Embedded Files
OPENING SCENES OF 'ARSINOË IV' ON THE BILL AT PGE VOLUME 233
April 2025 - The first two scenes of the full-length version of Arsinoë IV, a history drama set in ancient Egypt, was among excerpts from six PGE playwrights presented at Volume 233 at the West Side YMCA. David's talented cast included (from L to R): Melissa Roth (stage directions), Ariel Estrada (Ganymedes), Sydney Cusic (Arsinoë), Diana Cherkas (Cleopatra), Kyle Minshew (Ptolemy XII), Peter Macklin (Roman Envoy). Kirsten Hopkins was the evening's guest host.
(Photo credits: D Ceci)
NEW HISTORY DRAMA 'ARSINOË IV' PRESENTED AT 10th ANNIVERSARY OF PGE VOLUMES
March 2025 - An early version of David's new 10-minute play Arsinoë IV, a history drama set in ancient Egypt, was one of six sets of new work by PGE playwrights presented at PGE's Vol 231. This play is a fictional retelling of the story of the real-life half-sister of Cleopatra, the last Ptolemaic ruler of ancient Egypt. Four wonderful actors brought these characters to life: (from L to R) Siraj Huda (Ganymedes), Sydney Cusic (Arsinoë), Zen Dot (Cleopatra), and Brad Makarowski (Julius Caesar); stage directions read by Sharlene Hartman.
(Photo credits: D Ceci)
SHORT PLAY 'ROOM SERVICE' SELECTED FOR 2025 INTERNATIONAL HORROR ANTHOLOGY
Feb 2025 - David's short horror play Room Service was selected for publication in Fresh Words' SHHH! BREATHE SLOW! Vol. 3 international anthology of one-minute horror plays. Two of David's fellow PGE playwrights, Matthew J. Kaplan and Renée Nicole Gray, were also among the 33 writers from around the world whose work is included in the 2025 online literary magazine. To read the online version, just click on the cover image to the left.
Paperback copies may also be obtained from lulu.com.
(Photo credit: Fresh Words)
MUSICAL 'FUR PAJAMAS' PITCHED AT TPS PLAYWRIGHT PITCH DAY
Feb 2025 - Composer John Allman pitched his and David's new musical Fur Pajamas (music by John, book & lyrics by David) at the 2025 Playwright Pitch Day at Theatre Puget Sound in Seattle. John and David cast and rehearsed the scene with a fun and enthusiastic group of TPS performers: Bob Williams as Nigel, Keola Holt as Andi, Bradley Goodwill as Peter, and Melyssa Stone as Claudia; Marguerite Ainsworth read stage directions. John also played the piano and sang two songs from the show: the New Wave homage "Fixating on Me" and "One of a Kind," the antagonist's show-stopping number that ends Act I.
Zoom rehearsal. Top row (from L to R): John Allman, David Ceci, Marguerite Ainsworth; next row: Bradley Goodwill, Melyssa Stone, Bob Williams; bottom row: Keola Holt. (Photo: D. Ceci)
NEW ROM-COM 'OUT OF LEFT FIELD' DEBUTS AT PGE VOL 225
Dec 2024 - The talented Tony Chiroldes, Daniela Thome and Jack Butler graciously took the stage at PGE's Vol 225 to read an early scene from David's latest work in progress, Out of Left Field, a rom-com set around a minor league baseball team in South Florida. Stage Directions were read by Yiqing Zhao. Other playwrights whose work was presented included the brilliant Steve Hauck, Jacob Marx Rice, Orlando Rodriguez, Kendra Augustin, and Erin Moughon. (All photos: D. Ceci)
FALL WEATHER FORECAST: SHORTS IN THE RAIN
Nov 2024 - Raindance New York held its 2nd Annual Short Film Festival at the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater this month. David once again served as one of the programmers, a role that allowed him to screen a number of wonderful short films, from comedy to narrative, animation to documentary, and with some horror / thriller to boot!
Photo: Anna Barrett
'UNFAMILIAR' COMPLETES 4-SHOW RUN AT THE PLAYERS THEATRE, NYC
Oct 2024 - David's short play, Unfamiliar, completed a successful 4-show run at The Players Theatre in the West Village Oct 10-13. Unfamiliar was one of five plays presented during the Week 2 slate during the spf BOO festival, produced by Be Bold! Productions and with the guidance of artistic director Brenda Bell. The 50-seat black box theatre was at or near capacity for every performance, and the audience was scared and amused in equal parts. In a first, David gave his father, Louis, a co-producing credit in the marketing materials. This one's for you, Dad! (Photos below: D. Ceci)
SAMPLES OF 'UNFAMILIAR' SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS FOR THE PLAYERS THEATRE PRODUCTION
'FUR PAJAMAS' ROCKS SEATTLE CENTER'S BLACK BOX THEATRE
Oct 2024 - Fur Pajamas, the musical in development by John Allman (music) and David Ceci (book & lyrics), rocked the Seattle Center Armory Black Box Theatre earlier this month. This show takes the audience on a wild ride through the life of a star whose fame was fleeting at best, and the talented cast of eight brought the house down.
Cast (from L to R): Rayan Atallah, Holly Rose, Melissa Maañao, Samuel Pettit, Brian Pucheu, Britt Boyd, Melissa Dowell, and Noel Pederson (All photos: D Ceci)
PHOTOS FROM THE STAGED READING OF 'FUR PAJAMAS' AT THE BLACK BOX THEATRE
'FUR PAJAMAS' STAGED READING PROGRAM (OCTOBER 6, 2024)
TOTALLY AWESOME 'FUR PAJAMAS' RETURNS, STAGED READING SET FOR OCT 6 IN SEATTLE
Sept 2024 - Fur Pajamas, the musical in development by John Allman (music) and David Ceci (book & lyrics), will conduct its next staged reading on October 6, 2024 at the Seattle Center Armory Black Box Theatre. This reading represents a major rewrite of the show, and David and John are super excited to share this new versions with family and friends.
SPF BOO FESTIVAL SELECTS 'UNFAMILIAR,' FIRST MANHATTAN PRODUCTION OF A DAVID CECI PLAY
Aug 2024 - David's short supernatural horror play, Unfamiliar, has been selected by another festival in NYC. Be Bold! Productions will be holding its annual BOO short play festival at The Players Theatre in the Village, and Unfamiliar will be among the scary short plays presented during the second of three weekly slates. Tickets are on sale now for all three weeks, with the Week 2 performance dates (including Unfamiliar) being Oct 10-12 at 7 pm, and Oct 13 at 3 pm. This will be the 13th BOO festival, and David's play will be performed on October 13th. The only thing better would be a performance on Friday the 13th! A weekly 'winner' will be selected by audience vote, so if you want to be part of the Unfamiliar team, get your tickets now at https://shortplaynyc.com/
'UNFAMILIAR' OPENS AT THE SECRET THEATRE TO RAVE REVIEWS
July 2024 - David's short supernatural horror play, Unfamiliar: A Maidstone Tale, opened on Sat, July 20 at The Secret Theatre in Woodside, Queens to laughs, gasps, and enthusiastic applause. Reviews included, "I loved it!" "compelling" "intriguing" and "hauntingly good." Subsequent performances elicited equally positive reactions, including: "tightly written," "actors were both great," "super creepy," and "a story that grabs you." The final performance is scheduled for Sun, Aug 4 at 7 pm.
Nel (Sònia Victoria Werner) being reassured by Anne (Ursula Anderman). All tech and show photos: sarahmjack.com
SAMPLES OF 'UNFAMILIAR' SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS FOR PRODUCTION AT THE SECRET THEATRE (all tech & show photos by sarahmjack.com)
PLAY SUBMISSION TO AACT NewPlayFest 2026 MOVES ON TO NEXT ROUND
July 2024 - The AACT has announced that David's submission to its NewPlayFest 2026 will be passed on the second tier of reviewers. To protect the blind script reading process, the name of the play will not be revealed here or on social media. The next set of AACT announcements are expected in October 2024. All the best to every playwright whose work is being considered!
'BANISHED!' DEBUTS AT PGE VOL 216 WITH READING OF AN EARLY SCENE
July 2024 - An early scene from Banished! - David's piece about a difficult theater critic - was read by two wonderful actors: Jordan Auslander as Robert (the critic) and Maricruz Menchero as Samantha (his boss). At this point, David hasn't decided if it's a musical or a play, but it is always so helpful to hear a scene that introduces the audience to primary characters. (And many thanks to Jordan for demonstrating a 'spit take' during rehearsal.) (Photos: D. Ceci)
Jordan Auslander & Maricruz Menchero
Maricruz, David & the irrepressible Jordan
Ursula Anderman, AEA
Sònia Victoria Werner
CAST IS SET FOR 'UNFAMILIAR,' EQUITY APPROVES 'SHOWCASE' PRODUCTION
June 2024 - The cast is set for this summer's production of a short play derived from David's supernatural horror play, Unfamiliar: A Maidstone Tale. Ursula Anderman, a member of Actors' Equity, will play Anne, and Sònia Victoria Werner will play Nel. Both Ursula and Vikki are fellow members of PGE, as is director Marina Barry. David's application to Equity for a Showcase production has been approved, allowing Ursula to join the cast. Rehearsals are well underway, with tech scheduled for Sunday, July 14. There will be 4 performances for David's cohort (Program G): Sat, July 20 at 3 pm; Fri, July 26 at 6 pm; Thurs, Aug 1 at 6 pm; and Sun, Aug 4 at 7 pm. It promises to be an exciting piece of theatre, and David is over the moon to be working with such a talented group of creatives. Brava!
PLAY DATE MODERATORS JOIN PGE'S LITERARY ADVISORY COUNCIL
June 2024 - David and fellow Play Dates moderator Orlando Rodriguez were invited to join PGE's Literary Advisory Council. David hosts weekly Zoom Play Dates on Tuesdays at noon ET, and Orlando hosts the Thursdays at 7 pm ET.
'UNFAMILIAR' EXCERPT SELECTED FOR SUMMER FESTIVAL
June 2024 - An excerpt from David's play, Unfamiliar: A Maidstone Tale, has been selected for The Secret Theatre's 2024 Act One: One Act Short Play Festival. David chose a pivotal scene late in Act I that involves the relationship between Anne and Nel. Acting as his own producer, David has had the very good fortune to bring the talented Marina Barry on as director. Casting for Anne and Nel is well underway and will be finalized shortly. There will be 4 performances for David's cohort (Program G): Sat, July 20 at 3 pm; Fri, July 26 at 6 pm; Thurs, Aug 1 at 6 pm; and Sun, Aug 4 at 7 pm. This festival is also a competition of sorts, and there will be additional performances the following week for those pieces voted into the Semi-Final and Final rounds. Tickets for the 78-seat theatre are only $25, so get yours as soon as they go on sale!
AN EVENING OF LIVE THEATER
April 2024 - Alongside the brilliant Orlando Rodriguez, David co-hosted The PlayGround Experiment's in-person Vol. 210, which presented new work from the following amazing playwrights (in performance order): Marina Barry, Denise Ivanoff, Elijah Mosely, Kendra Augustin and Darpan Joshi. Pictured here is the pre-performance rehearsal time, where much of the magic happens! The Parkside Lounge at the West Side YMCA is a more intimate space than the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater, and it gives off vibes of PGE's previous home at Think Coffee in the Village. It was a wonderful evening... only, next time, we need to include a bottle or two in the raffle! (Photo: D. Ceci)
'UNFAMILIAR' CONTINUES...
April 2024 - Hot on the heels of last month's table reading of David's horror play, Unfamiliar: A Maidstone Tale, the next draft of the opening scene was read during The PlayGround Experiment's virtual Vol. 209, with the wonderful Alexandra Bonesho and Caitlin Belforti reprising their roles as Anne and Nel. Other playwrights whose new work was presented that night were Daniela Thome, Scott Samson, Delvyn Case Jr., Nansi Dwendi, and H. Avery. Kudos to the PGE creative community - you've built a wonderful home!
Alexandra Bonesho (Anne) with Caitlin Belforti (Nel).
SPRING 2024 FIRST READS FESTIVAL
March 2024 - The PlayGround Experiment presented the second draft of David's horror play, the newly rechristened Unfamiliar: A Maidstone Tale, as part of its virtual Spring 2024 First Reads Festival on 3/16/2024. PGE also presented two other plays that day, from fellow PGE playwrights Jenny Crakes and Peter Pasco. Inspired by the positive response, David is already hard at work on the next draft.
Congratulations to the brilliant cast of The PlayGround Experiment's reading of Unfamiliar: A Maidstone Tale. (top row from the left) playwright David Ceci, Alexandra Bonesho as Anne; (middle row from the left) Ursula Anderman as Susan, Marina Barry doubling as Mother and Mrs. Rudek, and Caitlin Belforti as Nel; (bottom row) stage direction reader Jennifer Bradley!
'MAIDSTONE' SELECTED FOR DEVELOPMENT
January 2024 - Maidstone, David's horror play, is among three works that have been selected for the next step in development by The PlayGround Experiment (PGE). A panel of PGE members will read the 1st draft and provide feedback, and the 2nd draft will be completed within a month. The other two plays selected are Leaving Krestova by Jenny Crakes and El Exorcismo de Georgie Garcia by Peter Pasco. With 2nd drafts in hand, PGE will then cast and produce virtual table readings of all three plays, providing the playwrights with more invaluable feedback. This development process will be held intentionally and exclusively on Zoom, as the three playwrights are currently located in North Carolina (David), London (Jenny), and California (Peter). Many thanks to the PGE creative community for this wonderful opportunity! For more info, visit The PlayGround Experiment. https://www.theplaygroundexperiment.com/
2024 PLAY DATES - DAY & EVENING EDITIONS!
January 2024 - PGE Virtual Play Dates have doubled in size! David, who hosts Tuesdays at noon, has now been joined by the brilliant Orlando Rodriguez, who hosts Thursdays at 7 pm. See the PGE website for the registration link. These are free 1-hour accountability sessions with a great mix of talented and supportive writers. Join David or Orlando (or both) this week!
BACK TO SOUTHERN ITALY
November 2023 - With the next draft of The Fountain well underway, David had the opportunity to present three revised / new scenes at Volume 201 of The PlayGround Experiment (PGE), hosted by Artistic Director Mike Lesser. Many thanks to the gifted Alexandra Bonesho, John Racioppo, Jordan Auslander and Kirsten Hopkins for breathing life into these characters for PGE's virtual audience. Other playwrights who presented scenes were Philip Kaplan, Delvyn Case, Jose Pereyra, Laurel Lockhart and Peter Pasco. Hats off to one and all!
RAINDANCE NEW YORK
November 2023 - It's been over a year since David received a fateful email from Tim Lorge - playwright, screenwriter, filmmaker, and the enthusiastic manager of Raindance's New York hub. Tim was inviting him to serve on the advisory committee, and although he was new to the world of film, David jumped in with both feet and met some wonderful members of the indie film community along the way. The ensuing 12 months' work by a dedicated group of actors, directors, producers, and writers culminated in a well-received evening of indie short films on November 1 at the Majorie D. Deane Little Theater. Nearly two dozen shorts were selected and screened, covering all genres: narrative, comedy, animation, documentary, and thriller / horror. Raindance New York presented awards for best in each category, student filmmaker awards, and special recognition awards, too. Already looking forward to next year!
TABLE READING OF 'THE FOUNTAIN'
August 2023 - The next draft of The Fountain, David's romantic period drama set in southern Italy in the early 1900s, had a virtual table reading this month, featuring a talented and experienced cast. Many thanks to these gracious artists, all of whom were familiar with their respective roles from previous scene readings over the past few years: Alexandra Bonesho, Chris Rothbauer, Jordan Auslander, and Kirsten Hopkins. Thanks, too, to Al Monaco, for reading stage directions. What's next? The next rewrite, of course!
RAISING THE STAKES
RAISING THE STAKES
July 2023 - The development of David's new horror play, Maidstone, continued this summer at Volume 193, the flagship program of The PlayGround Experiment (PGE). Four impressive actors participated in the reading (L to R): Ursula Anderman, Marie Eléna O'Brien, Kristina Auten and Christine Redhead. The audience was also treated to works in progress by five more PGE playwrights (Al Monaco, Darpan Joshi, Kendra Augustin, Neil Klein and Orlando Rodriguez). Many thanks to the entire PGE community for providing such a welcoming and encouraging home for theater artists! (Photo: D. Ceci)
'MAIDSTONE' CONTINUES...
'MAIDSTONE' CONTINUES...
April 2023 - The next three scenes from Maidstone, David's new horror play-in-process, were featured in front of a live audience at The PGE's Volume 187. The reading featured four wonderful actors (L to R): Veronica Dang, Rheanna Atendido, Monica Rey and Larissa Adamczyk. Other playwrights who presented that night included Darpan Joshi, Erin Moughon, Al Monaco, Orlando Rodriguez, and Diana Cherkas. Thanks again to Mike Lesser and the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater at the West Side Y! (Photo: D. Ceci)
a new horror play
a new horror play
February 2023 - Two scenes from Maidstone, David's new horror play-in-process, were featured during The PGE's virtual Volume 182. The reading featured the incredibly talented (clockwise from upper right) Kristina Auten, Priyanka Krishnan, Larissa Adamczyk and Starina Johnson - who truly brought their characters to life (so to speak). David's two scenes, along with five excerpts from five other playwrights (Talia Pura, Nilsa Reyna, Peter Pasco, Lou Johnson, and Jenny Krakes) were live-streamed on the PGE's YouTube channel and are now archived. Check it out, and remember to 'Like' and 'Subscribe.'
JOIN DAVID ON TUESDAYS AT NOON
JOIN DAVID ON TUESDAYS AT NOON
January 2023 - David is now the regular host of The PGE's weekly virtual Play Dates every Tuesday at noon (Eastern). You can register at The PGE website and join this 1-hour accountability session to work on your writing - or any other task you've been putting off. This is a great way to get something done in an encouraging and supportive environment. Make plans to join David this week!
2022 TSR Salon Series
2022 TSR Salon Series
December 2022 - The Skeleton Rep selected Sundown, David's post-pandemic dystopian sci-fi action-adventure, for inclusion in their 2022 Salon Series of readings. The performance was live-streamed on TSR's YouTube channel on 12/3/2022 and is now archived for future viewing, along with TSR's other Salon Series readings and productions. Remember to 'Like' and 'Subscribe.'
Kudos to the wonderful cast of The Skeleton Rep's reading of Sundown (clockwise from upper left): Anuj Parikh, John Racioppo, Stevie Kallos, Ariel Estrada, Laurel Andersen, Ryan Lynch, Aaron Banes, Deijah Faulkner, Gael Schaefer, and Annell Moya. And thanks again to TSR's Core Team - Ria T. DiLullo, Emily Claire Schmitt, Callie Considine, and Daniel Scarantino!
PGE Volumes in-person again
PGE Volumes in-person again
March 2022 - The PlayGround Experiment (PGE) began offering monthly in-person readings again, this time in their new home at the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater inside the West Side YMCA in Manhattan. Huzzah!
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