Broadway actor and fired gay Catholic teacher brings communion as solo show off Broadway

Off-Broadway News

Broadway actor and fired gay Catholic teacher performs solo show Community Off Broadway

Matthew LaBanca brings his own story to the stage of the Cell Theatre.

Fired gay Catholic schoolteacher and former Broadway actor Matthew LaBanca is bringing a new solo show about his experiences with the Brooklyn diocese to Nancy Manocherian's off-Broadway Cell Theater. Performances begin November 7, with opening night November 13. Performances continue through December 8. Directed by Kira Simring.

The show tells LaBanca’s true life story of how he began teaching at a Catholic school in Brooklyn after being in the original Broadway ensembles of Frankenstein Junior, White ChristmasAnd A Christmas storyonly to be fired after the church found out he had a husband. The 2021 event led to a media storm and a documentary titled May everyone marry whose premiere is planned for this autumn.

The production will be designed by Will Morris for scenic and lighting design, Julianne Merrill for sound design, Ryan Belock for projection design and Christine O'Grady Roberts for choreography. Richard Urquiza will serve as stage manager.

“Knocking at Your Door” produces the Off-Broadway performance in association with Nancy Manocherian’s Cell Theatre and Alissa Orlando.

The Off-Broadway run follows a twice-extended development production that was set to premiere in 2023.

Tickets are available at TheCellTheatre.org.

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Photos: Matthew LaBanca's Communion Off-Broadway