My Love Letter To Godzilla

Content Notice: Strobe lights and the sounds of explosions and gunfire

Playwright’s Note:

I never thought I would write a play, let alone a play about Godzilla! As you could probably imagine, I love Godzilla. He’s been with me as far back as I can remember, without that franchise, I don’t think I would be the person I am today. With all of this There are many iterations of the play, but none of them did justice to Godzilla or myself. In Summer 2021, I workshopped and researched daily. By the end of September, I had a play that I felt would honor the history of Godzilla and my history with the franchise. I am incredibly grateful for the theatre makers, artists, and friends that have participated in the production process of My Love Letter to Godzilla.

VINNY GRANATA - Vinny is a performing artist (actor, director, singer, and now playwright) in his senior year at SUNY Purchase. He is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to step out of his comfort zone and write a play and perform it himself! His past acting credits: EXIT LAUGHING (Bobby Grayson), JERRY FINNEGAN’S SISTER (Brian Dowd), VISITING DAD (Mike Trabulo), and HAIR (Steve/Ensemble). Vinny received an AS in Performing Arts at Dutchess Community College.

JOEY TAYLOR - Joey is a director. His favorite Godzilla movie is Destroy All Monsters. He’d like to thank his dad for buying him the DVD that one time from Media Play, without which, he would not be the Godzilla fan he is today.

VANESSA BAER - Vanessa Baer has specialized in all aspects of theatrical production in her past five years of study. She is the administrative coordinator/production assistant at the Ancram Opera House. Past dramaturgy credits: SWEAT at Western Connecticut State University, AN ILIAD at Ancram Opera House. Upcoming dramaturgy credits: SHE KILLS MONSTERS at the Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck. Vanessa received her BA in Theatre Arts from Western Connecticut State University, and an AS in Performing Arts from Dutchess Community College.

RICHARD CINTRON - Richard has been a property and costume designer for almost two years and is excited to show his newest creation, the Godzilla suit! Graduating from Manhattanville College, Richard started his own prop and costume design business allowing him to contract work for a variety of people, performances and companies! With this costume being his first ever Godzilla suit, he is excited for you to see it in action.

EMILY (LEE) DZIAK - Emily Dziak is a third year double major in Theatre & Performance and Arts Management. Being as she normally specializes in performance, this is her first production working as a Light Op and Assistant Light Designer. She has been having a blast learning from her peers and picking up different skills during the rehearsal process and hopes to gain more experience in design and tech in the future.

MARSHALL PEACE - Marshall Peace is thrilled to work for the first time on a production at SUNY Purchase. A recent transfer, he has loved diving into the vibrant cultural scene on campus, including designing projections for Godzilla. Despite falling ill to covid-19 and missing out on the end of the rehearsal process, he had a great time and learned a lot working on the show. Enjoy!

WILLIAM KEENER - William Keener is an aspiring Lighting Designer. He is currently a third year student in the Design and Theater Technology Conservatory at SUNY Purchase College who plans to graduate in the spring of 2023 with a BFA and a Focus in Lighting Design. 

In our teaching and art, the Conservatory values inclusiveness, equality, and excellence. Upholding all of our training is our aim to train and graduate citizen artists: multifaceted people with a strong sense of purpose in approaching an arts education.

What is a citizen artist? Citizen artists seek to discover how their unique voices can contribute to our world. They understand what it means to be an artist, and what they are here on earth to say and do and make.

The Conservatory trains future citizen artists in three degree programs:

+ BFA Actor Training. The BFA is an intensive professional training program offered to a highly select and diverse group of students. The professional training is anchored in four years of study in acting, voice, speech, and movement, complemented by offerings in dramatic literature and analysis, history of the theatre, stage combat, improvisation, mask work, acting for the camera, and the business of acting. As one of five schools in the Consortium of Professional Theatre Training Programs, Purchase is one of a handful of colleges in the world capable of training artists at this level—and of drawing a faculty from the ranks of professional theatre

+ BFA in Theatre Design/Technology. Emphasizing studio and classroom training, our professional training program in theatre design/technology gives students the guidance and support of established and theatre industry professionals. Many of our alumni are recognized at the top of their field, and have received Tony, Emmy, Obie, and Drama Desk Awards, among other honors. Quite literally, Purchase grads are working in or have worked in every theatre on Broadway, in all tristate venues, and with countless touring productions

+ BA program in Theatre and Performance. From traditional theatre to cutting-edge interdisciplinary work, the theatre and performance major encourages creativity, intellectual curiosity, social engagement, and critical thinking. The core requirements combine scholarship and practice to provide students with a strong foundation in theatre history and dramatic literature, with mandatory stagecraft/production courses. Theatre and Performance majors are encouraged to expand the scope of their education by studying abroad, as well as pursuing coursework in other programs of study within the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Purchase College