The Playwrights' Theatre of East Hampton at LTV Studios presents a multi-media staged reading of a new play “THE OLD MARLIN AND THE SEA” By John McCaffrey. Original music composed by Marshall Coid, and performed by Marshall Coid and Elizabeth Rodgers. Featuring Mark Singer, Kate Mueth, Gianna Volpe, Steven Lance, Wes Frye and Josh Gladstone.
‘‘The Old Marlin and the Sea”
Saturday October 10th @ 7:30PM
What connects a legendary silent film star, a masterpiece of American fiction, and a 12-foot California marlin hanging in a historic North Haven boathouse? Find out in John McCaffrey’s captivating new play, The Old Marlin and the Sea. This compelling story introduces audiences to William Farnum — the son of a theatrical family born on the 4th of July - who made his stage debut alongside Edwin Booth at age 14. Farnum quickly rose to leading-man status on Broadway before becoming one of Hollywood’s highest-paid silent film stars. You will hear from Farnum about his turbulent journey through the heights of fame and fortune, his dramatic downfall, and his remarkable reinvention as a respected character actor featured in nearly 100 "talkies" throughout the 1930s and & 40s. At the heart of his story is a deep devotion to North Haven, where he built a magnificent estate and hosted legendary parties with his wife, Olive. Central to it all was his beloved boathouse and the massive marlin he caught off Catalina Island, which still hangs in its place of honor above the hearth today. This premiere reading features original music by Marshall Coid and is accompanied by striking visual projections – many of images dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries — bringing to life a larger-than-life figure from Long Island’s East End history.
“The Old Marlin and the Sea”
“Marriage brought him to the East End…Infidelity kicked him out.”
A true story about a big fish, a big Hollywood star, and the drama of second chances.
Cast
Mark Singer
Gianna Volpe
Darcy Dunn
Josh Gladstone
Steven Lance
Composer, Instrumental/Vocal Soloist
Marshall Coid
Piano
Elizabeth Rodgers
Script by
John McCaffrey
Marshall Coid (Composer, Instrumental/Vocal Soloist) is an acclaimed counter-tenor, violinist, composer, actor, and multi-discipline collaborator whose career spans classical music, opera, Broadway, film and television. He received his formal musical training at The Juilliard School of Music in New York City, and has performed extensively around the world, earning praise from publications such as Opera News, Strad Magazine, The Washington Post, and The New York Times, who described him as an “astonishingly versatile” performer.
Josh Gladstone (Ernest Hemingway) is an actor, director, producer, and presenter with a long career in theater, television, and community arts leadership. Before his current role as Executive Director at LTV, Josh served as the Artistic Director at Guild Hall’s John Drew Theater.
Steven Lance (Wes Frye) is a character actor and voice artist. His motion picture credits include a Rhaandarite crewman in STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE, the emergency room intern in Woody Allen’s STARDUST MEMORIES, and the voice of Trevor’s mom in MARIJUANA
MINUTES. As a recording artist, Cowboy Country Music fans know him as the story-tellin’
singer, Lance Stephens.
John McCaffrey (Script) is a novelist, playwright, columnist, and creative writing professor.
Darcy Dunn (Olive Ann White) sings chamber opera, classical music, and new works in NYC, and is a founding member and featured performer of the Magic Circle Opera, as well as a graduate of Magic Circle training under Ray Evans Harrell. She has performed leading roles with Chelsea Opera, Bronx Opera, Encompass Opera, Opera Manhattan, and Downtown Music Productions, and has been a featured soloist at the Windham Chamber Music Festival. With her husband, Mark Singer, and pianist/musical director Julia Mendelsohn, Darcy helped create theCatskill Mountain Foundation’s “Mountaintop Celebration of Song” in Hunter, NY, featuring 8 original productions over 10 years. The trio appeared at LTV in 2023 and 2024 in their original shows “Headliners and One-Liners--Songs and Stories of the Catskills Resorts,” about the hey-day of the great entertainers of the Borsht Belt, and in “All Mankind Has Lost its Reason,” about the rise of fascism in Weimar, Germany, featuring music of the era. And, as co-founder and soprano of the acclaimed Moss Ensemble, Darcy is thrilled yet again to return and perform at LTV.
Gianna Volpe (Narrator) is an award‑winning journalist, broadcaster, and storyteller whose career has been built on empathy, creativity, and a deep love for the East End of Long Island. Host of the popular radio show “Heart of the East End” on 88.3 WLIW-FM, she is known for her vibrant personality and dedication to listening to the community.
Steve Mizzi (Art) draws his inspiration from many sources and artistic school. While his approach is comprehensive, he is always seeking the perfect match that is specifically tailed to his client’s needs. His work is found in many private collections both in North America and in Europe.
Elizabeth Rodgers (Piano Soloist) performs regularly with Downtown Music, Music Under Construction, American Chamber Opera, New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players, American Landmark Festivals, and Libero Canto. Her teaching experience includes Manhattan School of Music, Bard, and William Paterson College.
Mark Singer (William Farnum) is an actor, singer and playwright, often collaborating with John McCaffrey on writing projects for the stage. His theater roles have included Atticus Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird," Jack Boyle in "Juno and the Paycock," Otto Frank in "Diary of Anne Frank," and the Toreador in "Carmen." He has produced and been featured in numerous musical revues and plays for the Catskill Mountain Foundation in Hunter, N.Y.
