Join me in supporting New Work
The dictionary defines the word new as:
n(y)o͞o/
adjective; new: comparative adjective: newer; superlative adjective: newest
- not existing before; made, introduced, or discovered recently or now for the first time, as in “a new stage play.“
It takes guts to write a play in May 2014 and put it up in February 2015, less than a year later. It usually takes me two to five years to even write a play. Perhaps I am slow, but it is the gestation process that demands enormous time and concentration; the thinking/feeling, heart/head mix that we playwrights must discover and feel our way through before an actor or a director even reads it.
A few days ago I returned from Vancouver where my play The Goodnight Bird is receiving its Canadian premiere with Nicola Cavendish (Vancouver), Christopher Hunt (Calgary) and Graham Cuthbertson (Montreal). It took me nearly ten years (on and off) to work that play to its potential.
So I am pretty impressed by the upcoming student-run, student-written, student- acted and student-directed New Works Festival that opens tomorrow – Tuesday, February 3rd There are six new plays by six relatively new playwrights who have been working with me since September – that is less than six months.
Such a short time gives new meaning to the word NEW.
The plays have a little something for everyone – there is sex, death, dreams, artificial intelligence, love, card-playing, a baby, betrayal, suicide, more betrayal, some mind-f**king, a little silliness and even forgiveness.
The six young writers have been working like maniacs on their plays, along with six committed directors and many talented students who have chosen to act in these strange, wonderful new concoctions. The New Works 2015 playwrights, left to right in top feature photo are: Julian Stamer, Liam Salmon, Gianmarco Visconti, Jordan Sabo, Joshua Languedoc and Maggie Paul Frédette. Photo by Aidan Ware.
Come and join me in supporting the writing of new work at the New Works Festival 2015
Night A
February 3rd, 5th and 7th at 7:00 p.m, and February 8th at 1:00 p.m.
Timms Centre, Second Playing Space
Silence and the Machine
Written by Liam Salmon, Directed by Desiree DeChamplain-Leverenz
Grey Matters
Written by Gianmarco Visconti, Directed by Mitch Dexter
Killing Earl
Written by Joshua Languedoc, Directed by Eric Smith
Night B
February 4th, 6th and 8th at 7:00 p.m. and February 7th at 1:00 p.m.
Timms Centre, Second Playing Space
F***, Marry, Kill
Written by Julian Stamer, Directed by Brooklyn Ritchie
An Inside Sick
Written by Jordan Sabo, Directed by Nick Eaton
The Princess and the Sandman
Written by Maggie Paul, Directed by Brinnameade Smith
Tickets are $10 for students and seniors, and $15 for adults, available through Tix on the Square (tixonthesquare.ca). Tickets will also be available for purchase at the door, 30 minutes before each night at the door (cash only).