Pieces of Manhattan
Two One-Act Plays
By Albert Meglin
Constanza At The Boathouse is the story of Constanza Lo Cicero, a second generation Italian. An upwardly-mobile and newly-transferred, circulation manager for the National Geographic magazine, Constanza returns to New York for the wedding of her brother, an Ivy-educated yuppie, who marries Elizabeth Ann, at the Boathouse in Central Park. At the reception, Constanza, in misery at being the outsider, takes refuge on a nearby park bench where Raimondo, a second generation Latino who works in the mailroom of Elizabeth Ann’s HMO, approaches Constanza for a dance. Constanza resists all efforts by Raimondo to charm her to the dance floor, revealing her own insecurities and leading her to an acceptance of the differences in others.
The “Biggie”
The final and most important topic that Mitchell, an accountant, and Estrella, a bookkeeper, address on the questionnaire qualifying them for the singles Cruise-to-Nowhere is “The Biggie”. Their answers indicate these two are perfect for each other; until, Miss Julie, Social Director, and match maker extraordinaire for the cruise line, discovers a computer glitch revealing that Estrella, the extrovert who excels at imitations, is a mismatch for Mitchell, the introvert obsessed with his own limitations. As each of the pair struggles to overcome initial reticence and years of shyness, inhibition and fear of public display their hostess uses all the wiles of her vast experience to achieve another triumphant coup de foudre.
PLAYWRIGHT
ALBERT MEGLIN
Albert Meglin’s writing career began with television’s “Golden Age” of drama. More than two dozen half-hour, full-hour, and 90-minute TV plays, including the very first piece of writing of any kind he had done, were sold to and produced by CBS, NBC, and ABC Television. Anthology shows for which he wrote include Matinee Theatre, U.S. Steel Hour, The Nurses, Look Up And Live, and Confidential for Women. Early in his career, a full-length play was produced commercially on the Toronto, Canada stage.
In recent years, Al has concentrated on writing for the stage. His credits include: The Band Takes A Short Break, winner of playwriting contest sponsored by Great Neck local access TV station; At the Boathouse in Central Park, produced in showcase Off-Off-Broadway; The Blue Kangaroo, finalist, New Hampshire College new play contest; and The Visiting Room, Critics Choice – 22nd Annual Samuel French Short Play Festival, and Off Season.
His plays Emily, on her Glider, The Band Takes a Short Break, Two Sisters Sitting On A Bench, Resting From All The Excitement, and Two Old Men Talking in a McDonald’s in Plainview, have been developed and presented in workshop by Stageplays Theatre Company (Stageplays®).
In 2009, Al's short plays The Biggie, Stalking Eugene Onegin, W. 57th St, 1BR, Sunny Steal, On A Westside Roof, Miss Monroe Regrets, On an Uptown Lottery Line, In a Riker’s Island Waiting Room, and Trailer Trash, were published by Stageplays in a two-volume set: The "Biggie" and Other One-Act Plays, Vol. I, and Testosterone and Other One-Act Plays, Vol. II.
Al Meglin has worked in the fields of newspapers and advertising, and has been a teacher of English in the New York City high schools. He has taught writing at Hofstra University, and has written film and drama criticism for Long Island weeklies. Mr. Meglin resides in Malverne, New York.
CAST LIST
Nancy Evans
Lori Funk
Katherine Alt Keener
Gregory Kostal
Brian Morvant
German Nande
Len Stanger
Maria Wallace
