Lobby Hero asks what happens when the need to be seen as competent, moral, or important outweighs the courage to be honest. In a confined space where authority, ambition, and fear collide, each character justifies their choices in the name of survival. What emerges is not a battle between right and wrong, but a portrait of how easily good intentions can bend under pressure.
The play by Kenneth Lonergan, and directed by Mike Blangiforti, opens with a story about a young security guard, Jeff, who becomes drawn into a murder investigation with his boss, William, and two police officers—a veteran, Bill, and a rookie, Dawn.
Set in a Manhattan apartment building lobby, the story explores themes of loyalty, integrity, and justice as the characters’ secrets and personas are unveiled. The play employs dark humor to examine the clash between principles and emotions under pressure, questioning what defines heroism and the gray areas of morality.
Each actor played their role very well. The many lines and movements were as natural as real life. As a union actor myself, my thoughts on actor John Grimaldi (Jeff) were fluid and executed almost as if Johnny Depp had played the role. Grimaldi recently played the part of Lance Corporal Harold Dawson in the production of A Few Good Men at Star Playhouse
I thought Kristin Hansen (Dawn) hit the nail on the head for her portrayal as a rookie cop.
“Playing Dawn in Lobby Hero is a bucket list role for me,” said Hansen. “I was still trying to navigate just what she had to do in my new world of police life. My goal was to bring my past stage experience to the audience, hoping for the audience to feel my character’s pain as Dawn recounted some of the enduring moments of what was, and the questions of what will be next.” This is Hansen’s third production, and she has aspired to be in this play, especially at Studio Theatre. Her previous credits include The Passion of Dracula, in which she played Wilhelmina, and A Few Good Men, where she was fortunate to play Lt. Cmdr. Joanne Galloway.
Louis Clarke (William) created the role of a well-trained security guard, who simply needed a way out while juggling the rules and regulations of his job, yet seemed to know he would have to use some of his expertise to make things right at work. The emotions he displayed were strong and forceful, and it was easy to sense he was headed down the wrong direction on a one-way street. Clarke is a graduate of Suffolk County Community College, and this is his first role with Studio Theatre. Some of his other credits include Selsdon in Noises Off, Aeneas in Troilus and Cressida, and Aaron in Titus Andronicus.
Liam Tuohy was truly authentic as Bill, the policeman. The 28-year-old actor from Long Island is making his Manes Studio Theatre debut in Lobby Hero. Tuohy has also appeared in the irreverent comedy Till Death Do Us Party and was part of the Light House Theatre Company’s rendition of A Bronx Tale: The Musical during the summer of 2025.
From the audience, Riva Schwartz of Dix Hills said Lobby Hero was “very professionally done, an engaging play, and certainly worth the reasonable admission price.”
Lobby Hero runs through January 25 at Manes Studio Theatre of Long Island, located at 141 S Wellwood Avenue in Lindenhurst. Visit studiotheatrelongisland.com for more information.
