For this year’s fourth iteration of the Don McCann Playwriting Showcase, The Oswego Players is producing the four standout one act plays from last year’s Don McCann One Act Memorial Playwriting Contest. The 2024 Playwriting Contest was open to all residents of New York state, this resulted in the highest number of submissions in the history of the contest. These four prize winning one acts were chosen from a wide variety of ninety plays. The first play being performed at the 2025 Showcase is “Like Clockwork” by Andrada Angileri. “Like Clockwork” begins after spending the night celebrating Molly’s 30th birthday, Alan and Molly return to their apartment to unwind, but not everything is as it seems.
Andrada Angileri is a graduate of SUNY Purchase and Terry Knickerbocker Studio’s Professional Acting Conservatory. She is an actress and playwright based in NYC. Her works have been published in literary magazines (FeelsBlindLiterary ’21, Qutub Minar Review ’23, Barely Seen ‘Featured Playwright July ’23) and performed at various festivals (POV Fest ’21, Warner International Playwright’s Festival ’22, Kibo Productions’ Reboot Festival ’23). When not focusing on theatre work, she enjoys writing novels, creating worlds on the Sims 4, and watching the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” as many times as humanly possible.
Angella Bandla who is a new director for the Oswego Players this season is excited to take on this new play; “I am thrilled to finally be directing at the Oswego Players. To do something original that reaches a part of my heart has been a real honor. Getting to talk with the playwright is something that we don’t usually get to do. My cast is awesome, we are all invested in the play. Jennifer Hitchcock who plays Molly, says “It has been so fun getting back on the stage. I have never been under Angella’s direction, and she has been wonderful to work with! It has also been so fun to be onstage with Kevin, an actor that I’ve only ever directed in the past! I am so excited for this opportunity.” Kevin Colvin who plays Alan, “is delighted to be working with Angela and Jenn in this new dynamic of roles.
All four prize winning One-Act plays of 2024 Don McCann Playwriting contest will all be presented this year’s Showcase. The Showcase includes “Like Clockwork” by Andrada Angileri, directed by Angella Bandla, “Maybe Tomorrow” by Brian Leahy Doyle, directed by Norman Berlin III, “Birthright” by Lydia Merritt, directed by Stephanie Johnson and the winner of 2024 “A Matter of Measurements” by Michael Brumm, also directed by Stephanie Johnson.
Tickets are “Pay-What-You-Wish” with the proceeds going towards the Don McCann Memorial Playwriting Contest Fund. Curtain times on Friday, March 7th and Saturday, March 8th are at 7:30 p.m. with a 2:00 p.m. matinee on Sunday, March 9th.
Tickets for the 4th Annual Don McCann Playwriting Showcase are available for purchase along with the rest of the Oswego Players 87th season at https://onthestage.tickets/oswego-players-inc/season. Please be aware that all four one act plays feature adult content, so these productions are for an adult audience only. Tickets can also be purchased by clicking the ticket button on oswegoplayers.org or by calling the theatre’s box office at (315) 343-5138.
The Annual Showcase and Playwriting Contest honors the memory of Donald J. McCann, who was a writer, director, former President and longtime historian for the Oswego Players. The annual one act playwriting contest was established in his name and provides New York State playwrights with the opportunity to get their work read and judged. The Donald J. McCann Memorial Playwriting Contest is funded by generous donations received from across the community. All proceeds from this year’s production will benefit the fund’s mission of supporting new theatrical works and their creators.
Jennifer Hitchcock and Kevin Colvin are Molly and Alan in “Like Clockwork” by Andrada Angileri. Performance dates are Friday, March 7th and Saturday March 8th at 7:30 p.m. and a 2:00 p.m. matinee on Sunday, March 9th. Please be aware that all four one act plays feature adult content, so these productions are for an adult audience only. Tickets can be purchased at oswegoplayers.org or by calling the theatre’s box office at (315) 343-5138.