OU theater student to stage play in New York

Franco Vitella, bottom right, poses with cast members of his play, "Come, Beauty."

By Eric Reikowski, media relations assistant

Oakland University theater student Franco Vitella is headed to New York to put on a production of his play, “The Quiet Present.”

The production will be featured in “Zero to Sixty,” a festival that showcases an eclectic collection of one-page plays. OU students Robert Glowacki, the director, and cast members Will Luchin and Lauren Rich will take part in the play.

Devoid of dialogue, Vitella’s play chronicles the misadventure of a mute boy whose only friend is the corpse of a dead girl, whom the boy mistakenly believes is alive.

Vitella said his passion for the stage was sparked a few years ago when he took a playwriting course at OU.

“I was an English major at the time, but that class turned me on to theater, Vitella explained. “I’ve written six plays that have been produced and a few more are tucked away.”

Now a senior, Vitella hopes to attend graduate school and parley his passion into a career as a playwright or university instructor. His play will be performed at Where Eagles Dare Studios on Feb. 21.