TOMMASO CARTIA
Presents
COMING SOON
OFF-BROADWAY
A NEW PLAY
BY DAVID JAMES PARR
directed by
chad austin
In partnership with
SLAP&TICKLE is a darkly funny and thought-provoking theatrical experience that immerses audiences in a transformative journey of the senses—from the raw intimacy of gay bathhouse culture in the U.S. to the rise of social media—spotlighting the queer community’s evolving quest for connection, identity and the timeless human need for belonging.
The story is set in 2010 at THE SANCTUARY—the last surviving bathhouse in New York City—a fading haven symbolizing a pivotal moment of cultural shift, as survivors of the AIDS crisis share hard-won wisdom with the younger generation navigating love and identity in an increasingly digital world. The play offers a vivid theatrical canvas alive with movement, emotion, sexuality, and heart—standing as an urgent testimony to resilience and the ongoing fight for equality and identity in a rapidly changing world.
THE STORY
SAM, an idealistic closeted twentysomething from a small town, stumbles into THE SANCTUARY in search of belonging. Within its shadowy corridors, he encounters a vibrant cast of transgenerational characters who share their stories and guide him through the unspoken rules—the slaps and the tickles—on a journey of sexual awakening and self-discovery.
THE EXPERIENCE
The production reimagines the theatre space to bring the experience of THE SANCTUARY to life. A spectacle weaving together sound, light and movement to create a fully-sensory atmosphere. The audience becomes a witness of time and is invited to inhabit a visceral space where history breathes, bodies speak, and time bends.
A SHOW WITH A MISSION
The show is a life-affirming celebration of inclusive identity and the hard-fought battles of the gay community for equal rights in the U.S., passing down a powerful legacy of resilience to the younger generation. Partnering with GMHC—the world’s first HIV/AIDS service organization—the production provides a vital platform to raise awareness, dismantle the heavy stigma surrounding AIDS, and combat discrimination and hate crimes against queer people.
Meet the Team
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David is an award-winning, NYC-based writer, playwright and director with over 20 years of experience in the theater industry. His play Eleanor Rigby Is Waiting was made into an independent film which premiered at the 2019 Manhattan Film Festival, winning Best Dramatic Independent Feature. His plays Slap&Tickle, Pluto Is Listening, and Albee Damned have been produced all across the U.S. including Chicago, Dallas, New York, Provincetown and St. Petersburg. His script Mimi at the 44th Parallel was a Top 10 Finalist at the 2019 Austin Film Festival. He is a two-time winner of the Tennessee Williams Short Fiction award and a Founder of Boundless Theater.
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Chad Austin is an award winning director and producer and the Producing Artistic Director of Abingdon Theatre Company. Since his time at ATC, Austin created the One Night Only series; work includes Wade Dooley’s THE PROMPTER starring Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons; Alex Edelman’s award-winning JUST FOR US; BACK by Matt Webster starring Emmy nominee Madeline Brewer and Tony Award nominee James Cuasti-Moyer; and more. Career highlights include JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR LIVE IN CONCERT on NBC; MAYBE TOMORROW at the A.R.T./New York Mezzanine Theatre starring Tony Award nominee Elizabeth A. Davis and Younger's Dan Amboyer; 5 Broadway World Awards for ROBIN & ME: MY LITTLE SPARK OF MADNESS including Best New Play and Best Director at Theatre Row, Hedgerow Theatre, and Pittsburgh Playhouse; PETER AND THE WOLF with the Hampton Ballet Theatre; Executive Producer of Abingdon Virtual films premiering internationally at festivals including Dance Camera West, Cannes World Film Festival, Prague International Film Awards, Flickers’ Rhode Island, and more; among many others.
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Tommaso Cartia is a NYC-based theatre producer and the artistic director of Boundless Theater (A Stage Without Borders) poducing theatrical experiences & exclusively original shows with the mission of shining a light on the underground scene of theatre fostering an authentically independent theater movement. Tommaso has 20 years of experience in the field of entertainment & media communications, PR and marketing. Recent productions include Stranger Interludes (in development); Boy Meets Girl debuting at the Queerly Festival this Spring 2025; Eleanor Rigby Is Waiting - Immersive Experience; Broadway Barfly Live with Rob Driemeyer; Pluto Is Listening. He holds a BA in theatre, film, media and cultural events from the University Cattolica of Milan; a Master Degree in creative writing & entertainment industry from New York Film Academy; a Master Degree in Marketing for entertainment from the Morris School of Economics. He is also a graduate from the Teatro Carcano of Milano Academy of Dramatic Arts.
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Sharon Fallon is an independent Theatre Producer, General Manager, and Theatrical Consultant.
In 2015 she launched her boutique consulting company Sharon Fallon Productions with a mission to bridge the gap between art and business allowing productions to be financially viable and artistically accomplished. Taking a holistic approach – from page to stage and everything in between, she specializes in work with early-career producers and artist-driven niche projects as well as on larger union and non-union projects.
Sharon began her Broadway producing career as an Associate Producer with Lewis Allen Productions. From there, she served as the Associate General Manager of the Helen Hayes Theatre and the Lyric Theatre in New York, working on several Broadway productions. She returned to producing in 2016, working with Liz McCann as an Associate Producer on the Broadway productions of Indecent and Hangmen. Other Broadway credits include Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Matilda the Musical, and Lysistrata Jones.
Long before entering the commercial theatre world, she was an active non-profit theatre professional and served as both an Artistic Director and Managing Director for multiple companies.
An advocate for new work and development, Sharon began producing at the New York Musical Theatre Festival during its inception years. In 2006, she joined the Board of Directors and served as the Board Chair until 2012, when she returned to the festival as General Manager to work directly with artists. Currently, Sharon is a Board Member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) and is the Co-Chair of the New Work Festival Committee.
Working in both the commercial and non-profit theatre sectors, Sharon brings a unique perspective to her work.
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Benjamin C. Feldman is a founder of Feldman, Golinski, Reedy + Ben Zvi PLLC, together with co-founders M. Kilburg Reedy, Pamela M. Golinski, and Leslie Ben-Zvi. An attorney practicing in the areas of stage, motion picture, non-profit, television, fine art, documentary, and start-up and finance, Ben represents influencers, producers, funders and creatives.
Ben was the production and financing counsel on three PBS POV documentaries that premiered at the Sundance and Tribeca Festivals in 2018.
A member of the Broadway League, Ben has been a lead producer on Broadway and has earned nominations for three Tony Awards (winning once, for Pippin). Ben has been above the title on both plays and musicals, and on both new works and revivals, since he started producing in 2013. He also has produced Off and Off-Off Broadway, and has served on the boards of the Hourglass Group and Ars Nova. He currently serves on the Board of Advisors of Symphony Space and is a Director at the Chase Brock Experience.
Ben garnered much of his Broadway experience as a representative of authors (he was thanked at the Tony Awards when his clients won the score and libretto awards for Urinetown) and as the production counsel for shows including the “Best Musical” winner Memphis.
Ben is currently producing the film adaptation of Urinetown and has associate produced three motion pictures.
Ben is a graduate of Choate Rosemary Hall, Yale College and NYU Law. He is a US Memorial Holocaust Museum volunteer and resides in New York City, South Beach and Gloucester, MA.