Feltman's Hot Dogs on Stage as a One-Man Play

"I lost my little brother on 9/11. He was my biggest fan. I couldn't go back to the stage after that. There was something inside of me that felt unfulfilled. I felt like my brother died and then I gave up acting. It's like I felt like I had to do it."

"It was definitely an emotional journey. A lot of doubt. I hadn't been on stage in 25 years. And then it just went really well. It got better after each performance."

"Long before the bright lights of Nathan's Famous became synonymous with Coney Island, there was another name that defined the boardwalk: Feltman's. Now, Coney Island native Michael Quinn is bringing that forgotten story back to New York audiences in his one-man play, "Feltman: World's First Hot Dog," running at 36th Street Theatre from March 18 through June 14."

Michael Quinn, a Coney Island native and former actor, stepped away from performing for 25 years following his brother's death in the September 11 attacks. After working as a high school English teacher and leading Coney Island tours, Quinn felt compelled to return to acting. At age 50, he premiered his one-man play "Feltman: World's First Hot Dog" at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe Festival to critical acclaim. The 70-minute show tells the story of Charles Feltman, a German immigrant who defined Coney Island's boardwalk before Nathan's Famous became dominant. Quinn's personal journey of grief, resilience, and artistic fulfillment intertwines with Brooklyn's immigration history. The production runs at 36th Street Theatre from March 18 through June 14.

Read at Brownstoner