First, I owe Michael Quinn an apology. I saw his wonderful one-man show, Feltman: World’s First Hot Dog, months ago, and I regret that I wasn’t able to publish this review sooner. The delay certainly doesn’t reflect how much I enjoyed it—or how strongly the production has stayed with me.
Who knew the history of the hot dog could be so interesting?
Before Nathan’s Famous became inseparable from the story of Coney Island, there was Charles Feltman, the German immigrant credited with placing a sausage inside a bun and creating the world’s first hot dog in 1867. Feltman transformed that simple idea into an enormous Coney Island destination. Michael Quinn brings this largely forgotten chapter of New York history vividly back to life.
Written and performed by Quinn and directed by Peter Michael Marino, Feltman: World’s First Hot Dog is far more than a theatrical history lesson. It is a funny, moving and deeply personal examination of immigration, entrepreneurship, loss, survival and reinvention.
Quinn performs every character in the show, using little more than a beach chair, an umbrella and his considerable storytelling ability. His performance makes the audience feel as though it has stepped away from modern Manhattan and onto the bustling sands of 19th-century Coney Island. The production is perfect for an evening at the theater because it is entertaining, informative and intimate. It genuinely feels like taking a trip back in time.
What gives the show its emotional power is the parallel Quinn creates between Charles Feltman’s journey and his own. Quinn didn’t merely research the Feltman story; he helped revive the legendary Feltman’s brand more than a century later. He understands firsthand the excitement, risk and heartbreak involved in building something from almost nothing.
The show also represents Quinn’s own extraordinary return to acting. After losing his younger brother in the September 11 attacks, he stepped away from performing for 25 years. His decision to return to the stage gives the play another layer of meaning. While Quinn is preserving Feltman’s legacy, he is also reclaiming an important part of himself.
His affection for Coney Island and New York can be felt throughout the performance. This is a distinctly New York story, but its themes are universal. It asks what it takes to persevere after disappointment, begin again after loss and keep believing in an idea when success is anything but guaranteed.
Quinn delivers the history with humor and enthusiasm, but he never loses sight of the humanity beneath it. You may enter expecting a lighthearted story about one of America’s favorite foods, but you leave having experienced something much richer.
Yes, the show will probably make you hungry for a hot dog. More importantly, it will leave you thinking about the immigrants, innovators and determined dreamers whose stories helped build New York.
Feltman: World’s First Hot Dog is an engaging, heartfelt and thoroughly original evening of theater. Michael Quinn turns culinary history into compelling drama—and proves that even the most familiar American traditions may contain remarkable stories waiting to be rediscovered.
Learn more, watch the trailer and check for upcoming performances through the official Feltman: World’s First Hot Dogwebsite. The previous New York engagement and ticket information are independently documented by Theatre Development Fund. The official site currently lists future Florida engagements as coming soon, so new tickets have not yet been released.