811 Theater Project is a company devoted to bringing quality theater to the global theater community.  The focus of the Project is solo works or solo monologue series with socio-political-cultural-familial-autobiographical themes performed with one actor or multiple actors, professional and/or non-professional, with the intention of enlightening, enriching and entertaining the local, national and global communities.

811 Theater Project had its first solo play premiere in August 2011 with:

GENIUS FROM A BLUE COLLAR NEIGHBORHOOD
A solo play with music
Written and Performed by Maria Menozzi
Original Songs by Maria Menozzi
A Coming of Middle-Age Story
August 5, 12, 19, 26 and September 2, 2011
Santa Monica Playhouse, Santa Monica, CA

Our hero suffers a life-changing event while in her 20’s, an illness, which destroys a remarkable creative talent forcing her to abandon pursuit of a probable illustrious musical career. Fifteen years later, our hero discovers new gifts and has to choose before it’s too late whether to follow her dreams once again or continue her life of quiet desperation.

REVIEWS AND AUDIENCE FEEDBACK ABOUT “GENIUS…”:
Very enjoyable listening to her own songs and stories. She deserved a larger audience but those of us who were there had a good time!
– Written on Aug 29 2011

Terrific! Good story and the music fit the bill.
– Written on Aug 29 2011

Well-written, well-acted, enjoyable play. Songs are good too.
– Written on Aug 22 2011

Creative rendering of her experiences and travails to get to her place of development today. Wanted to hear something about Lilly, since the program references Lily's major importance to the Maria!
– Written on Aug 15 2011 

(Note:  Lilly did become part of the show as of Aug. 26, 2011 performance.  See pix!)

Very enjoyable.
– Written on Aug 15 2011

This was a very cute show. Maria Menozzi is a very funny and talented woman - I really enjoyed her show.
– Written on Aug 15 2011

We really enjoyed this performance. The characters were very specifically articulated and presented in an interesting and memorable way. We had great empathy for Maria and wish her well. Keep going!!!
– Written on Aug 08 2011

very pleasant evening with touching performance
– Written on Aug 08 2011

“With its reliance on the traditional tropes of the solo show genre, this autobiographical tale of a Midwestern heroine (writer-performer Maria Menozzi) who dreams of moving to the Big Apple and becoming a star runs the risk of being dismissed as somewhat trivial. However, it would be a mistake to do that, for the stock elements of Menozzi's show are unexpectedly leavened by undercurrents of pathos and wise melancholy -- a rarity in this kind of one-person effort. As she enters the stage, Menozzi, a clearly warm and laid-back figure, meets the eyes of almost every member of the audience, treating us less as passive viewers than as trusted friends and confidents. Her narrative, which unfolds gently in director Che'Rae Adams' intimate production, recounts memories of a blissfully happy Michigan childhood as the beloved daughter of working-class parents. While punctuating her stories with a series of Bruce Springsteen-like folk song numbers, Menozzi describes her brief sojourn in Manhattan before she returned home to Michigan after an illness and decided to go "straight" into careers in teaching and counseling. An interesting aspect of Menozzi's story is the underlying theme of forgiveness for decisions made and life paths chosen.”
LA Weekly

COMING SOON FROM 811 THEATRE PROJECT

“My Father’s Story”
A solo play by Maria Menozzi

Born in 1916 into a wealthy Italian immigrant family, scouted by Branch Rickey, signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers, and by the final inning of the Depression, his dreams were all over.  The story of one man’s fight, faith and finish told in the poignant, humorous words of his oldest daughter.

THE POET WHO WOULDN’T BE KING — THE MUSICAL!
Music, Book and Lyrics by Maria Menozzi
Based on her play, The Poet Who Wouldn’t Be King,
published by Players Press

Prince Dylan Thomas William Carlos Williams is next in line to the throne but he would rather be the Kingdom’s storyteller much to the dismay of his father, King William Carlos Williams.  This refreshing funny, offbeat Medieval tale of finding your life and realizing your dreams is now set to snappy, sing-a-long music and songs. 
This Medieval tale for modern times is not for children only!

SOLO WORK SERIES
The Series is a culmination of solo monologue work
excerpts from students in the Workshop classes.
TBA