Piper Theatre Founder John P. McEneny on Theatre for Young Minds, Jeremy Allen White, and the Edinburgh Fringe

John P. McEneny talks about Piper Theatre shows (performing soon at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival) and teaching drama in Park Slope schools for 25+ years (incl. former student Jeremy Allen White)

John P. McEneny - photo by Sam Caravaglia

Great to connect with you John! I found out about all the wonderful work you do in educating the community and kids in the dramatic arts since the shoutout from your former student - Jeremy Allen White (The Bear) - who said you inspired him to take up acting when he was at Park Slope school M.S. 51! [Instagram]. I also discovered that you founded Piper Theatre which runs productions in the Park Slope community, including the Alice in Chaos at The Old Stone House which my family enjoyed last month.

Tell us more about you and your work in Park Slope. 

I have been a drama teacher here in Park Slope at MS 51 for 24 years and last year at PS 118 Maurice Sendak School.  I brought my theatre company, Piper Theatre Productions to Park Slope in 2005.   Piper has produced more than 40 professional plays including  Mother Sauvage (Tour Malta ‘23), Lincoln Dress (Tour Bucharest ‘22) Splitfoot (Edinburgh ‘15), Island of Doctor Moreau (Edinburgh ‘13) Winner of Six Star Broadway Baby’s Bobbie Award),  We Should have Seen the Lights Already (Matei Visniec North American Premiere, Bucharest Tour ‘18) Wendy Darling, Nocturnes, Priscilla Queen of Desert, Hedwig and Angry Inch, Sweeney Todd, Xanadu, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Book of Liz, Miser, Frankenstein, Prospect Hill, Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, Tempest, Taming of Shrew, Midsummer, Twelfth Night, Charlotte Lucas is 27 and Not Dead, Bomba and the Coquí. and produced the short films, Cold April and Come Zoom with Me.  

Piper has also showcased new work by Matt Barbot, Chadwick Boseman, Timothy Braun, Christin Cato, Jane Elias, Emily Feldman, Meredith Hackett, Modesto Flako Jimenez, Melanie Jones, Annie Meek Montgomery, Garret Kim, Nikkole Salter, Lindsey Sproul, Lily Ali Oschatz, Mark A. Galinovsky, Gaven Trinidad, Diana Ly, Carolina Đỗ, Rohana Elias Reyes, Catherine Weingarten, Patti Veconi, and residency collaborations with Off the Page, TYA’s ReImagine Festival, Siena College, Theater in Asylum, and Un Teatru.  

What inspired you to start Piper Theatre, and what is its mission?

Piper was started in 2000 by my sister, Rachel, and me in Untermyer Park, Yonkers.  We put on free Shakespeare for five years.  And then in 2005, was invited by Kim Maier to bring Shakespeare to Washington Park, which evolved thirteen years of musicals, and now we focus on developing new musicals, physical theater, play readings, and international travel.

Piper Theatre Productions is dedicated to producing innovative and accessible theater, introducing young people to the theatrical arts, and providing opportunities for emerging artists to showcase their talent.

(Video by Park Slope Pulse - free community performance of Alice in Chaos at Old Stone House)

Tell us about your shows which are currently running or about to run at The Gallery Players and in Scotland at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival!

Show details included below!