Pluck |
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Written by Jan Rosenberg Directed by Daniella Caggiano |
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ABOUT US
Founded in 2023 by autistic playwright and producer Anthony J. Piccione, Neurodivergent Plays - formerly known as the Neurodivergent New Play Series - is dedicated to presenting matinee readings on the 3rd Sunday of every month - with seasonal breaks in December, January, July, and August - of plays written entirely by neurodivergent and disabled playwrights (i.e autism, ADHD, dyslexia, OCD, Tourette syndrome, etc.) as part of a growing resident company of playwrights whose interests and specialties span a wide range of subjects, genres & structural approaches, with each play personally selected from a neuroinclusive resident company of directors.
Cast
Creative Team
Jan Rosenberg
Daniella Caggiano
Meet the Company
Lindsley Howard
Lindsley is a Texas-born, Brooklyn-based actor and storyteller. Select New York credits include collaborations with Ensemble Studio Theatre, Playwright's Realm and The Lark. Regionally, she was nominated for a Helen Hayes award for her performance in THE WOLVES at Studio Theatre in Washington, DC. In 2022, she was part of the Elliot Norton Award winning company of THE BLUEST EYE at Huntington Theatre in Boston. She holds a BFA in Performance from St. Edwards University.
Alexis Molnar
Based in NYC, Alexis Molnar is an accomplished actor whose career spans TV, film, and theater since 2009. She stars as Raya in the Netflix drama series ERIC, which aired in 2024. Alexis is also known for her emerging roles, including Alana Beck in Dear Evan Hansen at Arena Stage, Lottie Adams in Harbor (a role that earned her a CT Critics Circle Award), and Lexi Jones in NBC’s Rise, + many guest appearances. Additionally, Alexis has contributed to the development of major works including original productions of Dear Evan Hansen as Alana, Beetlejuice as Lydia, and The Band's Visit as Julia - as her work has helped shape these shows whether it be on stage or in a development studio. She previously debuted her short horror film BOYHOARDER on the festival circuit, and is currently developing it into a feature version as writer and director. Beyond acting, Alexis is passionate about creating her own solo work, most recently debuting HOT KNIFE: A Fiona Apple Cabaret - and has performed at renowned venues such as Joe’s Pub and 54 Below, showcasing her creative versatility. @alexiskaymolnar
Daniel David Stewart
Daniel David Stewart is an actor/writer/director/musician whose career spans TV/Film, Theatre, and Music. Born and raised in Southern California, Daniel starred as Milo Minderbinder in George Clooney's Golden Globe-nominated mini-series Catch-22 (Hulu), as well as For All Mankind (Apple+), and Reacher (Amazon). He can currently be seen opposite Patrick Dempsey on Memory Of A Killer (Fox, Hulu).
On stage, Daniel originated the role of Papi in the 10-Time-Tony-Award nominated musical The Band's Visit at the Atlantic Theatre, as well as originated the role of Ernst in Deaf-West's Broadway Revival of Spring Awakening.
He is currently developing his feature directorial debut and you can find his music under the artist name "people pleaser" on all streaming platforms.
Kati Schwartz
Kati Schwartz is an award winning playwright and actor. She can be seen in season 5 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and in David Fincher's The Adventures of Cliff Booth (coming out summer 2026) where she plays opposite Brad Pitt. Theater credits include The Wolves (Studio Theatre - Helen Hayes Award), Blue Train (Playwrights Horizons), Indecent (Next Stage Arts), August: Osage County (The Fulton Theatre), Tribes (Le Petit Theatre), Robin Hood (Williamstown). Her original play, Bad People, is currently available as an audio play on Audible, and was nominated for a 2024 Webby Award (best writing). Her play, The Coward, won the 2017 New York New Works Festival, and was a finalist for the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference, 2017.
Justin Ahdoot
NYC: Off-Broadway: Sleep No More (Punch Drunk); Off-Off Broadway: Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom and The Mysteries (The Flea Theater), Birthday Birthday Birthday and Show Trial (The Tank); Regional: ABCD (Barrington Stage), Disgraced (Pittsburgh Public), Cymbeline (Richmond Shakespeare); performed his solo show Justin versus at Richmond Triangle Players, and Uncle Tom: Deconstructed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. TV: Fleishman Is In Trouble (FX), Little America (Apple TV+), The Good Cop (Netflix), Law & Order: SVU, The Americans, Blue Bloods. BFA Virginia Commonwealth University. www.justinahdoot.com
Jan Rosenberg
Pluck was selected for the O'Neill National Playwrights Conference in 2023. Jan's plays have been workshopped or presented by Seattle Rep, IAMA Theatre, LAByrinth Theater, Shotgun Players, The Cherry Lane, The Lark, Cosmic Cherry Festival, ESPA at Primary Stages, and more. Several of their plays have been performed by college students across the country. They are currently a member of Clubbed Thumb's early career writer's group. They were a playwright in residence at The Farm Theater and Stella Adler. Their work has been a finalist or semifinalist for the O'Neill, the Princess Grace Award, Playwrights Realm Writing Fellowship, Theatre503 International Playwriting Award, Premiere Stages New Play Festival, and more. Their short film guts premiered at Sundance in 2024 and can be viewed on Omeleto. They are autistic as heck and some of their special interests outside of theater include Horror, Books, and collecting teeny tiny trinkets.
Daniella Caggiano
DANIELLA CAGGIANO (she/they) is a queer disabled director, intimacy director, and proud native New Yorker. She is committed to radically centering queer and femme voices on stage and screen. Their directing challenges traditional power structures and explores taboo topics, inviting audiences to sit with discomfort and welcome empathetic vulnerability. Favorite directing projects include a site-appropriate Fun Home inside a real funeral home (starring Jenn Colella), Next To Normal, Head Over Heels, Glass Town, Vinegar Tom (with an original Riot Grrrl score), Show Me Eternity, Macbeth and The Moss Maidens (3x extended, winner Best Play, SheNYC). Recent: Hometown Tour, A Walrus in the Body of a Crocodile, and Here Is Gone, a jukebox musical with songs by the Goo Goo Dolls. Their work has been presented throughout NYC with NYTW, Joe’s Pub, Clubbed Thumb, The Tank, WOW Cafe, HERE, and Rattlestick among others. Daniella is an alum of Roundabout's Directors Group, MTC Directing Fellowship, The Drama League Residency, and alum of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab. Daniella has also assisted or associate directed for rockstars Leigh Silverman and Rebecca Taichman. MFA: The New School, BA: Sarah Lawrence College, Intimacy Training: IDC. www.daniellacaggiano.com
Next Scheduled Play Readings
April 19th, 2026
Love Letters: A True-ly Short Epistolary Romance
Written by Sofia Ghassaei
Directed by Jamie Lazan
Love Letters is the first musical play written by an autistic nonspeaker. Its author, 19-year-old award-winning poet, Sofia Ghassaei, has difficulty controlling her speech and body movements due to apraxia, and had no reliable means of communication until age thirteen, when she learned to share her thoughts by pointing to letters on a letterboard. Her one-act play is augmented with original songs by herself and autistic nonspeakers. Two autistic nonspeakers, Melody and Luke, fall in love via email, only to struggle with sensory realities when they meet in person. Love Letters is a universal story of first love - found and lost – and of expectations not matching reality. Five (speaking) actors conjure the world of autistic nonspeakers and their communication aides. The actors playing the aides double as nonspeakers for some songs. With an informal coffee house vibe, performers at times use direct address and may play an instrument.
May 17th, 2026
Swimming Lessons
Written by RJ Beardmore
Directed by Em Hausmann
When Arizona reveals to Claire that her sister is a mermaid, they totally have to break out of the psych ward to go find her! Through road trips and ren faires, convenience stores and border patrol, Arizona and Claire reveal what it means to get better, get worse, and do it all together.
June 21st, 2026
TBA
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