The Analyst, a new one-act drama by Philadelphia playwright Bob Finkelstein, will be presented at the Newburgh Fringe Festival on Friday, October 16, 2026 at 5:30 pm at ADS Warehouse, and Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 2 pm at GRITWorks.
The hour-long, one-actor play is set in the run-up to a politically volatile midterm election. The play takes the form of a fictional documentary interview in which a successful financial professional is pressed to explain his support for a controversial politician who he has clashed with in the past. As he defends his vote, the world outside threatens to unravel: markets collapse, protests erupt, and he learns that his estranged granddaughter is in danger at a protest. What begins as an explanation of a political choice becomes increasingly fraught.
The play doesn’t take sides for or against any candidate or party.
"In our politically polarized times, people can be quick to put those they disagree with into categories based on their choices," Finkelstein said. "I was interested in exploring how somebody's lived experience might shape choices that on the surface seem contradictory to others."
The one-man production features New Jersey actor Jeff Bodnar, whose early career credits include touring productions of Grease and The Pajama Game and regional theater roles in Evita, West Side Story, and Man of La Mancha. Bodnar recently returned to the stage in theaters along the New Jersey shore with roles including Salieri in Amadeus, Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady, and the title role in Dracula.
Tickets are advance purchase only at:
Oct. 16 - https://safeharborsofthehudson.thundertix.com/events/271089
Oct. 17 - https://safeharborsofthehudson.thundertix.com/events/271090
The Analyst is part of the Newburgh Fringe Festival, a multi-venue festival which runs October 16-18. The Newburgh Fringe Festival is presented and produced by Safe Harbors of the Hudson in partnership with Hit House Creative and Diamond Grade Media. The festival boasts a total of 65 productions with over 100 performances presented at multiple downtown Newburgh venues.