BOOKS
The author, Gary P. Cohen, has always been a fan of monster movies and horror stories, making 8mm films of Dracula and the Mummy as a kid, and in 1987, while owning two video rental stores, he helmed three shot-on-video horror movies that have reached cult classic status: Video Violence, Video Violence 2 and Captives, all re-released on Blu Ray.
As a working theater director and producer, he has also always been involved with plays and musicals, including co-founding the real Celebration Playhouse in 1973, which began in the basement of a restaurant and then moved into an old feed-and-seed store.
This book is a result of a love of theater and monsters, although the monsters in the book are all too human.
Celebration Playhouse – a Theatrical Thriller, tells the tale of four theater loving college students who ambitiously seek to establish a community theater in a small Pennsylvania town. When they learn of an old abandoned temple that is up for sale, one that already contains a stage and theater accoutrements, they hope to make their dream come true.
When they decide to mount a production of the musical “RENT” as their initial offering, it draws the unwanted attention of a number of racists, angered at what they perceive as a threat to their little corner of white perfection. They make it their business to harass and threaten, in hopes of thwarting the endeavor. What begins as mere pranks, the intimidation quickly turns more vicious, and the local police offer very little in protection and investigation.
Curiously, in the musty, dusty old cellar of the temple, there is a mound of dirt, which is initially thought to be an old oil tank that probably needs to be removed. But as the renovation of the temple/theater progresses, as rehearsals for the musical commence, and as the threats from the bigots escalate, the mound seems to shift and enlarge, almost as if it were a living organism.
One evening, the story’s narrator has a very realistic and frightening dream of a Biblical “Golem”. Terribly curious, he researches the Temple’s history and discovers tales of a Rabbi and his experiences with a Golem, who, as the legend has it, brought to life the clay creature, and used it to defend the early congregation from attacking anti-Semites.
Was this merely a dream, or something portentous?
Set in Manhattan during the turbulent 60s, at the start of the LGBTQ movement, CURTAIN CALL FOR A KILLER tells the story of a struggling gay actor who finds himself and his best friend in the unenviable position of helping the NYPD attempt to solve two murders—while rehearsing a role in an Off-Broadway show. The victims both frequented Club 82, the notorious nightclub on the Lower East Side featuring female impersonators, which becomes the starting point for the investigation. Were these hate crimes, or something no one would have imagined?
While the amateur sleuths investigate the on-stage and backstage world of drag performers, the story also connects to the actor’s life with the ups and downs of auditioning in NY, and, after finally being cast in a major role, the long and often difficult rehearsal period through opening night. The suspenseful thriller explores both the theatrical world and the grimy underbelly of the city that never sleeps.
What a fun and personable read “Curtain Call for a Killer” is. It tells the story of a double murder in the seedy world of New York City’s transvestite community in the 60’s, while at the same time sharing a young man’s naivete, excitement and struggle to make it in the legitimate theater arena. While the two may seem to be intrinsically disconnected, they are anything but, intertwining between first person sharing and a third- person narrative, depending on what chapter you may be enjoying. The conceit works and it’s with eager anticipation I would turn the page to get the latest goings on of both story lines.All too often when there is collaboration between two authors on a single piece, one can detect the voice of the individual input and style, sometimes to the point of distraction. Such is not the case with “Curtain Call” as the book resonates with a cohesiveness and unity true to the task at hand; namely to provide the reader with an entertaining, involving and engaging escape from the predictable and mundane everyday existence.Good luck trying to figure out “who dunit”!
Chris Fitzgerald May 20, 2025
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A MUST HAVE FOR EVERY PRODUCER'S THEATRICAL LIBRARY!
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2003
Gary P. Cohen's book is an excellent guide giving the ins and outs and the honest facts in successfully establishing and running your own community theater. Cohen speaks about all aspects of theater from auditions, to lighting, to directing giving first hand knowledge from his own personal experiences and triumphs. I highly recommend this thorough handbook to anyone wishing to become involved in and learn more about community theater, begin their own community theater organization, or looking for a guide on how to make their current theater better.
The THEATER DIRECTOR'S PRIMER
Whether you are a first-time director at a community theater, an English teacher directing the high school musical, a guest artist at a university, or a seasoned professional working regionally, The Theater Director's Primer will provide the insight and practical knowledge you need to create a successful show that will please the participants, the producers, the audience, and, most important, you.