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Beginning January 10, Malvern-based theatre People’s Light (39 Conestoga Road, Malvern, PA 19355) continues its 2023/24 season with the regional premiere of SMALL by stage, film, and television star Robert Montano. Written and performed by Montano, the one-man, autobiographical play is a highly entertaining coming-of-age story about one young man’s dreams unexpectedly leading him from the Belmont racetrack to Broadway. Directed by Jessi D. Hill, the play runs from January 10 to February 4, with 27 performances presented on the Steinbright Stage, an intimate 140-seat theatre.
The world premiere of SMALL was presented at Penguin Rep Theatre in Stony Point, New York in 2022, before going on an Off-Broadway run at 59E59 Theaters in 2023. The play was met with rave reviews, hailed by The Wall Street Journal as “a gripping and vividly acted one-man show,” praising Montano as “a vibrantly watchable performer.”
In SMALL, Robert (Montano) plays himself: a small Puerto Rican/Italian kid from Long Island with a big dream. Bullied for his size, Robert found prestige atop horses as a jockey. Before long, he’s galloping headlong into the strange, obsessive world of professional horse racing. But the track is as dangerous as it is exciting, full of colorful characters and powerful beasts. The jockeys and their associates form a makeshift brotherhood even as they wrestle with the extremes of their sport. As Bobby begins to literally outgrow his dreams, he discovers a new path that leads him away from the tracks and under the bright lights of Broadway.
Montano was born in Bayside, Queens, NY, and raised in Hempstead, Long Island, close to Belmont Park Racetrack, where he had his first career as a professional racehorse jockey.
“I was bullied because of my size as a kid,” said Montano. “When I saw the jockeys come out, and there was this hush that came over the people, I wondered what that was. My mother said, ‘That’s respect.’ I fell in love with the idea of these little men retaining that respect on these massive animals.”
By age 18, Montano had outgrown his riding silks and decided to trade his riding boots for ballet slippers. Two years later, he was one week from graduating Adelphi University’s dance program when he booked his first professional acting job in Cats on Broadway. His career took off from there, performing in musical theatre, plays, film, and television alongside the likes of Michael Fassbender (Shame), Joaquin Phoenix (The Yards), and Catherine Zeta-Jones (Chicago). At People’s Light, Montano starred in the world premiere presentations of Fallow by Kenneth Lin (2012), and Barcelona by Bess Wohl (2013).
“Bobby is a wildly captivating and charming performer,” said Zak Berkman, Producing Artistic Director. “We still have audience members who saw him in Barcelona and Fallow ask when he’ll be back, and we are thrilled the stars have finally aligned with SMALL. Bobby’s life story is remarkable and it shows how our dreams may bring many triumphs and heartaches, but the biggest victory is when our dreams bring us love, community, and some really cool dance steps.”
Leading the SMALL production team at People’s Light is director Jessi D. Hill, who has also helmed the play’s previous two runs at Penguin Rep Theatre and 59E59 Theaters. Based in New York City, Hill’s latest credits include Chisa Hutchinson’s Surely Goodness and Mercy at Theatre Row, Larissa FastHorse’s Vanishing Point at HERE Arts Center, Cusi Cram’s The Helpers at 59E59, and others.
Hill leads the production’s creative team, featuring Sound Designer Brian Ronan, Scenic Designers Christopher and Justin Swader, Lighting Designer Jamie Roderick, and Lighting Assistant Sam Eisner. Joining the creative team as Stage Manager is Karen Schleifer.
Before a show, attendees can also enjoy scratch cooking and theatrical sensibilities in the theatre’s on site restaurant, The Fern & Fable. Quality, artistry, and unique experiences are top of mind at the restaurant. Located steps away from the Leonard C. Haas Stage, The Fern & Fable occupies three rooms of a 1700s farmhouse, complete with two working fireplaces and historic quirks. During warmer months, guests dine al fresco among the lush gardens on the People’s Light campus. Reservations can be made through OpenTable here. Learn more by visiting http://www.thefernandfable.com.
Preview performances for SMALL are from Wednesday, January 10, through Saturday, January 13. The production opens with an invite-only performance on Sunday, January 14, at 2p.m., and runs through Sunday, December 31. Tickets start at $42, including fees. People’s Light also offers a range of ticket discounts, including youth tickets, 50% off Access Nights, 25% off for educators and military, and discounted student and industry tickets. The Access Night dates for SMALL are Friday, January 12, at 7p.m. and Tuesday, January 30, at 7p.m.
To purchase single tickets, visit peopleslight.org or call the box office at 610-644-3500. Special rates are available for groups of 10 or more. For more information or to purchase group tickets, call Kelly Benedict at 610-647-1900, ext. 111, or email benedict@peopleslight.org.
SMALL is recommended for ages 14 or older and contains depictions of disordered eating and drug use. The play has an estimated runtime of 60 minutes with no intermission. Actors, prices, productions, performance dates, and times are subject to change.
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