Watch out, Broadway! Dennis Gribben is on his way.

Cast of "Murder On The Paradise Line" (courtesy Dennis Gribben)
Cast of "Murder On The Paradise Line" (courtesy Dennis Gribben)
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At age 21, the Brick Township dramatist says he's been penning plays for five years. Starting this weekend in Asbury Park, the curtain goes up for the first time on a full-length production he's authored.

Murder On The Paradise Line is a frothy mixture of humanity and havoc, as two inept railroad operators find their business further threatened by a lights-out slaying - and the big question becomes, who dunnit?

Playwright Dennis Gribben (courtesy Dennis Gribben)
Playwright Dennis Gribben (courtesy Dennis Gribben)
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La Strada Theater Ensemble of Asbury Park offers the presentation Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through May 17th at The Bank, 649 Mattison Avenue.

The graduate of the Ocean County Vocational-Technical Performing Arts Academy in Lakehurst and Ocean County College in Toms River is a keen observer of life, which feeds his creativity. He says that he doesn't direct the stories - they lead him.

"All these stories just come into my head," he mused, "and I want to see where the go. I want to see what happens, myself."

Gribben says that his new production had its germination in an offhand comment by a friend that he ought to try a murder mystery. He developed it around the struggling business of his two main characters.

Scene from "Murder On The Paradise Line" (courtesy Dennis Gribben)
Scene from "Murder On The Paradise Line" (courtesy Dennis Gribben)
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"Other ideas came to me, like, 'Who would work on the train? Who would own the train? Why isn't the train making money?' And, of course, when the murder would come in."

He tells us that he's had earlier works staged in New York City, and that La Strada has performed several of his one-acters. Murder On The Paradise Line is his first full-length work that the ensemble has undertaken.

Gribben gives a lion's share of the credit for his progress to La Strada Artistic Director A.J. Ciccotelli, his acting teacher in years gone by who continues to help him hone his skills.

"I also have a wonderful family that has supported me," Gribben said, adding that their support strengthened when his early works began to take on their own lives on stage. "That is pretty much where my family went 'Wow! He can actually do this!'," Gribben said.

And, of course, Gribben had his own "Wow" moments. The feeling, he said, is almost indescribable.

The Bank, Asbury Park (courtesy Dennis Gribben)
The Bank, Asbury Park (courtesy Dennis Gribben)
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"It's a mix of feeling grateful, honored, proud...It's kind of like seeing your child grow up. You've raised him since the beginning, you've gone through some growing pains...and when he actually goes out in the world, you just feel so proud."

But success isn't going to Gribben's head. He's still sharpening his tools in creative writing classes, where he says he's learning to balance dialogue with action. "I love witty writing, but a play always needs action," he said.

Find out about tickets at the La Strada Theater Ensemble web page.

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