PLAYFEST!

 

As the Director of New Play Development for Orlando Shakespeare Theater,  I produced  PlayFest, our new play festival, sponsored by Harriett’s Charitable Trust. 

 

Producing PlayFest included selecting six plays from over 400 submissions, creating a group of readers to critique and assess the 120 full scripts we solicited, contracting the playwrights, identifying a Keynote Speaker (and adding their newest play to the roster), choosing and hiring directors, casting all seven plays from a mostly local pool, adding some out-of-town guest artists, and scheduling rehearsals which would all culminate in the PlayFest weekend.

 

The weekend included seven readings, a playwright’s panel,  a sponsors' dinner with the playwrights, a master class with our Keynote Speaker and a post-mortem discussion for the playwrights.  I introduced each play and split post-show discussion responsibilities with, Jim Helsinger, OST's Artistic Director.  

 

Here is a list of plays and playwrights from PlayFests past:

 

2014

 

Special Guest - Nan Barnett, National New Play Network Executive Director

 

ALL THAT IS SEEN AND UNSEEN by Rob Keefe

                                                                           Directed by Eleanor Holdridge

 

ANNIE JUMP AND THE LIBRARY OF HEAVEN by Reina Hardy

                                                                           Directed by Michael Marinaccio

 

BLACKBERRY WINTER by Steve Yockey  

                                                                           Directed by Ryan Rilette

(Currently in a 7 production 

National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere)

 

DANCING LESSONS by Mark St. Germain - Keynote Speaker

                                                                           Directed by Jim Helsinger

(Orlando Shakes will produce January, 2016)

 

GLOUCESTER BLUE by Irael Horovitz

                                                                           Directed by Mark Routhier

 

MOSES, THE AUTHOR by Andrew R. Heinze

                                                                           Directed by Jason Loewith

 

THERE BE DRAGONS by Alashea Harris

                                                                           Directed by Belinda Boyd