Joe and his artwork: Joe Maffia, in front of his personal "tag" on a graffiti tag art wall, at 118 THE LANE pizza parlor, London, July 2025.
On the morning of Friday, August 15, 2025 New Dramatists board member Joseph A. (Joe) Maffia passed away, suddenly and unexpectedly. In the six short years that he served on our board, Joe became an anchor for the organization and a dear, treasured friend. All of us at New Dramatists extend our deepest condolences to Joe's wife, MJ; his daughters Jessie and Michelle; his sister and brother Roma and Maurice; his grandson Liam; and to the entirety of Joe's expansive circle of family and friends.
Joe's family describes him this way:
"Joey was complex, surprising, and rich with contradictions - ebullient on the one hand, shy on the other; charming as well as serious; a devout Catholic known for his irreverent sense of humor; admired for his easy going manner but also for his gravity. He was a street corner kid as a young boy, a renowned graffiti artist, a charming rascal, city wise and New York quick, and he carried the street with him all his life even as he forged a distinguished career as an entrepreneur, business leader, neighborhood activist, political candidate and gifted teacher."
We quickly recognized Joe's distinctive presence, leadership, and sense of humor, and in short order he became an essential member of our Board of Directors. Joe was a crucial part of our COVID response team, he chaired both the audit and finance committees, he was a key member of our real estate team (and of the real estate options analysis working group last summer and fall), and for the last year, he served with distinction as our Treasurer.
He has "shown up" many times as a stalwart supporter of New Dramatists and our writers' work, participating in all manner of events, meetups, and meals, both formal and informal. He hosted Luncheon tables, celebrated writers' shows in person, and joined alumni-hosted building conversation sessions. In the New Dramatists spirit, he was a "unicorn," a significant expert in his field of accounting and auditing, and simultaneously, he was a lifelong visual artist in his own right. Joe held a deep appreciation of artistic work and the artists who create them. Joe made an extraordinary and lasting contribution to our community of writers, and he will be deeply missed.
Please visit this link to read the family's memorial to Joe, and to share your memories.
