The Players Centre News www.theplayers.org
838 North Tamiami Trail • Sarasota, FL 34236 • 941.365.2494 Fax: 941.954.0282
June 15, 2016
THE PLAYERS CENTRE PRODUCES ITS 15th NEW PLAY FESTIVAL
Sarasota, June 15, 2016 – From June 27-July 1, this is where it all begins for five local playwrights! Coordinator Sandra Musicante and Artistic Director Jeffery Kin are proud to announce this year’s plays and playwrights: Match Game by Cece Dwyer, Harry’s Angel by Art Keyser, Larger Than Life by Llywelyn Jones, Mammoth Bones by Connie Schindewolf and Stay at Home Dad by Ron Pantello.
For 15 years, The Players has served as a place for fledgling and seasoned playwrights to hear their work, see it acted out and receive vital feedback from an audience. This week-long event will showcase newly written works that have not yet been produced anywhere. Five plays have been chosen by a panel of judges from a multitude of submissions to compete over five days to be produced in the Players Black Box Studio next summer. Each play will be presented in “readers theatre” (rehearsed readings) format to best showcase the literature. After each reading a brief talkback session led by Artistic Director Jeffery Kin will offer some incite to the playwright as to what worked and what didn’t.
“This year, we received about half as many entries (only about 20), but the quality by far beat out the quantity,” says Jeffery Kin, Artistic Director of The Players. “We have five great plays that will do nothing but thrive with the attention this process and festival will provide.”
Catch last year’s winner, Why Can’t I Be You by Llywelyn Jones, Aug. 23 to 27 at 7:30 p.m. and Aug. 28, 2016 at 2 p.m. In the 2015 New Play Reading Festival winner, a rock star wakes up after a night of partying to find his worst nightmare: his stalker in his bedroom. The devoted fan has only one question for his idol, “Why can’t I be you?”
Tickets are $10 for a single play, but patrons are encouraged to witness the process and attend several nights to give these fledgling plays a proper audience to bounce around energies and reactions. Three nights is $24 and all five nights is $35.
2016 Finalists
Monday June 27th- “Stay At Home Dad” – Ron Pantello;
Directed by: Sara Logan
An intriguing story about a stay-at-home playwright Dad struggling to keep his marriage intact as his hyper-successful wife’s career soars.
Tuesday June 28th – “Anatomically Speaking”- Llywelyn Jones
Directed by: Jeff Dillon
While on the operating table, a man has the opportunity to speak with his organs. The play deals with life and death while tackling the challenges we all face to completely love ourselves.
Wednesday June 29th – “Mammoth Bones” – Connie Schindewolf
Directed by: Debbie McCloud
Robert, who is suffering from anxiety and depression, starts hearing the sounds of ancient mammoths after unearthing a strange bone in his back yard.
Thursday June 30th –“Match Game”- Cece Dwyer
Directed by: Pam Wiley
Family gamesmanship comes into play during an absurdly comical weekend at Martha’s Vineyard, as an engaged millennial couple finds out that their respective unattached Boomer parents have the upper hand when it comes to romance.
Friday July 1st– “Harry’s Angel”- Art Keyser
Directed by: Louise Stinespring
An elderly Italian brother and sister meet every morning for coffee in a Jewish deli in the Lower East Side of New York. Add the lady who owns the deli, an Irish bookie, and quirky woman to the recipe and you have delicious comedic dessert.
Tickets:
$10 Single Play
$24 Three Plays
$30 All Five Plays
The Players Theatre
838 N. Tamiami Tr., Sarasota FL 34236, 941-365-2494
www.theplayers.org. Box Office: Mon-Sat, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., and one hour prior to curtain time.
The Players Box Office is located on Tamiami Trail between 10th Street and Blvd. of the Arts.
