30-04-2025
LGBTQ+ advocacy group to stage 'Gay Marriage Plays' at Clifton banquet hall
CLIFTON — A performance that explores themes of love and tolerance will be staged at a reception hall here next week by an LGBTQ+ advocacy group.
The production, titled 'Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays,' features nine 10-minute monologues and vignettes to address same-sex unions in a brutally honest way.
Michael Stracco, the president of Pride Alliance of Passaic County, is directing the five-person cast. The show, he said, serves both as a 'celebration of progress' and a reminder that work lies ahead for defenders of gay rights. It blends humor with poignancy and real-world relevance, he said.
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'We felt that this was a very important script to perform now,' said Stracco, a high school teacher from Hawthorne.
The show will be on Friday, May 9, and on Saturday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m. in a 120-seat ballroom at The Mountainside Inn, at 509 Hazel St. The cost is $30 and includes dessert; there will be a cash bar.
Stracco said the 12-member alliance wanted to present the show due in large part to recent attacks on marriage equality.
In June 2015, the Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples throughout the U.S. But in just the past four months, lawmakers in at least five states — Idaho, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota — introduced symbolic bills calling on the justices to reverse that decade-old ruling.
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The upcoming show, Stracco said, is a form of peaceful activism to support for the LGBTQ+ community. 'We're honored to share these stories,' he said. 'Visibility remains a powerful tool for advocacy and empathy.'
The nonprofit alliance was established in February 2024. It is not affiliated with any government agency or political party.
The performance includes some mature content. To purchase a ticket in advance of the show, or to learn more about joining the alliance, visit its website at
Philip DeVencentis is a local reporter for For unlimited access to the most important news in your community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: devencentis@
This article originally appeared on Pride Alliance of Passaic County NJ plans show on marriage equality
