the STICKS
by Nicholas Portella
Dir. Adri Bollinger
A new play development reading on February 20th, 2026, in Milwaukee Rep’s Four-Four Rehearsal Hall
With Sydney Wilson, Sara Sadjadi, Elena Donley, Jon Riker, Connor Nekich, Zach Woods, Adriana Rosebrough, and George Lorimer. Stage Directions read by Roswell Kaybee.
“When in the woods, boys build forts. As a game of war becomes a medieval epic, two brothers are pitted against one another, unwilling to differentiate between fantasy and reality. In a realm of juvenile psyches, societal pressures, and the kinds of men that boys feel they must play, what builds and breaks that world is The STICKS.”
A new work by playwright Nicholas Portella, this piece examines themes of learned masculinity, play, sibling relationships, and social pressure. It is presently in development for future production, where I will be continuing as director and collaborator.
