Some nice local coverage of the MFA playwriting program: OU Playwrights’ Work Lives Outside the Classroom.
http://www.thepostathens.com/culture/article_20112344-3399-11e4-9170-0017a43b2370.html
Category: Productions
Ohio Playwriting Profiled in The Post
Mark Chrisler’s THE ART OF PAINTING is “Recommended” by the Chicago Reader
Mark Chrisler, Ohio MFA Alum, opened his play, THE ART OF PAINTING, in Chicago this past weekend with his theater company, Found Objects Theatre. It’s running with another one-act, Chris Bower’s Notes to Molly, and the evening is billed as “Painting Molly.”
The Chicago Reader gave THE ART OF PAINTING it’s “Recommended” stamp of approval. “Playing the instructor, Chrisler builds a sense of unreliability and mystery, and the twists that follow are a refreshing reminder of the vivid worlds a one-man show can create onstage.”
The play runs through August 31st; Friday and Saturday at 8pm, and Sundays at 7pm.
Ohio MFA Playwrights Open One-Act Plays in Chicago
Three current MFA Playwrights and one recent alumnus are opening 10-4: THE TRUCK STOP PLAYS at CIC Theater in Chicago on Friday, August 8th. The plays run through August 30th.
Ryan Patrick Dolan ’16 enlisted three other playwrights Neal Adelman ’15, Tyler Whidden ’16, and recent grad, Anthony Ellison ’14, to write one-acts to take place at a truck stop. The result is four dark comedies with strong, funny female characters.
The directors are four women from the Chicago theater scene: Karisa Bruin, Jeri Frederickson, Ashley Neal, and Mary O’Connor. Each director cast the plays with Chicago actors.
Recent Ohio University student, Cat Abood (pictured above in red), appears in Anthony Ellison’s play. Ellison coached Abood in Ohio University’s improv group, Black Sheep.
More information appears on the play’s website: truckstopplays.wordpress.com or CIC’s website.
Reading of Ryan Patrick Dolan’s MORAINE at Chicago’s Greenhouse Theater
Ryan Patrick Dolan ’16 is having a reading of MORAINE as part of the Trellis Reading Series at the Greenhouse Theater in Chicago on Tuesday, July 22nd at 7pm.
Dolan wrote “Moraine” during his first year in the Ohio MFA Playwriting program, and had a reading at the 2014 Seabury Festival at Ohio University in the spring.
MORAINE synopsis: Fighting time and the most brutal Chicago winter in recent memory, Mark attempts to keep his ad-hoc collection of friends from disintegrating in the face of illness, ambition, and betrayal. Moraine is a play about family, brand awareness, and ice cream that’s so goddamn good it’ll make you cry.
The reading features two recent Ohio BFA alumni, Becky Markert and Emily Page Auwaerter. Becky is reprising her role as “Mackenzie.” Emily played the “Nurse” in an earlier classroom reading, and is reading stage directions.
The play is being directed by Mary Rose O’Connor. The cast includes Rebecca Sohn, a longtime improv and acting veteran in Chicago, who taught Ryan improv at Annoyance Theater, and Natalie West, who recently performed to rave reviews in Marisa Wegryzn’s “Mud Blue Sky” at A Red Orchid Theater .
The cast is:
Jeff Duhigg
Delia Baseman
Josh Bywater
Terry Francois
Rebecca Sohn
Becky Markert
Emily Paige Auwaerter
Natalie West
Reading of Bianca Sams’ RUST ON BONE in NYC July 15th
Bianca Sams ’14 will have a reading of her thesis play, RUST ON BONE, JULY 15TH IN New York at the Manhattan Theatre Club. It will be directed by the Goodman Theater’s Chuck Smith, and feature OU alumnus Marissa Wolf, and current OU MFA actor, Thomas Daniels.
Synopsis: Trapped by a stranger in her office, psychologist Dr. Devra Mendoza must use her training to maneuver her way through a game of cat and mouse with life and death consequences. Rust on Bone looks at the personal cost of war, societal stigmas of therapy, and the ripple effects of trauma and mental illness.
You can RSVP by emailing BIANCASAMS (at) BIANCASAMS (dot)COM.
Details:
MANHATTAN THEATRE CLUB
STUDIO SPACE #3
311 W. 43 R D STREET
JULY 15, 2014 @ 7:30PM
MFA Directing Alum Seeks Short Play Submissions: QUICKLY!
OHIO MFA Directing alum, Lee Kinney is seeking short plays by July 4th:
“Piper Theater Productions, a not for profit theater company in Park Slope, is now accepting submissions for their new summer reading series. This series will take place weekly in July at the Old Stone House Park in Brooklyn.
We are looking for short plays (one acts or 10 minute plays) with a musical component that lend themselves to being performed outdoors. Priority will be given to scripts that present a unique relationship both to music and musical performance, as well as nature and the outdoors.
Publicity, performers and a beautiful outdoor performance space will be provided. Sorry, no stipend. Interested? Please submit your piece and a short statement detailing your background and reasons for applying to pipersummershorts@gmail.com by July 4th.”
Alum Dana Lynn Formby Reading at Steppenwolf Theater’s “First Look”
Dana Lynn Formby‘s play, AMERICAN BEAUTY SHOP, will have a reading at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theater’s 9th Annual First Look of New Work, Friday, August 8 at 2:30pm. It’s being directed by Marti Lyons.
Formby is a OU MFA Alumnus currently living in Chicago and a founding member of Mortar Theater.
The synopsis of AMERICAN BEAUTY SHOP from Steppenwolf’s site: It’s hard to pull yourself up by your bootstraps in this economy—Sue should know. It’s harder when you’ve got kids, even whip-smart, talented ones like Judy. Sue has big dreams for both her basement beauty shop and her daughter, who’s anxiously waiting for a letter from Berkeley that could change her life. Armed with tough love, combative humor and an uncompromising work ethic, Sue is struggling to balance her own livelihood and Judy’s future. A heartfelt play about the true cost of dreams.
Steppenwolf’s “mission of First Look Repertory of New Work is to develop plays for future production at Steppenwolf and other theaters across the country. First Look provides a home for three playwrights each season to develop new plays, and presents developmental productions in rotating repertory, accompanied by readings and special events.”
Bianca Sams’ “Rust On Bone” 1 of 4 Plays Chosen for a New Works Festival.
Bianca Sams’ play “Rust on Bone” was one of four plays chosen for the Gulfshore Playhouse’s 2nd Annual New Works Festival in Naples, Florida. Sams, OU MFA ’14, will work with actors and director for a week before a staged reading of her play the weekend of the festival, Sept 4-7, 2014.
Alum Jason Half’s New Play Addresses Appalachian Issues
A public staged reading of SUNDIAL, a new play by MFA alum Jason Half about coal mining and the communities affected by it, will be presented on Friday, June 6, 8:00 p.m and Saturday, June 7 at 8:00 p.m. at Mid-Ohio Valley Players in Marietta, Ohio.
In SUNDIAL, a West Virginia elementary schoolteacher pushes to change the policies of the coal company that are affecting her town. But her position is complicated, as neighbors, friends, and even her family work for – and benefit from – the coal business. Inspired by the events of Marsh Fork Elementary and the mountaintop removal process occurring beside it, the new play explores the relationship and responsibilities between corporation and community.
While an MFA candidate at Ohio University, writer Jason Half received the coveted Trisolini Fellowship to begin research for a play that would explore the subject of coal mining and its effects on Appalachian communities. The MOVP reading will be the play’s first public presentation. “I don’t want this play to take sides,” said Half. “Instead, I hope Sundial makes the audience ask questions about the best way a town can work with a business that has both benefits and risks.” The honesty and quiet passion of the West Virginia characters came alive for Half as they confronted challenges to family, work, and land in the play, he said.
Jason Half is a Marietta-based writer who has taught scriptwriting at Marietta College and through the Colony Theater and the Ohio Arts Council. Recently, his work has received public presentations in Chicago and Pittsburgh. He is the recipient of the 2010 Scott McPherson playwriting award. This is Half’s first full-length script set in the Mid-Ohio Valley. The reading will be performed by veteran actors from the Marietta community. Amanda Anderson, Andy Felt, Mollie Jarrell, Beth Lane, Dyrk Lang, Andrew Pomerleau, and Dawn Weidner perform a variety of roles as parents, miners, teachers, officials, protestors, and supporters in the play.
“I’m excited to bring this story to an audience affected by these issues,” Half said. “It’s a story that will speak to everyone in this area who sees it.”
Public staged reading of SUNDIAL by Jason Hall
Mid-Ohio Valley Players, 229 Putnam St., Marietta, Ohio
8:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 6th and 7th
Jeremy Sony’s “Pathogenesis” streamed live Sunday on HowlRoundTVs Livestream Channel.
This Sunday night, May 11, a reading of OU Alum Jeremy Sony’s new play ‘Pathogenesis’ will be streamed live on the internet thanks to HowlRoundTV’s Livestream channel, http://www.livestream.com/newplay/ (visit the link and look for Upcoming Events).
Sunday, May 11
5pm PDT / 7pm CDT / 8pm EDT
Pathogenesis by Jeremy Sony.
Synopsis: A global pandemic, a dangerous cure, and a father / daughter relationship set to explode at the end of the world.
Synopsis: A global pandemic, a dangerous cure, and a father / daughter relationship set to explode at the end of the world.
This reading is part of the Ingram New Works Lab at Tennessee Repertory Theatre in Nashville, where Sony has been developing his new play during the 2013-2014 season.
Participate in a talkback with Sony immediately following the performance on Twitter. Direct your questions to @tnrep and use #newplay
See more at: http://howlround.com/livestreaming-the-ingram-new-works-festival-at-tennessee-repertory-theatre-sun-may-11-wed-may-14
You can also read more about ‘Pathogenesis’ on Sony’s website at http://www.jeremysony.com/plays.html
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