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The Annual Ohio University Playwrights Festival News and Information

If Condition by Aaron CarterThe annual Ohio University Seabury Quinn, Jr. Playwright's Festival held each year at the end of the Spring Quarter (usually the last two weeks of May), represents the culmination of the work of the playwrights in the program.  During the festival, first year students present their work in the form of rehearsed sit-down readings. The work of second and third year students is presented in the form of rehearsed reading, script-in-hand workshop productions, or full Studio productions. Playwrights receive audience feedback in addition to individual professional response and mentoring.

Many festival plays go on to receive professional productions in New York, Chicago and around the country. Renowned theater professionals are invited to the University to respond to the work of OU playwrights. These distinguished guests conduct seminars, workshops, and respond to the work of OU playwrights. Recent guests have included nationally acclaimed playwrights Lee Blessing, Rick Cleveland, Eric Coble, Rebecca Gilman, Julie Jensen, Jon Klein, Sherry Kramer, Quincy Long, Julie McKee and Susan Yankowitz, in addition to Chuck Smith (Artistic Associate, Goodman Theatre in Chicago), Janet Allen (Artistic Director, Indiana Repertory), Mead Hunter (Literary Director, Portland Center Stage, in Portland Oregon), Sandy Shinner (Associate Artistic Director, Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago), Ed Herendeen (Contemporary American Theatre Festival) and Dennis Zacek (Artistic Director of the Tony-award winning Victory Gardens Theater). For more information on the nationally known professionals and guest artists in residence during past festivals, please view full guest artist bios here.

The 2009 Ohio University Seabury Quinn, Jr., Playwrights Festival
May 20-23, 2009

MFA Playwriting Students 2008

Third-year MFA Studio Productions: Dana Lynn Formby's Small of Her Back and Reginald Edmund's Southbridge will run in rep May 13-16, and 20-23, 2009 at 8:00 pm in the Forum Theater, RTV Building. Tickets are available at the Kantner Hall box office. Small of Her Back is directed by MFA director Bryce Britton and Southbridge is directed by MFA director Vanessa Mercado Taylor.

Festival Schedule:
The Festival's staged readings of OU MFA plays are free and open to the public; MFA Playwriting Fest Poster 2009each performance can be seen in either the Hahne Theater in Kantner Hall or the Forum Theater at the RTV Building. (Note: The studio productions of Small of Her Back and Southbridge do require tickets and can be seen nightly in rep from May 13-16 and 20-23.)

Wednesday the 20th at 1:00 pm in the Forum Theater is Bad Press by Jason Hall; at 4:00 pm in the Forum Theater is Glassheart by Reina Hardy; at 8:00 pm in the Hahne Theater is A Piece of Light by Kara Dunn.

Thursday the 21st at 1:00 pm is Tiene Duende (It Has Soul) by Cecilia Copeland; at 4:00 pm in the Hahne Theater is Swagger Like This by Garret Schneider; at 8:00 pm in the Hahne Theater is Metropolis Has No Superman by G. William Zorn.

Friday the 22nd at 2:00 pm in the Forum Theater there will be a Tribute to Seabury Quinn, Jr -- A Collection of Seabury's Work and Remembrances; at 4:00 pm in the Hahne Theater is Carapace by David Robinson; at 8 pm in the Forum Theater is Reginald Edumund's thesis play, Southbridge. (Note: tickets are required for Southbridge; please visit the box office in Kantner Hall.)

Saturday the 23rd at 4:00 pm in the Hahne Theater is The Atheist's Guide to Sex by Ryan Dowler; at 8:00 pm in the Forum is the studio performance of Dana Lynn Formby's Small of Her Back. (Note: tickets are required for Small of Her Back; please visit the box office in Kantner Hall.)

NOTE: The performances and readings of MFA plays during festival week are each followed by a discussion with leading playwrights, artistic directors, and other nationally known professionals; audience members are encouraged to stay and particpate in this forum. See below for the list of nationally known guest artists in residence to respond to the MFA plays.

Guest Artists in Residence: Playwright Lydia Dymond; playwright John Walch; playwright and TV writer Jacquelyn Reingold; and playwright Larry Carr. Guests bios can be found here.


The 2008 Ohio University Seabury Quinn, Jr., Playwrights Festival
May 21-24, 2008

MFA Playwriting Students 2008

Third-year MFA Thesis Plays, (Studio Productions): Nick Sgouros' Annika Gold and Dana Formby's Inherit the Whole will run in rep May 21-24, and 28-31, 2008 at 8:00 pm in the Hahne Theater, Kantner Hall. Tickets are available at the Kantner Hall box office. Annika Gold is directed by faculty member David Haugen and Inherit the Whole is directed by faculty member Brian Evans.

Staged Reading Schedule:
2008 Festival PosterThe Festival's staged readings of OU MFA plays are free and open to the public; each performance can be seen in the Forum Theater at the RTV Building. The reading series schedule is: Wednesday the 21st at 1:00 pm (MFA play by David Robinson), 4:00 pm (MFA play by Joseph Gallo), 8:00 pm (MFA play by G. William Zorn); Thursday the 22nd at 1:00 pm (MFA play by Garret Scheider), 4:00 pm (The "Sugar Play" Commissions) and 8:00 pm (MFA play by Reginald Edmund); Friday the 23rd at 8 pm is Dana Formby's thesis play, Inherit the Whole; Saturday the 24th at 1:00 pm (MFA play by Ryan Dowler), 3:00 pm (MFA play by Kara Dunn), and an 8:00 pm performance of Nick Sgouros' thesis play, Annika Gold. The readings of the MFA full length plays are each followed by a discussion with leading playwrights, artistic directors, and other nationally known professionals -- audience members are encouraged to stay and enjoy this forum. See below for the list of nationally known guest artists in residence to respond to the MFA plays.

Guest Artists in Residence: Playwright Darrah Cloud; Sandy Shinner, Associate Artistic Director of the Tony Award-winning Victory Gardens Theater; playwright Brain Dykstra (who will also perform his one man show during the festival); and actor and writer, David Toney. Guests bios can be found here.

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The 2007 Ohio University Seabury Quinn, Jr., Playwrights Festival
May 24-26, 2007

Third-year MFA Thesis Play, (Studio Production): Merri Biechler's Real Girls Can't Win!  (May 16-19, and 23-26, 2007 at 8:00 pm in the Hahne Theater, Kantner Hall.) Directed by Shelley Delaney, Head, MFA Acting Program. Tickets available at the Kantner Hall box office.

Staged Reading Schedule:
The Festival's staged readings of OU MFA plays are free and open to the public; each performance can be Laura Jacqmin (left) and Merri Biechler: '07 MFA alumsseen in the Forum Theater at the RTV Building. The reading series schedule is: Thursday the 24th at noon (Dana Formby's Loaded Gavel), 3:00 pm (G. William Zorn's Trinity) and 8:00 pm (Nicholas Sgouros's School by the Sea); Friday the 25th at 3:00 pm (Laura Jacqmin's The Revisionists) and 8pm (Joseph Gallo's 2 Man Kidnapping Rule); Saturday the 26th at noon (Kara Dunn's Red Lane) and 3:00 pm (Reginald Edmund's Juneteenth Street).

Guest Artists in Residence: Deborah Brevoort (playwright), Julie Jensen (playwright) and Dennis Zacek (Artistic Director, Tony Award-winning Victory Gardens Theater). Guests bios here.

Photo: Laura Jacqmin (left)  and Merri Biechler

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The 2006 Ohio University Seabury Quinn, Jr., Playwrights Festival
May 25-27, 2006

Laura Jacqmin's "Happyslap"The 2006 festival was a great success.  Thanks to all who made it possible, including the amazing actors in the BFA and MFA programs and our indefatigueable colleagues, the Professors of Acting and Directing, Shelley and Dennis Delaney.

Guest Artists in Residence:  
Eric Coble (playwright), Ed Herendeen (Artistic Director,  CATF), Jacquelyn Reingold (playwright). Guests bios here.

Third-year MFA Play, (studio production): Christopher De Paola's Streets Come Knocking. Directed by Melissa Hill Grande, OU MFA directing candidate.  

Staged Readings: Staged readings of new MFA plays by Mark Witteveen, Merri Biechler, Laura Jacqmin, Joseph Gallo, Beth Sager and Nick Sgouros.

Photo: Laura Jacqmin's staged reading of "Happyslap".


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The 2005 Ohio University Seabury Quinn, Jr., Playwrights Festival
May 19-28, 2005

Artists in Residence:  Lee Blessing (playwright), Sherry Kramer (playwright), Peter Filichia (critic). Guests bios can be found here.

Third-year MFA Plays, (studio productions in repertory):  Aaron Carter's If Condition and Melissa Gawlowski's On the Line.

Second-year MFA Plays, (staged readings):  Watchdog by Christopher DePaola and Belly of the Whale by Mark Witteveen.

First-year MFA Plays, (readings):  What Ever Happened to Baby Abby?
by Merri Biechler, Bled White by Laura Jacqmin, Lives of the Saints by Jean Seitter Cummins, and On the Shoulders of Giants by Traci Meister. 

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For information on plays or playwrights produced in the annual festival from 1994-2004, please contact the OU MFA program assistant at ohioplaywriting@gmail.com.

Note: For specific MFA playwriting program information on scholarships, admission, curriculum, degree requirements, or how to apply, visit the Ohio University School of Theater web site by clicking here
. For the MFA news blog, the latest on guest artists in residence, MFA faculty news, current MFA student playwright bios, MFA playwriting festival scheduling and updates, and MFA playwriting alumni news please navigate using the links along the top of this page.
 
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