Duane Granston, a Mount Vernon native and 2003 graduate of Mount Vernon High School, will return to the spotlight this October when his new original screenplay, Finding Matt Damon, receives a featured staged reading at the 2026 Scranton Fringe Festival.
Presented by the Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing at Wilkes University, the staged reading will take place Saturday, Oct. 10 at 3 p.m. at the Black Scranton Project Cultural Center in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Granston, who wrote the screenplay as a capstone project in Wilkes University’s nationally recognized creative writing program, will also play the lead role of Sean.
Finding Matt Damon is a romantic comedy about Sean, an insecure software genius recovering from a broken heart. When he lies to aspiring screenwriter Jasmine about knowing Matt Damon, his small deception sets off a series of increasingly elaborate attempts to turn fiction into reality. When the charade finally collapses, Sean must choose authenticity over image and find his true voice.
“This witty rom-com will resonate with anyone who has ever found themselves over their head,” said Mandy Pennington, board chair for the Scranton Fringe Festival and director of Granston’s staged reading. “Duane has created something truly special in this screenplay. You can’t help but love these characters and see yourself in their hopes, fears, and missteps. That’s the magic of a great story.”
For Granston, the project represents another step in a creative journey that began long before his graduate studies.
“I think people will really connect with the ups and downs of these characters,” said Granston. “Even if you’ve never done something as extreme as Sean does, you know what it’s like to maybe fake it a little bit in a moment when you are afraid you are not enough. Getting over that fear of vulnerability and just letting ourselves be who we are is something that we all have to come to terms with at some point.”
Granston said he also wanted to create a story that offers a different kind of representation.
“It’s important to me to create stories that aren’t focused on Black characters’ trauma and pain, but ones that express light and joy and friendship and love in fun ways that we’re not used to seeing,” he said.
Granston is an actor and writer whose work spans stage, screen and voiceover. Most recently, he starred as the lead in the award-winning short film The Finish, where his performance earned a nomination for Best Acting in a Leading Role.
“Stepping into Sean’s shoes is a full-circle moment,” said Granston. “The story has been a fun exploration of the parts of ourselves that want to hide and what it truly means to discover your genuine voice.”
The Scranton Fringe Festival partnership marks the fourth year of collaboration between the festival and Wilkes University’s Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing. This year marks the first time the partnership has featured a screenplay.
“Both Wilkes and Scranton Fringe do an incredible job of nurturing writers at every stage of the creative process,” said Pennington. “When creative writers participate in Scranton Fringe, not only do they have a platform to showcase their incredible storytelling abilities, but they learn what goes into producing an original work from start to finish. That’s experiential learning at its best.”
Finding Matt Damon will be presented Saturday, Oct. 10 at 3 p.m. at the Black Scranton Project Cultural Center. The PG-13 staged reading runs approximately 60 minutes, followed by a brief talkback. Tickets are $15 and are available at scrantonfringe.org.
FINDING MATT DAMON
by Duane Granston
Presented as a Staged Reading by the Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing
Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 3:00 p.m.
The Black Scranton Project Cultural Center
Genre: Romantic Comedy / PG-13 (ages 13+)
Tickets: $15 at scrantonfringe.org
CAST & CREW
Duane Granston
Jess Ross-Steltz
Eugene Barnes
DeVonte Singh
Jessica Cadden Wentlent
Elvis Karegeya
Bunni LiBardi
Jim Warren
Jay Herb
Lily Abreu
Alicia Nordstrom
Additional voices and direction by Mandy Pennington
ABOUT THE MASLOW FAMILY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN CREATIVE WRITING
The Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing at Wilkes University educates students in eight areas of study — fiction, poetry, screenwriting, playwriting, creative nonfiction, publishing, writing for television and spoken word — through mentorship, publishing opportunities and industry-specific internships. The nationally recognized low-residency MA/MFA program provides students and faculty with writing support, community and market opportunities to become lifelong, productive, professional writers in all fields. Learn more at wilkes.edu/cw.