Vampire Pizza Wins Third Week of BOO Festival

The Anthony DeFeo play secured the top spot following an audience vote at the historic Players Theatre in New York City.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Puppetry

Bold vector editorial illustration featuring theatrical comedy and tragedy masks on a stool, representing independent stage production culture.
Anthony DeFeo's production 'Vampire Pizza' secured the top spot at New York City's 15th annual BOO Short Play Festival this week. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Vampire Pizza captured the win for the third week of the 15th annual Short Play Festival BOO in the West Village. The play was selected as the week's winner by the festival audience.

Why it matters

The festival provides a platform for original short-form theater in New York City. The audience-driven selection process highlights local engagement and support for independent stage productions.

The Players Theatre Short Play Festival is currently in its 15th year of operation. The third week of the event featured a total of 4 original short plays.

The players

Anthony DeFeo

He is the writer and director of the short play Vampire Pizza.

Players Theatre

It is a performance venue located in the West Village that hosts the annual short play festival.

The details

Written and directed by Anthony DeFeo, the winning production features actors Troy Sorensen, Kaya Celeste Smith, and Pawel Lewczuk. The play was one of four original works presented during this iteration of the festival held in the West Village.

Timeline

  1. October 2026 marked the conclusion of the festival's third week.

Industry Dynamics

This win aligns with the ongoing tradition of the 15th annual Players Theatre Short Play Festival. The event continues to serve as a vital venue for independent creators within the competitive New York City theater landscape.

Theatergoers in New York City can continue to attend weekly festival presentations at the West Village venue. Those interested in future programming or creative participation can monitor upcoming festival cycles.

The takeaway

The festival highlights how audience participation directly shapes the success of independent theater productions. Emerging playwrights looking to gain exposure should consider participating in the upcoming 2027 festival season.

What happens next

Submissions are currently open for the 2027 Players Theatre Short Play and Musical Festival LUV.

Further reading

Discover more about local performances on the New York City Puppetry section page.

More information

Prospective writers can visit the 2027 short play submission portal for guidelines and entry requirements.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Broadway World.