Save The Penguins

Lucky's Lighting and 24 Bond Arts Center w Gene Frankel Theatre

Presents

A World Premiere of:

Written by Raechel Segal

Directed by Laura Archer

A roller coaster of a comedy that explores nonprofits, queerness, and scandals at Bertucci's.

Winner of '15 Minutes of Frame' Playwrights Competition

at Gene Frankel Theater, 24 Bond St, NYC 10012

Preview: Wednesday March 12 @8pm (as low as $10./for 3/12 only, the door: password Queer)

Opens: Thursdays March 13@8pm

Friday: March 14 @8pm

Saturday 15@ 7pm (Talk Back Afterwards)

Sunday @2pm

Tickets: $30.

Students & Seniors $20.

Wheelchair Accessible

All are welcome

See you at the door! xGail

SAVE THE PENGUINS

Dean, a brand new closeted employee for the nonprofit, Save The Penguins, discovers that his 501(c)(3) is actually a brothel! Nobody cares about penguins. Nobody cares about his mission statement! Will Dean, a passionate penguin advocate and total nerd get the girl and sell the lie? Or will Dean come out, find himself, and fall in love with an idiot?

Two and a half years ago, it was a normal day for Lucky and Gail Thacker, discussing art and politics. But on this one day, Lucky wanted to brainstorm possibilities for a festival. He pondered, “Maybe a music festival with art & food?”

We were getting close.

Gail suggested, “Why don’t we do a take-off on a festival I did in 2008, the Shotgun Theatre Festival, where the audience voted for the best play, and the winner won free time at the theatre to develop and present their play?”

But Shotgun Theatre Festival was four weeks of over 250 actors, 50 playwrights, and 50 directors, plus musicians, dancers, and comics between the plays.

Lucky liked the idea of incentivizing emerging talent by offering an opportunity for a play to be voted on by the audience and extended into a full-length production. But he suggested that we scale it down and put out an open call for 15-minute original plays that are in development. Gail laughed and said, “15 Minutes of Fame!”

Lucky looked excited. “That’s it! That’s the title!”

They changed it to 15 Minutes of Frame for its absurd nature.

Lucky and Gail read over 100 incredible plays. The second year, the submissions more than doubled.

After being notified of acceptance, each playwright had less than a month to find directors, cast their plays, and rehearse them.

This August 2025 will be our third year, and our festival will include a celebration of visual artists in the window, feature local musicians, and sell baked goods from local artisans in the lobby. We believe it is important to incorporate several different mediums into our festival to stimulate a community of artists and create a multidimensional downtown arts community.

We want to thank the new Artistic Director of the Gene Frankel Theatre, Thomas R. Gordon, for allowing the production of our winning plays to use the Gene Frankel Theatre.

We also thank our crew

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Gene Frankel Theatre, 24 Bond Street, New York, United States