One Act Festival Celebrates 2nd Year

With 98 submissions, Elmwood Playhouse had their pick of the litter when it came to selecting local plays to feature in their second annual One Act Festival. 

Seven of those 98 original one acts were selected for 2025, with each one running from eight to eighteen minutes. This restricted time frame was chosen purposefully to encourage creativity in the writers and directors, forcing them to boil down the message, meaning and impact of their piece rather than relying on time to do so for them. 

Steve Bermack, the producer of the One Act Festival at Elmwood Playhouse, was excited to share a few updates they have made from last year. Last year, playwrights could only submit if they had a director “pre-booked” with their piece. For 2025, Bermack made the decision to bring in a few of Elmwood’s own directors. Elmwood’s directors must undergo a rigorous process to become a director, and this training allows them to bring their experience to the table when working with new playwrights. According to Bermack, the directors were more than excited to jump in the ring.

While some of the directors are established in the Elmwood community, most of the playwrights and directors are fresh faces living within 50 miles of the theater. Bermack stated that along with a blind selection process, these criteria were two elements critical to the success of a truly local weekend of theater. “There’s just a wonderful mix of shows this year. I think people are going to really be blown away by the creativity and by the topics that these shows present,” said Bermack. 

The plays are as follows – 

FORE! written and directed by Kathryn Rossetter 

Three siblings argue over burying their father in a golf ball urn. Is it a disrespectful joke or something more?

Brave written by Brian Petti and directed by Kathleen Mahan

A trans woman shares her past and what it’s like to be trans in the world today.

Barren Landscape written by Steve Gold and directed by Peter Garruba

A woman struggles with her mother’s Alzheimer’s disease

The Bear, Every Time written and directed by Carrie Keating

A surreal play based on the viral question: Would you rather be alone in the woods with a man or a bear?

Goodnight I Love You written and directed by Aladen Gulmohamad

A marital spat is triggered after some news has been shared.

The Rub written and directed by Albi Gorn

Jeff and Marieke work together. As they get to know each other, they discover that their dreams have more in common than they thought possible.

Sheet Ghost written by Rose Gonzales and directed by Ben Tostado

Mona isn’t looking for love, but her friend Alice thinks it’s in the (tarot) cards.

The shows have a limited run with three performances taking place July 25th, 26th, and July 27th. Ticket prices are $25 for general admission, and $20 for seniors, children and military personnel. To purchase tickets, go to elmwoodplayhouse.com or call 845-353-1313. You can always see what theater is going on in Rockland County by checking out our “Spotlight on Rockland Theater” in our Community News page.