Nicholas Hart to stage five one-act plays in New York City

Playwright Nicholas Hart will present five original one-act plays on Oct. 1 at the Dramatists Guild Foundation in Manhattan. The free event spans comedy, relationships, illness and digital life, with limited seating and RSVP required.

Why it matters: - The free performance gives New York theatergoers access to five new short plays in one evening. - The program covers timely themes including social media, illness and the search for connection. - The event also adds visibility for Nicholas Hart, whose work has already reached the American Theater of Actors.

What happened: - Nicholas Hart will present an evening of five original one-act plays on Thursday, Oct. 1, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. - The performance will take place at the Dramatists Guild Foundation, 520 Eighth Avenue, 24th Floor, New York City. - Hart will direct the evening and connect the five works into a single presentation. - The event is free to attend, with limited seating. - Attendees may RSVP at hart.nicholas@mail.com.

The details: - The program includes "A Crushing Hope," which looks at what feels normal in a world of chaos. - "Social Media Blackout" centers on two close friends who disagree about how someone should communicate online. - "Coming Out On A Limb" is a comedy about a man who sort of comes out to his parents. - "Waiting On Faith" follows two cancer patients searching for answers together in a doctor's waiting room. - "The Con-Gamer's Handbook" follows a man on a date with a telemarketer who reveals an unexpected secret. - Hart's play "HR/AR" was produced at the American Theater of Actors last year. - Hart is also planning a reading of "Plato & Socrates" in late October at the Dramatists Guild Foundation. - That play offers a new interpretation of the relationship between Plato, Socrates and the Athenian Council. - "Plato & Socrates" explores fear, envy and self-sacrifice. - Nicholas Hart is a member of the Lambs, a professional theatrical club based in New York City.

Between the lines: - The lineup mixes comedy with heavier material, suggesting Hart is aiming for range rather than a single tonal lane. - The late-October reading hints at a broader run of work from Hart at the same Manhattan venue. - Free admission and limited seating make the Oct. 1 event more accessible while also creating urgency for RSVP sign-ups.

What's next: - Hart's Oct. 1 one-act presentation is the immediate next event. - The late-October reading of "Plato & Socrates" is expected to follow at the Dramatists Guild Foundation. - Interested attendees should RSVP before seats fill up.