The Gift of the Magi
November 20th – December 29th
Wednesday – Saturday at 7 PM
Sunday at 3 PM
“Marisa’s writing reminds me of A.R. Gurney on steroids.”
~ Gordon Clapp (Greg Medavoy, NYPD Blue) ~
Using O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi,” a short story set in Victorian times, this modern adaptation updates the tale of love and sacrifice to the modern day. O. Henry wrote about disadvantaged young people living in New York City. In this version, Lucy and Robby are a young married couple living in the city who love each other very much though they have different ideas of what to spend money on for this Christmas. Robby would like to go cross country on his motorcycle and Lucy wants to save for the down payment on a house. When a baby comes into the picture, everything changes. This is a play celebrating love and sacrifice. Told with heart and humor, this play is a real holiday treat.
Special Show Dates:
- Wednesday, November 20: Preview Night with discounted tickets
- Thursday, November 21: Opening Night with Post-Show Party
- Friday, November 29: Best Value Night – All tickets available at the best value price of $35
- Saturday, December 7: Special 2 pm Matinee show before the annual Christmas Parade!
- Friday, December 13: ASL Interpreted Performance
- Sunday, December 22: Pay-What-You-Wish Rush tickets – All available tickets on the day of the performance can be purchased at the box office for whatever price you wish to pay. Starts one hour before curtain, cash only.
Age Guide: 13+
Running Time: 90 Minutes, No Intermission
* World Premiere *
* Written Exclusively for Cape May Stage *
Young couples today have had their lives challenged by student loans and a pandemic and an uncertain future. And yet, love and the impulse to sacrifice some immediate pleasure for a gift to a special partner is as relevant today as when O. Henry wrote his iconic holiday short story called “The Gift of the Magi”. Pete’s Tavern in the Gramercy Park area of New York has a plaque on a booth where the story was penned. We have our own writer telling this tale from a woman’s perspective with humor and heart.
Just as O. Henry used Victorian times to place the story of lovers and their sacrifices in Greenwich Village, Marisa Smith updates the tale to today in Washington Heights with a Latinx flavor to the writing. Today’s challenges may be different from the ones in the O. Henry Story, but love and sacrifice still triumphs over monetary pressures. This is a modern tale for the whole family.
Roy Steinberg, Producing Artistic Director
Thank you to the following Producers of this show:
John & Key Behmke
Denise & Vince DeGiaimo
Bill & Katie Haines
John & Jennifer Keuler
Kit Marlowe & BJ Wagner-Marlowe
Mark Seltzer & Angie Segal
Steven & Sue Teitelman
If you would like to learn more about the benefits of becoming a member of our exclusive Producer’s Circle, click here.
Iraisa Ann Reilly is a writer, performer and educator originally from New Jersey. Most recently she appeared Off-Broadway as “Mallory” in Arlene Hutton’s According to the Chorus (New Light Theatre Project). Favorite acting credits include The Wolves (#14, Philadelphia Theatre Company) Blithe Spirit (Edith, Cape May Stage) and Water By the Spoonful (Yazmin, South Camden Theatre). As a writer, her plays recently have been recognized and developed by Latinx Playwright’s Circle, Teatro del Sol, Arden Theatre Company, The Latinx New Play Festival (at La Jolla Playhouse), Arkansas New Play Festival, Sol Project, Bay Area Playwright’s Festival, The Kennedy Center, Yale Drama Series, Theatre Exile, New Harmony Project, Texas A&M University Corpus-Christi, Michigan State University, Vail Screenwriting Competition and Fusion Film Festival. Thanks to a Lucille Lortel Micro-Commission she is currently developing her one-woman show, January 6th a Celebration: A Bodega Princess remembers tradition, not insurrection. She has taught students of all ages and is currently an adjunct professor in the Dramatic Writing Department at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Proud graduate of the University of Notre Dame (BA Theatre and English), and NYU Tisch (MFA Dramatic Writing). iraisaannreilly.com
Kevin Herrara is a Colombian actor based in NYC and excited to be making his Cape May Stage debut. Some of his favorite prior roles include the Prince in Romeo & Juliet, Cornwall in King Lear, El-Fayoumi in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, and Officer Brophy in Arsenic & Old Lace. When he isn’t on stage he works for Actors’ Equity Association monitoring auditions for all sorts of productions and theatres. Deep thanks to everyone at CMS, and especially to our audience. The show wouldn’t happen without you!
IG: @kevinherrera
Marisa Smith (playwright) is an award-winning American playwright.
Full-length plays include: Venus Rising (Northern Stage) Sex and Other Disturbances (Edgerton winner, Portland Stage Company, 2018, semi-finalist, The Bridge Initiative, Saving Kitty (Eliot Norton award Winner for Jennifer Coolidge Best Actress, The Nora Theater Company, Mad Love, (O’Neill semi-finalist, Clauder winner/Kilroy list, premiered at Northern Stage, and is an audio drama titled The Defenestrator, produced by Wondery.
In the Fall of 2019 Kay Mellor’s UK Musical Comedy, Fat Friends was “Americanized” by Marisa and is being prepared for a US reading.
In March of 2010 Marisa’s short play CUBS WINS! will be re-incarnated as a short opera in the Boston Opera Collaborative’s production of OPERA BITES.
Marisa’s many 10-Minute plays have been produced in the Boston Marathon of 10- Minute Plays, Barrington Stage, New Jersey Repertory and in many other theaters around the country and include Heideman finalist Total Expression.
Marisa is the co-founder of SMITH AND KRAUS PUBLISHERS, Publishers of trade books for the school, college and theatrical communities with over 700 titles in print.
Screenplays: Second Wind and Surprise Engagement for producer/director Andrew Silver.
Coming Soon
View our full 2024 season schedule to see what other memorable events we have lined up for you this year at Cape May Stage!