‘Catch the Morning’ plays commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11

Apricot Sky Productions, a Montclair based professional theater company, is presenting "Catch the Morning," a collection of nine one-acts and monologues commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The in-person free event will be presented at Grove Street Theater, located at 130 Grove St., on Friday, Sept. 10 and Saturday, Sept. 11 at 8 p.m.

Even though the in-person event is free, the company is asking for a $10 donation. All proceeds from the show will go to the National September 11 Museum and Memorial in New York City. Masks will be required for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

This is the second time Apricot Sky Productions will be presenting plays with 9/11 themes. The first time was for the 10th anniversary of 9/11, in 2011.

"I don't want people to ever forget that day," Apricot Sky Productions producer Eric Alter said. "The response to my call for audition was overwhelming. I am extremely proud of all those involved with the show for their enthusiasm and involvement."

The plays and monologues have been written and will be acted by New Jerseyans, underwritten and produced by Alter.

The playwrights include Alter, Lisa Annitti, John Fraissinet and Elaine Molinaro. The directors are Helen Exel, John Fraissinet, Bob Lowy, Elaine Molinaro, and Alexander Olejski.

In the acting company are Jon Beeler, Laura Byrne, Jenna Cia, Ginny S. Crooks, Art Delo, Celeste Fasone, Byron Flores Jr., Jeff Foote, Donna Fraissinet, Ann Grippo, Brooke Kaye, Kay Koch, Gary Koseyan, Donald Pauselius, Liz Samuel, Gina Sarno, Alexa Servodidio, Larry Shagawat, and Angela Levins-Smith.

The nine plays and monologues, as described by Apricot Sky in an announcement of the event, are:

• “Remains” (written by Eric Alter and directed by Bob Lowy) is a poignant play about the son of a NYPD officer who was killed on 9/11 and how the son now wants to follow in his footsteps to serve the community.
• “The Job Interview” (written and directed by John Frassinet) is a tense play about a woman’s decision to take a job starting on the very day of the disastrous attacks.
• “Days” (written by Eric Alter and directed by Bob Lowy) is a terse monologue about one sister’s struggle dealing with the daily memories of her grief.
• Excerpts will be presented from “Among the Missing” (written and directed by Elaine Molinaro), the true story of a family's journey to fill the hole left in their lives after unimaginable loss.
• “The Grieving Pool” (written by Eric Alter and directed by Helen Exel), we eavesdrop on two strangers who meet at a 9/11 memorial and wind up reminiscing about their loved ones whose lives were cut short by the attacks.
• “Catch the Morning” (written by Eric Alter and directed by Bob Lowy) features the interplay between father and daughter coming to grips with the unspeakable tragedy of September 11.
• “The Quarter” (written by Lisa Annitti and directed by Bob Lowy) is a monologue from the viewpoint of a man who recalls the horrific morning of 9/11, how it unfolded, and the guilt he harbored at his tragic loss.
• “Once a Year” (written by Eric Alter, directed by Elaine Molinaro) is a vignette about a group of women who gather once a year at Ground Zero for the reading of the victims’ names and reminisce about their times spent together with their loved ones.
• “Children of September” (written by Eric Alter and directed by Alexander Oleksij) is the story of a young girl suffering from trauma and whose time in therapy returns her to hope and helps her believe that anything is possible.