David Simpatico, Dramatist

Here is my stage adaptation of Truman Capote’s masterwork, IN COLD BLOOD. I was commissioned by Steve Beckler, and the Capote estate gave us permission to use the book. The rights have since reverted back to the estate, but I think this is one of my best pieces. Let me know what you think.

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I am deeply honored and thrilled to be included among the  many outstanding writers in this new publication of monologues for the stage. Here is my piece, AUNT PITTIPAT IN THE TOWER, that is included in the Extended Monologues section, right after Spalding Gray! Hope you enjoy.

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This is the libretto for THE SCREAMS OF KITTY GENOVESE, a sung-thru music drama with a brilliant score by Will Todd.

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Robert Brustein, in the New Republic magazine, gave us this review from our initial 2001 student production of THE SCREAMS OF KITTY GENOVESE, at the Boston Conservatory of Music.

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This is an amazing article about a production of HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL in Beirut!  I’ve never been prouder to be associated with the project than I am because of the passion and collective soul of the kids who  put this on.  Read the article and let me know what you think.

In Beirut , the Show Goes on Amid Violence

Violent Skirmishes Couldn’t Stop Lebanon ‘s Production of ‘High School Musical’

BY LARA SETRAKIAN

May 27, 2008—

Bringing “High School Musical” to the Middle East shouldn’t have been this hard.

The DVD sensation converted into musical theater by Disney, ABC’s parent company, has been staged in dozens of cities including London ,Taiwan and Buenos Aires always with the same story of song, dance and teenage romance, often using the same English-language script.

But “High School Musical’s” Lebanon edition was different. After months of practicing and preparation, it was time for opening night just as Beirut fell into a political crisis, with violence that chilled the capital.

They could have canceled the show, but they pushed forward, soldiered on, hoping their audience would brave the roadblocks and armed checkpoints across the city. While other Lebanese their age were picking up guns, the cast of “HSM” was busy bringing East High School to life.

“I live in the West Beirut area, which has been rough over the past few days,” said Marya Abdelrahman, who played the role of East High School drama teacher Miss Darbis. “But thinking of the stage made me focused.

“I just hope my family can make it to the show from that side of town,” she added.

“I was sitting at home, crying and waiting,” said Rania Ayash, who plays one of the lead roles as Sharpay Evans. “[‘High School Musical’] is my life. I stopped everything. I stopped university, I stopped my social life, I stopped my parents, just for this play.”

While the cast waited at home for gunfire to subside, they practiced their lines by phone and through Internet chat rooms, perfecting their parts. They all watched the DVD for inspiration, though some of them had to learn American English and its high school slang.

Ayash, who spent her childhood in Houston , could just focus on getting in character.

“I practiced my lines with my 96-year-old grandmother,” said Ayash. “I had to practice being a witch with a capital “B,” which was hard because I’m not usually that mean.”

Bernard Khalil, the Lebanese incarnation of basketball jock Chad Danforth, fits the part with his big, curly brown mane.

“My hair was always been like this, even before the play,” said Khalil, who sought tutoring to shake off his native French accent for the show. The results are mixed, but charming as he banters on stage with a Lebanese Troy Bolton played by Joseph Fadel.

On opening night, the house was full, despite the lingering threat of violence. The curtain went up at 5 p.m. sharp.

At the same time, in another part of town, the Arab League spoke before a crowd of reporters on a possible peace deal for Lebanon .

By the time “High School Musical” got to its big number the song, “We’re All in this Together” it was clear Lebanon ‘s fighting factions would go to Doha for talks to end the conflict.

Weathering the political turmoil outside, the cast turned “High School Musical” into a pep rally for Lebanon .

“Why can’t they take us as an example?” said Rania Ayash , Lebanon ‘s Sharpay Evans, of the bickering politicians. “We are all different sects, religions, and backgrounds. We are Druze, Shiite, Christian, Sunni, everything & and we’re one big happy family.”

Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

WAITER WAITER

Full-length comedy/drama

Cast size: 5 men, 5 women

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Macs: A Macaroni Requiem

Full-length comedy/drama

Cast size: 5 men, 3 women

MACS examines the story of an Italian-American family’s denial around the death of the youngest son. Through the course of a Sunday dinner, the suppressed family dynamics build to a head and explode during a furious word association “exorcism”, which forces the family to come together, accept the tragic death, and ultimately, embrace life and each other.

MACS: A Macaroni Requiem

An 18 minute excerpt from a pilot for a new television series by myself and Antonio Mendez, my brilliant writing partner. Essentially our take on an updated AUNTIE MAME combined with Absolutely Fabulous.  It was a fast fun weekend full of great energy and a loving tribute to my dad, who passed away the day before the shoot.  It was a chance for Antonio and I to walk around in the world we were creating so we could see first hand what their world was like. We had a crew and cast of exceptionally talented and loving people working the entire weekend, and in some instances, through the summer. Have fun!

CREDITS

Written by: David Simpatico & Antonio Méndez

Executive Producers: David Simpatico & Antonio J. Méndez-CB

Directed and Produced by: Antonio J. Méndez-CB

Associate Producer: Joe Cicarella

Production Manager: Staci Levine

Script Supervisor: Friday Savathphoune

Assistant Director: Joe Cicarella

Sound: Carmine Picarello

Editing: Melissa Hacker and Joe Cicarella

Associate Director: David Simpatico

Slate: Rachel Biello

Grip-Gaffer: Mathew Everett

Still photography by Miguel Criscuolo and Nina Gandolfo

Production Assistants:

Rachael Evans

Mark Klaman

Production coordinators:

Brian Lewis

Ana Berrios-Criscuolo

Art Director: Matt Brown

Stylist/Wardrobe: Franco Lacosta

Make Up:  Jameson Kirkland

CAST

Manny: Stephen Cabral

Frank: David Simpatico

Scotty: David Roth

John: Brendan Byrnes

Janey: Susan Kurowski

Virgil: Franco Lacosta

Gina: Lorenda Robinson*

Howard: Robert Ackerman

Desmond: Billy Flatley

Kenneth: Pedro Andrade

Enrico: Alexis Rios

Party People in the House:

Ana Berrios-Criscuolo

Migel Criscuolo

Ray Brahmi

Jared McQuire

Dayna Laurie Thompson

James Aita (Sharon Needles)

Rachel Biello

Roberto Buso

Eric Miller

Tom Wenstrom

Jared McGuire (party/fill-in)

THANK YOU

Robert Strickstein

Christopher Unruh

Jeff Kolsrud and Q Models

Molly Hagan

The Lark Theatre

Jaimie Finnegan

Joel Martin

Jane Young

John Jeffrey Martin

Michael Mahaney

Steve Fickinger

Ken Cerniglia

Jane Bernard

In Loving Memory of Anthony Simpatico

And rejoicing the lives of our nieces and nephews

to whom we also dedicate this piece:

Santiago, Ian, Senara, Gabriel, Nina, Steven, Daniella, Anthony, Andrea, Emma, Noah, Francis, Lauren, Ryan, Bridgette, Ian, Maura, Aeilish, Aiden, Elena, Cristina, Joaquim, Bea, John

Thanks to

Soo Hyun Chung

Alexandra Van Valkenberg

Broch Bertloff