From ACTORS COLLABORATIVE TOLEDO
Actors Collaborative Toledo (ACT) will launch its 2026–2027 season with a production of James Lecesne’s “The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey” on Saturday, Aug. 8 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, August 9 at 2 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre at the Toledo School for the Arts, 1401 Adams Street, Toledo. Tickets are available in advance at www.act419.org. Seating is limited, and advance reservations are encouraged.
Presented as a kickoff to Toledo Pride Week, the production will also support local LGBTQAI+ youth, with a portion of all ticket proceeds benefiting PRISM, the LGBTQAI+ student alliance at Toledo School for the Arts.
Written by acclaimed playwright and LGBTQ+ advocate James Lecesne, “The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey” is a moving, humorous, and deeply compassionate one-person play. When the flamboyant and unforgettable Leonard Pelkey suddenly disappears, the residents of a small Jersey shore town are forced to confront their assumptions, prejudices, and ultimately the enduring impact one extraordinary young person had on their lives.
Through a cast of nine vividly drawn characters, the play celebrates authenticity, acceptance, and the remarkable legacy that one life can leave behind.
Veteran actor John DuVall takes on the challenge of portraying all nine characters in the production.
“This play shines a light on the cost of having the strength to be who you are,” DuVall said. “Almost every character brings joy and heartbreak, and reminds us that we all leave a mark on this world. It’s our decision what that mark will be.”
The production is directed by Jeffrey J. Albright, who believes the play’s message is particularly meaningful as Toledo prepares to celebrate Pride. “This is a play about how each of us makes a choice by our actions of how we wish to be remembered,” Albright said. “Leonard Pelkey reminds us that even the smallest act of kindness can have a long-lasting rippling effect.”
Albright and DuVall are longtime artistic collaborators. Along with Barbara Barkan, the pair are co-founders of Actors Collaborative Toledo, an organization dedicated to producing thought-provoking theatre that sparks conversation, builds community, and gives voice to stories that matter.
With its blend of humor, mystery, heartbreak, and hope, “The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey” serves as a celebration of authenticity, compassion, and the courage to live openly.
