Summer vacation is usually the time for kids to let loose, but for fourteen-year-old Griffin Nafly it's time to get down to the serious business of putting on his dramatic new play: an ambitious cross between Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and American Beauty. However, when his tween collaborators get distracted by more trivial pursuits like boys and camp, Griffin’s attention drifts toward Brad, the zoned-out handyman working at his house. Increasingly smitten and seeking a kindred spirit in Brad due to his failed career as a New York-based performance artist, Griffin finds himself embarking on an unforgettable summer.

Featuring stellar performances from its cast of young actors, Griffin in Summer’s coming-of-age story is a portrait of the artist as a young boy dealing with the initial experiences of unrequited love in a way that’s both hilarious and refreshingly original.––Jarod Neece

Nicholas Colia