Recent alum Merri Biechler’s “Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver” received a workshop reading at the Alliance Theater as part of its award for the Kendeda Playwriting Competition. The play, about a woman dealing with the death of both her parents from cancer, has earned more than $30,000 in grants from the Ohio University School of Osteopathic Medicine as well as from the American Cancer Society and other charitable foundations.
Category: News
Recent Alum’s Third Year Play at Alliance Theater in Atlanta:
3rd Year’s MFA Play in NYC:
Third year MFA playwright Joseph Gallo’s play “Warning: Adult Content” will be produced by Shetler Studios TDG in association with the Bridge Theatre Company at THEATRE 54, 244 W. 54th Street (between B’way & 8th Ave.) from February 19th through March 9th. For more information visit the Theatermania web site: http://www.theatermania.com/content/show.cfm/show/140878
Two OU MFAs Win at Kennedy Center ACTF III in Milwaukee:
Recent alum Laura Jacqmin and Bill Zorn, 2nd year MFA, finished in the top two slots taking first and second place at the ACTF Region III festival in Milwaukee. Both plays are now in consideration for the Kennedy Center ACTF National 10-Minute Play Award and could be invited for showcasing at the national festival in Washington DC this coming April.
2nd Year Play in NYC:
2nd year playwright Dana Lynn Formby’s Armed with Peanut Butter was selected to be part of The Turnip Theatre Company’s 14th annual short play festival in association with the American Globe Theatre of New York City. The Performance Date is April 19th.
Three OU MFAs Finalists at Kennedy Center ACTF III in Milwaukee:
Bill Zorn and Reggie Edmund, both 2nd year MFAs, and recent alum Laura Jacqmin have each finished in the top six 10-minute plays for the Kennedy Center’s American College Theater Festival, to be held in Milwaukee next week. All three will be on hand in Milwaukee to workshop and present their plays. OU has a very strong track record with ACTF awards — this is the second time in three years that three out of six finalists are OU students. (Note: though faculty member Erik Ramsey is affiliated with ACTF, the plays are judged by outside auditors.) The top six 10-minute plays are selected out of numerous submissions from Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana.
Three OU MFAs Commissioned by OU School of Nursing:
Nick Sgouros, G. William. Zorn, and Dana Formby were each commissioned for $1000 by Ohio University’s School of Nursing to write one act plays about living with type II diabetes in Appalachia. The scripts will be part of a program for Appalachian communities to raise awareness about the complications of type II diabetes.
Three Recent OU Playwriting Alums at Tony Award-winning Victory Gardens:
In a press release dated Tuesday, Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago has announced that Aaron Carter (MFA 2005), Laura Jacqmin (MFA 2007) and Merri Biechler (MFA 2007) will all be an integral part of that theater’s future through commissions and professional workshops with an eye toward producing them in coming seasons. From the press release: “Aaron Carter and Laura Jacqmin are each receiving commissions to develop new plays for consideration by Victory Gardens. Additionally, playwright Merri Biechler will see her new play Real Girls Can’t Win! — a comedy with an all-female cast examining technology, body image and popularity at an unnamed college — receive a professional workshop at Victory Gardens this December, culminating in a staged reading that will be free and open to the public. These commissions and workshop are part of Victory Gardens’ New Audiences for New Plays initiative, funded by a Wallace Foundation Excellence Award.” You can also read more about it at the Chicago Tribune web site — click here.) For more information on Merri Biechler, Aaron Carter or Laura Jacqmin, visit the alumni page of this web site.
Recent MFA Alum a Finalist for Clubbed Thumb’s $15,000 Commission:
OU MFA Playwriting alum Merri Biechler (MFA 2007) is one of six finalists for Clubbed Thumb theater’s prestigious playwriting commission. Clubbed Thumb commissions, develops, and produces funny, strange, and provocative new plays. Since its founding in 1996, the company has earned three Obies and presented plays in every form of development, including over 60 full productions. http://www.clubbedthumb.org/
2006 MFA Playwright Alum Mark Witteveen Featured In Short Play Festival:
Quoting from a prominent write-up in the Nantucket Independent: “Beginning Thursday, October 25, Nantucket Theatrical Production will present the series “Lessons Learned,” three one-act plays from the 2007 Nationwide Short Play Festival and Competition. The plays being performed this year are “Leddy’s Chair” written by Don Cook of Charlotte, N.C., “Drivers Test” written by Mark Witteveen [OU MFA ’06] of Rochester, N.Y., and “Afterwards” written by John Zygmunt of Lake Elmo, Minn.” To read the whole article click here.
MFA Alum’s Next Episode of Law and Order: CI
2004 MFA Alum Jackie Reingold wrote the upcoming episode of Law and Order Criminal Intent, directed by Constantine Makris, with actors Eric Bogosian, Amanda Detmer, Lola Glaudini, Alex Moggridge, Chris Noth, Josh Pais, Thomas Sadoski, and Alicia Witt. See it Thursday, October 25th at 10:00 PM on USA.
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