HWS News
7 February 2024 • Arts Theatre Residency and Staged Reading with Playwright Brandon Monokian
A staged reading of Playwright Brandon Monokian’s latest play will feature guest artists Che Holloway and Kiefer Schenk with Anthony Bray ’23, Lillian Davis ’24 and Hope Guzman ’24 rounding out the cast.
The HWS Theatre Department will welcome Brandon Monokian to campus for a 4-day residency that will culminate in a public staged reading of one of his new plays, Echo and Narcissus Blast Third Eye Blind Outside a Diner in New Jersey at 2AM. The reading will take place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10 in McDonald Theatre of the Gearan Center for the Performing Arts.
The new play is set in 1999 and tells the story of two teenage boys who are dealing with their closeted sexuality and a violent incident. The show jumps to 2012 for a look at how the scars of their past define their present and future.
Echo and Narcissus Blast Third Eye Blind Outside a Diner in New Jersey at 2AM will be performed by guest artists Che Holloway and Kiefer Schenk in the title roles with Anthony Bray ’23, Lillian Davis ’24 and Hope Guzman ’24 completing the cast.
Professor of Theatre Chris Woodworth will direct the staged reading and looks forward to presenting Monokian’s work at HWS. “This play is wrenching and beautiful. Brandon Monokian has transformed the iconic Echo and Narcissus myth into an achingly contemporary look at love and betrayal,” Woodworth says.
For a look into Monokian’s career visit "Getting to Know Brandon Monokian, a gifted Playwright and Visionary" in the Medium.
The reading is free, first-come, first-serve. Doors will open at 6:45 p.m. with a 7 p.m. start time. Please note: This staged reading features adult content and language and is not recommended for young audiences. For specific questions, contact Woodworth at cwoodworth@hws.edu or 315-781-4581.
Monokian’s residency and reading are co-sponsored by HWS Theatre, the HWS LGBTQ+ Resource Center, and the Classics (Greek and Roman Studies) Department, with additional support from the Office of Academic and Faculty Affairs and the Gender, Sexuality, and Intersectional Justice Department.
