Lincoln Center Theatre Director’s Lab member, Laura Credidio, directs.
Guest Performers will join Axial Company Actors Laura Credidio, Gail Greenstein, Mark Gorham*, Ann Gulian, Rachel Ann Jones*, Aisling Mulhern, Heather Nicolson & Ward James Riley on stage.
Axial Theatre presented Taking Off for its fall production, opening
Thursday October 20th- Pleasantville, New York
Taking Off
Taking Off is an evening of two one –act plays that center around the theme of what we reveal, what we choose not to, and the consequences that lie therein. Taking Off also plays with the double meaning of flight, in that there is bird imagery inherent in the staging of each play. Finally, Axial derives its inspiration for the evening’s title from Billy Collin’s magnificent poem Taking Off Emily Dickinson’s Clothes which reimagines Emily Dickinson in a private context, as does one of Axial’s plays!
Feathers Sometimes Soar on the Breath of God
Feathers Sometimes Soar on the Breath of God by Axial member Ward Riley was last seen as a staged reading during Axial’s May Festival. In keeping with Axial’s mission to develop and stage new plays, Axial has decided to give Feathers a full production. In her own lifetime Emily Dickinson was completely unknown. Anxious for recognition, she sent samples of her poetry to a leading American editor and man of letters Thomas Wentworth Higginson whom she believed would help her achieve success. Years of correspondence culminated between the two on August 16th 1870. Whatever happened during that meeting no one will ever know. What is known is that Emily Dickinson never attempted to publish her poetry again. Through research of their correspondence and a marvelous creative leap, playwright Ward Riley deftly imagines this meeting between Dickinson and Higginson.
Actors are Aisling Mulhern as Emily Dickinson,
Stephaun De PauI as Thomas Wentworth Higginson
and Lori Franzese as Lavinia Dickinson In Ward Riley's play
Feathers Sometimes Soar on the Breath of God
Photo credit: Kathryn Neville Browne.
The Magician
The Magician, written by Axial company member Linda Giuliano , deals with a reclusive New Yorker in an encounter with an audacious subway performer who ultimately teaches her about the importance of joy. Giuliano’s authentically lyric voice is always a favorite with Axial audiences.
Both pieces will be directed by Axial Company member Laura Credidio. Ms. Credidio (whose family are longtime Westchester residents and owners of the fabulous music venue and restaurant Twelve Grapes in Peekskill), has virtually grown up in the Axial company. She studied with HMActing (Axial’s theatre school) as a teen where she fell in love with theatre in all of its forms. The director, now residing in the Manhattan, received her BFA from Syracuse University and has worked professionally most recently participating in Lincoln Center’s prestigious Director’s Lab.
Howard Meyer and company members visit seven area high schools and middle schools and read excerpts from The Kiss. The play, dealing with relevant themes for this age group, provokes rigorous dialogue. Program includes Q & A about a life in the dramatic arts.
Elizabeth Phelps’ Paperwhite and Bret Primack’s Today’s Specials receive their initial staged readings at the launch of the Reading Series of New Plays at NWCA.
The company stages its first benefit featuring student performances as well as presentations by area and company professionals. All That’s Fair, a new play by Howard Meyer, receives its first workshop production at Northern Westchester Center for the Arts in Mt. Kisco.
NEW WORKS in NEW YORK, a Staged Reading Series of 8 new plays in development, was presented over three nights at HERE in New York City, continuing the development of our NYC creative community as well as an audience for Axial Theatre in NYC. 
Billy Bubblehead, by Tony Howarth, performed as a site specific performace at the Amawalk Friends Meeting House. The Company’s second feature article appears in the NY Times. An extremely favorable review appears in the Journal News.
Axial finds its first full time home in Pleasantville, at 48 Wheeler Avenue and forms a relationship with the Jacob Burns Film Center. Axial begins a concerted effort to expand its Board of Directors. By 2007, the board is 9 members strong.
In the Spring of 2006 Lost in Paradise is presented at the Bedford Hills Community House. As a result of the success of the production, the play is shot for local television and optioned for a motion picture.
In the Winter of 2007, Axial inaugurates its first 10 minute play festival: Power Lunches and Disorderly Conduct.
In 2007, a glowing review from The Journal News brings so many new audience members to spring production of Two Hearts that the local town board asks us to move our performances to another venue. Two Hearts: Chance Encounters and Unlikely Connections, an evening of short play were written by Linda Giuliano and directed by Stephen Palgon, Brian Quirk, Tony Howarth, and Howard Meyer, completes its run at St. John’s Episcopal Church. The short play in the evening, The Last Delivery, features 92 year old theatre and radio legend, Clifford Carpenter. A YouTube video interview is produced to promote the show and honor Mr. Carpenter.
In March, Axial is invited to perform selections from Tunneling Through at the Westchester Arts Council’s Arts Exchange opening for theatre and film actor, Campbell Scott.
The 2009-2010 kicks off with our 4th annual one act festival: Angels & Visions featuring plays by Guest Artists (and Pulitzer Prize nominees) Adam Rapp and Gina Gionfriddo, critically acclaimed writers Matt Hoverman and Jessica Dickey, and company writer Ryan Mallon.
