Round 2
MISTER MISS AMERICA
Written and Performed by Neil D'Astolfo
Directed by Tony Speciale
July 06 - August 07, 2022
World Premiere
at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater
Presented by special arrangement with Rattlestick Playwrights Theater
Tonight. Is. The. Night. Y'all. It's the 86th Annual Miss Southwestern Virginia Pageant, and Derek Tyler Taylor is fightin' tooth and well-manicured nail to win the crown. But when the road to victory is bumpier than a sock fulla Skittles™, Derek must decide how dirty he's willing to play to make his lifelong dream come true.
Mister Miss America has been developed through the AFO Solo Collective.
Mister Miss America is not a production of Rattlestick Playwrights Theater. Rattlestick Playwrights Theater is a not-for-profit corporation. Revenue derived from the rental of the theatre is used to further the work of the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater.
COVID-19: Masks are required in the theater.
EXTENDED!
Poster Deign by Mark Ramel
Illustration by Jason Raish
Written & Performed by Neil D'Astolfo
Directed by Tony Speciale
Set Design: Se Hyun Oh
Costume Design: Hunter Kaczorowski
Lighting Design: Travis McHale
Sound Design: Sun Hee Kil
Wig/Hair/Makeup Design: Tommy Kurzman
Choreography: Christopher Campbell
Production Stage Manager: TaTyana Smith
Assistant Stage Manager: Sheree V Campbell
Rattlestick Playwrights Theater
224 Waverly Place
New York, NY 10014
welcome to the stage:
Mister Miss America
Watch the trailer for Mister Miss America-- Neil D'Astolfo's new queer comedy that "sets the pageant world back on its heels." (Time Out New York)
in the news:
Mister Miss America
Watch Neil D'Astolfo talk with Fox 5's Ryan Kristafer on Good Day New York. Neil takes Ryan backstage at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater and opens up about the origin & inspiration behind Mister Miss America.
CRITICS ARE CUKOO FOR DD PUFFS!
Mister Miss America:
On Making Queer Art
Following Monday, July 25's performance of Mister Miss America, please join us for a special post-show discussion “On Making Queer Art”, moderated by Josh Adam Ramos with distinguished panelists: Jade Anouka (HEART, His Dark Materials), Neil D’Astolfo (Mister Miss America, Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out The News), and Tony Speciale (Mister Miss America, Unnatural Acts).
In community with our friends at Audible Theatre, AFO is thrilled to present this wide-ranging conversation highlighting and celebrating the power and sources of inspiration within queer artistry.
Mister Miss America:
LGBTQ+ AFFINITY NIGHT
We invite anyone who identifies as part of the queer community to join us for our 7:00pm performance on Monday, August 1. Use code LGBTQNIGHT to unlock $20 tickets.
NEIL D'ASTOLFO (he/him) (Playwright/Performer) is a New York-based actor, comedian and writer. Neil is a series regular on Paramount Plus’ Emmy-nominated "Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News" and recurred as Anthony Fauci on Showtime’s "Our Cartoon President" (also executive produced by Stephen Colbert). Other TV credits include Comedy Central’s upcoming animated feature "Washingtonia" and Hulu’s "High Fidelity" and "The Path." Notable theatre credits include The Comedy of Errors and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Classic Stage Company) and Family (Pershing Square Signature Center Studio). Neil was a house performer at The Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) from 2018-2020, where he performed on Maude Night’s first exclusively queer and/or female-identified sketch teams (Glamour College and Peach). He currently creates and hosts SH!T SHOW, a monthly comedic storytelling game show at Caveat. Neil’s writing for film and television has been acknowledged by Film Independent and the Nashville Film Festival, and his solo show, Mister Miss America, will premiere off-Broadway in Summer 2022. He holds an MFA from Columbia University and is an adjunct professor at Pace University. neildastolfo.com
TONY SPECIALE (he/him) (Director) is the founder of Plastic Theatre—conceiving, co-authoring, and directing the Off-Broadway/world premiere of Unnatural Acts (Classic Stage Company—Drama Desk Award nominee, GLAAD Media Award nominee). NYC credits: Abingdon, Classic Stage Company (CSC), Dixon Place, HERE, The Gym at Judson, La Mamma and Westside Theatre. Regional: Actors Theatre of Louisville, Ahmanson Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Bay Street, Hartford Stage, Kirk Douglas, Laguna Playhouse, Old Globe, Philadelphia Theatre Company, and St. Louis Rep. Tony has developed new work at Atlantic Theatre, Berkeley Rep, The Goodman Theatre, Primary Stages, Sundance Theatre Lab and The Public Theater’s Under the Radar Festival. He spent four seasons at CSC as Associate Artistic Director where he helped found, directed, and taught for their award-winning education & outreach initiative, The Young Company. Tony holds an MFA in Directing from Columbia University, and is an assistant professor of theatre arts at SUNY New Paltz. tonyspeciale.com