Play's original cast, director stage Steve Ditko's story at State Theater

Oct. 2—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Rhode Island playwright Lenny Schwartz' original play "Ditko" tells the story of Johnstown native Steve Ditko, the co-creator of one of the most iconic characters in comic book history — Spider-Man.

With jokes as well as philosophic ideas woven throughout, the play delves into Ditko's battle for his due credit as Spider-Man co-creator with Marvel Comics editor Stan Lee.

"Ditko" has been performed in Rhode Island and New York, and on Saturday it was brought to Johnstown by the original cast and director for the first time.

The Saturday and Sunday showings at the State Theater of Johnstown, 336 Main St., downtown Johnstown, coincided with Ditko Con, a convention honoring the work of the man behind some of the world's most recognizable superheroes.

Schwartz and actors from DayDream Theatre Co. have performed "Ditko" multiple times since Schwartz wrote the play in 2016, but never before in Johnstown — and never with Ditko's family in the audience.

In 2018, after Ditko's death, Schwartz and actors from the theater company put the show on for the first time in Rhode Island — then took it to New York to sell-out comics convention crowds.

Along the way, Ditko's nephew Mark Ditko contacted Schwartz on Facebook with notes for the script.

"He had a lot of notes for the script, which was great," Schwartz said. "He said, 'I'm sorry to give you these notes,' and I said, 'Are you kidding me? This is amazing. Of course I want to take these notes down.' "

Schwartz allowed his play to be performed by local Johnstown actors and directors in 2021 for the inaugural Ditko Con in Johnstown. However, Schwartz said he wanted his cast to have the opportunity at the next Ditko Con. That opportunity came on Saturday with many of Ditko's family members in the audience.

Derek Laurendeau, 36, of Westport, Massachusetts, played the role of Steve Ditko.

"When we performed it in New York, people heard the story for the first time, but coming here everybody knows the story, so the pressure was felt. It was a pleasure and honor to perform in front of the Ditko family," he said. "It was overwhelming. I'd been fascinated with Steve's story. ... I'd always liked it and related to how unfair it was for the artist who did the work to get no credit."

Samantha Acampora, who played the role of Flo, said performing at the 100-year-old State Theater in Ditko's hometown was a humbling experience.

"Maybe it was the small setting with Steve Ditko's family there, but it felt more powerful," Acampora said. "I was getting choked up."

Beverly J. Struble, of Johnstown, was invited by a friend to Sunday's showing of the play. She said she knew nothing of Ditko before the show and was enthralled by the story, she said.

"For him to feel that heartache ... and the actors were so much fun," she said.

Schwartz said he was inspired to write the play after getting through some adversity in his own life by remembering the lessons he learned as a child through Ditko's Spider-Man.

"When I was young, Spider-Man was my favorite hero," he said. "It helped me out personally. I don't think he realized the impact he maybe had on a lot of people to do the right thing — those morals we as kids learned not just from our parents, but from Steve Ditko."

In 2015, Schwartz was at a crucial juncture in his career, he said.

"There was a lot of things where I could have gotten by in life had I made some different compromises than I normally would have done," he said. "Steve Ditko's writing inspired me again as an adult. His values, his morals, his non-compromising nature taught me to not compromise myself."

Mark Ditko and several other members of the Ditko family attended both showings of the play over the weekend.

"This play brings him into the public eye," Ditko said. "It increases the visibility of his role in the comic book industry in an entertaining way."