Actor-Playwright Ned Eisenberg Follows Eugene O’Neill’s Lead

Will Ned Eisenberg be the next Eugene O’Neill?

Or perhaps the next Tennessee Williams? Or the next Neil Simon?

The jury is still out, but the future looks bright for Eisenberg, who plays Anthony Fanelli on the NBC series “The Fanelli Boys.”

Eisenberg’s been receiving boffo notices for his play “You Gotta Sing for Your Supper,” currently at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. Eisenberg also stars in the comedy about four young artistic outcasts who decide to form a doo-wop group to sing on street corners to make money and hone their performance skills.

“You Gotta Sing” had a successful 10-week run in Los Angeles three years ago and received a Drama-Logue Award.

Writing and acting, Eisenberg says, gives him different outlets to express himself: “When you write, you get to say what you truly feel and think. That is not the case all the time as an actor. You are kind of a soldier. You do the best you can with what they give you.”

Eisenberg, a graduate of New York’s High School of Performing Arts, has always loved to write. “But I am not so prolific. I don’t sit down every day and write or keep journals or diaries. Sometimes an idea will be kicking around in your head for a while. Eventually, you just sit down and start it off.”

His last two plays, “Soulful Scream of a Chosen Son” and “Empathy,” were workshopped at the Playwrights Conference of the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center in Connecticut. “It gives you quite a bit of credibility,” he says. “People are now willing to read my work because I am an O’Neill playwright.”

Eisenberg is toying with an idea for his next play. “I haven’t had much time to write,” he says with a laugh. “My plate has been pretty full, if you know what I mean. When you write a play you are writing it for the ages. Hopefully, my plays will be done long after I am gone.”