Cherry Picked is new play reading series is offering Fire Island residents and visitors a fresh way to engage with live theater, while spotlighting bold new works from LGBTQ+ voices.
Pizza and a Play: The Cherry Picked Play Reading Series, presented by Cherry Grove Pizza and the Arts Project of Cherry Grove (APCG), in partnership with National Queer Theater, is bringing contemporary queer plays to the stage every Monday night this summer at the Cherry Grove Community House and Theater.
The series runs through August 25, with each play beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are open to the public, and attendees receive a 10% discount at Cherry Grove Pizza. This added treat invites theatergoers to enjoy both local flavor and compelling new art in one evening.
A Stage with History
The Cherry Grove Community House and Theater, just a short walk from the dock, is the oldest continuously operating LGBTQ+ theater in the country. In 1946, an old barn was floated across the Great South Bay and repurposed as a firehouse and community meeting space. By 1948, it had been transformed into a theater, and the Arts Project of Cherry Grove was born.
Over the decades, this modest but beloved venue became a haven for queer artists, hosting productions that openly reflected the lives and concerns of the LGBTQ+ community. In 2013, the theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its pivotal role in LGBTQ+ cultural history. Today, it remains a vital creative space for artists, residents, and visitors alike.
Theater That Challenges and Connects
On Monday, June 16, I attended the play For All I Know by Jim Piazza, one of the selections in this summer’s Cherry Picked lineup. The performance was directed by Mark Finley and featured David Leeper and Tristan Mesmer in a tightly focused, two-actor staging.
Based on true events, For All I Know tells the story of a brutal attack in New York City’s Riverside Park in 1978, and the emotional, legal, and psychological aftermath that followed. Told through a dialogue between two versions of the same man— “Me” and “Me2”—the play dives deep into trauma, truth, and the complicated ways we navigate survival.
The attack, carried out by three assailants—nicknamed “Muscle,” “Jumpy,” and “Screamer”—left the narrator with severe injuries and a long recovery ahead. He leans on his boyfriend David and a fierce friend named Lee during his hospital stay, only to find himself later accused of attempted rape. The narrator and a “blonde” accomplice carefully construct their testimony, working the legal system to seek justice and safety. It’s a harrowing but honest portrayal of what survival sometimes demands.
The writing is stark and powerful. One moment, we’re inside a brutal flashback; the next, we’re hearing a darkly humorous aside about gay life in 1970s New York. The narrator is candid: “We lie. To survive. We charm. To survive. We can be bitches, just for the hell of it. We get even. To get even.”
In the end, the play is not just about the violence of the past—it’s about reclaiming a narrative. “This one belongs to me,” the narrator declares. “This one has shaped me. And we will last as long as the others.”
A Summer of Stories
The Cherry Picked Play Reading Series offers a diverse and exciting slate of new plays that reflect the full range of queer experience. Upcoming titles include:
- July 14: Night Cities by Roger Q. Mason. A young Bayard Rustin must choose between private desires and public duty in 1930s Harlem.
- July 21: Ocean Walk by Gianfranco Lentini.Fire Island is underwater. A stubborn resident and a teenage ferry worker navigate what’s left. Featuring Wicked’s Sam Gravitte.
- August 4: Waco Boy Club by Mack Lawrence. Ghosts, gender, chicken salad, and queer friendship collide in a Texas garage.
- August 18: This Is a Face by J.C. Pankratz. A trans love story told through the creation of a clay egg and a request for a new face.
- August 25: Enders Gay also by Pankratz. A queer Muslim teen becomes convinced that Ender’s Game is secretly gay—then becomes Ender.
Each reading includes a staged presentation with professional actors, many of whom are Broadway veterans, and minimal sets—allowing the focus to remain firmly on the words, the performances, and the stories themselves. Among this year’s performers are Kalonjee Gallimore (A Beautiful Noise), Clew (The Picture of Dorian Gray), and Sam Gravitte (Wicked).
A Community Tradition, Reimagined
“This series is about bringing the best of America’s queer theater to Fire Island,” said Matt Freeman, a board member of the Arts Project of Cherry Grove. “We want to engage our community with stories—both new and old—that reflect our shared history.”
Whether you’re a regular attendee or stepping into the theater for the first time, the Cherry Picked series offers a fresh opportunity to experience thoughtful, vibrant, and deeply personal queer storytelling in one of Fire Island’s most iconic cultural spaces.
On an island famous for its sun and celebration, Monday nights now offer something different: meaningful, moving, and unforgettable theater.
IF YOU GO: The Pizza and a Play: The Cherry Picked Playreading Series takes place on Mondays at 8 p.m., through August 25; at the Cherry Grove Community House & Theatre, 180 Bayview Walk, Cherry Grove. Visit www.nationalqueertheater.org/cherrypicked for ticket purchase and more information. Bonus: Present your ticket at Cherry Grove Pizza (179 Ocean Walk) to receive 10% off your order.
