This season Counter-Productions will present its second annual staged
reading series of new works. The program is called “Readings in
Winter: An Exploration of New Works” and will feature two plays by
local playwrights. The first is “Choke” by Matt Greene, an exploration
of life in the professional world of mixed martial arts. The second is
“Isabella” by David J Valentin, the story of a young homeless girl with a
remarkable talent, fueled by a remarkable rage.
“Isabella” is a tragic tale of how low a family can fall after tragedy
strikes, and how an artist uses her craft to escape her unbearable
circumstances. The story revolves around the title character, a
teenager who lives on the streets with her addict mother, Karen, and
the mother’s manipulative boyfriend, Eddie. When Eddie gets into a
scrape with his regular drug dealer, the “family” is forced down an
unfortunate path. Playwright David J Valentin creates an intimate look
at life on the streets.