Hamptons.com -Cindi Sansone-Braff’s Play “The Menu” a Success

No stranger to the Hampton theatre scene, Long Island playwright Cindi Sansone-Braff has been creating plays since she majored in playwrighting, receiving a BFA in 1975 from the University of Connecticut. Her theater reviews and theater columns are read all over the Hamptons and Long Island in both print and websites via the various “Messenger Papers.” Yet, as she attended the staged World Premiere of her play, “The Menu,” produced by the Kingdom Theatre in NYC on Friday, November 3, she said, “I didn’t know what to expect, but it was spectacular. C.Kelly Wright and her actors brought my words to life, with action and terrific movement.” 

The Kingdom Theatre’s mission is to empower, encourage, and uplift people through the visual and performing arts. “The Menu” was part of the Playwrights Weekend Celebration produced by Kingdom Theatre’s talented Artistic Director, Nickolas III. 

Unlike Sansone-Braff’s other produced full-length plays, “The Menu” is an attention-grabbing ten-minute play. The  main character, Chris, receives an Evite to a Come-As-You-Are Party at “The Final Exit Bar and Grill.” When Chris is handed a menu, the whole event takes on a tragic twist. This play is based on a dream the  playwright had, which centered on “selecting your method of death.” Although this does not seem to be a comical topic, Sansone-Braff’s brilliant writing, augmented by great actors and the brilliant direction of C.Kelly Wright,  took “The Menu” to a place where there is much-needed comedic relief as the characters rattle through this serious topic as if it were a menu at a diner. 

Playwright Cindi Sansone-Braff was ecstatic about the participation of Director C. Kelly Wright,  a New York City native actor, singer, and dancer whose greatest love is developing new works. Wright has given voice to the development of Broadway shows, from the Tony-award-winning musical “Memphis” to Katori Hall’s “The Mountaintop.” 

The audience truly enjoyed the talent of the two actors. Their facial expressions, movements, and gravitas captivated the audience. Taifa “Harmony” Bartz portrayed the part of Chris. Bartz, born into a  musical family, is the daughter of two-time Grammy winner Gary Bartz. She has been singing, acting, and dancing since she was two years old and followed her passion by studying music, theatre, and dance in college. She now leads her own jazz/funk/neo-soul band and has starred in and directed many stage, film, and TV productions.