Jeffrey Neuman
Playwright, Dramaturg
& Literary Events Coordinator
Upcoming Event ~ 7/11/17!
On Tuesday, July 11 at 7pm, please join me at the Walnut Room (3131 Walnut Street, Denver) for Rough Draught Playwrights' Summer Playground and ... BIRTHDAY PARTY!
RDP is officially 5 YEARS OLD this month and in that time we've showcased new and developing work from SIXTY DIFFERENT Colorado playwrights, with many of those works going on to win awards, festival participation, and full productions all over the world. So, please join us for an evening of new work, a featured performance by NEA award-winning playwright Idris Goodwin, socializing, festivities, and ... of course, birthday cake!
April & May 2017
Pen & Podium -- Julia Alvarez -- "Storytelling is the act of loving an uncreated thing into being." Every now and then we get the chance to hear a speaker whose words are as inspiring as they are beautiful. May 8 provided one of those chances for all of us at Pen & Podium. Julia Alvarez's message was so powerful, so generous and so inspiriting. "Stories fuel dreams," she said. "Stories fuel the movement toward freedom. Change is made by storytellers and, therefore, activism and storytelling are deeply connected. They are, in fact, one and the same."
As a playwright and storyteller, I was so grateful to Ms. Alvarez for reminding me of the power and importance of storytelling and that the movements that change the world start with small changes in the heart.
Rough Draught Playwrights -- On April 18, RDP hosted its Spring Open Mic Theatrical Playground. The event was, quite simply, spectacular and it was a pure joy to host. Seven intrepid playwrights shared pieces from their works-in-progress in front of a robust crowd at Denver's Walnut Room. It was not only an amazing testament to the quality of Front Range dramaturgy, but also a shining example of our community's generosity and support of new voices in playwriting.
As a playwright and storyteller, I was so grateful to Ms. Alvarez for reminding me of the power and importance of storytelling and that the movements that change the world start with small changes in the heart.
Rough Draught Playwrights -- On April 18, RDP hosted its Spring Open Mic Theatrical Playground. The event was, quite simply, spectacular and it was a pure joy to host. Seven intrepid playwrights shared pieces from their works-in-progress in front of a robust crowd at Denver's Walnut Room. It was not only an amazing testament to the quality of Front Range dramaturgy, but also a shining example of our community's generosity and support of new voices in playwriting.
March 2017
Pen & Podium -- Mary Karr -- How can you not fall in love with someone who describes reading as "socially sanctioned disassociation" and memoir-writing as the "act of knocking yourself out with your own fist?" Mary Karr was pure joy to host -- genuine, thoughtful, smart and laugh out loud hysterical. If you've read any of her beautiful and almost shockingly honest memoirs, she comes across in person exactly as she does on the page. If you haven't read any of her beautiful and almost shockingly honest memoirs ... what are you waiting for?
At Mary's spectacular event, we also announced next year's Pen & Podium series. I'm thrilled to announce that for 2017-18, we will be hosting,
Pen & Podium -- Mary Karr -- How can you not fall in love with someone who describes reading as "socially sanctioned disassociation" and memoir-writing as the "act of knocking yourself out with your own fist?" Mary Karr was pure joy to host -- genuine, thoughtful, smart and laugh out loud hysterical. If you've read any of her beautiful and almost shockingly honest memoirs, she comes across in person exactly as she does on the page. If you haven't read any of her beautiful and almost shockingly honest memoirs ... what are you waiting for?
At Mary's spectacular event, we also announced next year's Pen & Podium series. I'm thrilled to announce that for 2017-18, we will be hosting,
- Colson Whitehead
- Richard Russo
- Katherine Boo
- Maria Semple, and
- Tony Kushner
January & February 2017
Pen & Podium -- Anthony Doerr -- It's slightly ridiculous that I actually have a JOB where I get to hang out with some of the most high-profile authors in the world. I've had the amazing opportunity to rub shoulders and spend time with dozens of Pulitzer Prize-winning novelists, Academy Award-winning screenwriters and National Book Award Finalists and nominees. I can't say enough about Anthony Doerr, who I hosted on February 6. Tony was as generous and warm as he was funny and articulate. His Pen & Podium lecture managed to touch on everything from "literary liposuction" to videos of lemurs eating strawberries. But it was his message about "The Importance of Artistic Failure" that inspirited and resonated with everyone. Basically, he reminded us that there's only one failure in artistic pursuit and that is, quite simply, to NOT pursue it. If you are a writer, write. If you are a painter, paint. He urged us to not worry about legacy and success, but rather to say what is in our heart, to take action, to create and to play. That above all else: we should never forget to play. A truly wonderful and memorable evening and Tony received a well-deserved standing ovation.
Kindred Spirits -- Newtown, Connecticut -- In early February, it was announced that my short play Kindred Spirits was named as a Semi-Finalist for Stray Kats Theatre Company's Still Crazy (After All These Years) Play Festival, which produces new works for and about senior citizens. I'm really happy that my play is under consideration because I think it addresses an area that's focused on very peripherally -- sex and friendship (not particularly in that order) between aging gay men. Stray Cats received over 500 submissions, from which they will be selecting several plays for full production in New Haven, Connecticut for May 2017.
Dangling Participles -- Denver, Colorado -- My short play about grammar and sex had yet another showing, this time with the good folks at One Night Stand Theater. Though I wasn't able to be there in person to see the show, I heard that it went over incredibly well. Actor Chelsea Frye generously wrote to tell me, "Every time I see your work I am blown away by your wit, exquisite words and your ability to tell a story that is so grounded in truth." Incredibly high praise from an actor I truly respect and admire.
Kindred Spirits -- Newtown, Connecticut -- In early February, it was announced that my short play Kindred Spirits was named as a Semi-Finalist for Stray Kats Theatre Company's Still Crazy (After All These Years) Play Festival, which produces new works for and about senior citizens. I'm really happy that my play is under consideration because I think it addresses an area that's focused on very peripherally -- sex and friendship (not particularly in that order) between aging gay men. Stray Cats received over 500 submissions, from which they will be selecting several plays for full production in New Haven, Connecticut for May 2017.
Dangling Participles -- Denver, Colorado -- My short play about grammar and sex had yet another showing, this time with the good folks at One Night Stand Theater. Though I wasn't able to be there in person to see the show, I heard that it went over incredibly well. Actor Chelsea Frye generously wrote to tell me, "Every time I see your work I am blown away by your wit, exquisite words and your ability to tell a story that is so grounded in truth." Incredibly high praise from an actor I truly respect and admire.
December 2016
Proud to be Putting the "Co" in Colorado
~ TRue West Award ~
Remember how I was thrilled to announce AFTER ORLANDO's True West Award citation, published on December 3? Well, imagine my incredible surprise when, on December 21, my phone exploded with texts telling me to get online to see a True West award for my own contributions to the Colorado theater landscape!
I was beyond grateful and humbled to receive this award, which I got based on nominations from four strong, vital, amazing women who work and create art in Denver ~ Emma Messenger, Susan Lyles, Haley Johnson and Leslie C. Lewis. Emma, my dear friend (and one of my favorite actors), nominated me because she feels that I'm "an instigator of other people's talents." And, Leslie Lewis, one of my Rough Draught cohorts, very generously nominated me for "[doing] more than anyone to activate, elevate and bring cohesion to the Denver theatre community, all while creating some of our region's best new work himself." (For the full article and award citation, please click on the photo to the right.)
The reason this award means so much to me (above and beyond the kind and lovely words from those who nominated me) is because I decided that 2016 was going to be my year for community building, and I'm so happy that my efforts lead to partnerships, programs, productions and initiatives that embraced and modeled togetherness and collaboration. In the award citation, John Moore states that the word "co-founder" appears quite often on my resume. When I saw that statement I was filled with such pride, because being "co" (co-founder, co-creator, co-llaborator!) is what theater should be about and it is what I want my career as a playwright to stand for.
In 2017, I'm going to turn my attention back to writing and submitting. My goal, though, is to find a balance between writing and continued community building, so I hope you'll all stay with me on this ride, because we have a lot of art to create and we have audiences to build TOGETHER.
I was beyond grateful and humbled to receive this award, which I got based on nominations from four strong, vital, amazing women who work and create art in Denver ~ Emma Messenger, Susan Lyles, Haley Johnson and Leslie C. Lewis. Emma, my dear friend (and one of my favorite actors), nominated me because she feels that I'm "an instigator of other people's talents." And, Leslie Lewis, one of my Rough Draught cohorts, very generously nominated me for "[doing] more than anyone to activate, elevate and bring cohesion to the Denver theatre community, all while creating some of our region's best new work himself." (For the full article and award citation, please click on the photo to the right.)
The reason this award means so much to me (above and beyond the kind and lovely words from those who nominated me) is because I decided that 2016 was going to be my year for community building, and I'm so happy that my efforts lead to partnerships, programs, productions and initiatives that embraced and modeled togetherness and collaboration. In the award citation, John Moore states that the word "co-founder" appears quite often on my resume. When I saw that statement I was filled with such pride, because being "co" (co-founder, co-creator, co-llaborator!) is what theater should be about and it is what I want my career as a playwright to stand for.
In 2017, I'm going to turn my attention back to writing and submitting. My goal, though, is to find a balance between writing and continued community building, so I hope you'll all stay with me on this ride, because we have a lot of art to create and we have audiences to build TOGETHER.
Benchmark Theatre's After Orlando WINS a True West Award!
I'm so excited to announce that our curated theater action, which took place on November 14 & 15, has been recognized with a True West Award. The True West Awards, now in their 16th year, began as the Denver Post Ovation Awards in 2001. DCPA Senior Arts Journalist John Moore — along with additional voices from around the state — celebrate the entire local theatre community by recognizing 30 achievements from 2016 over 30 days, without categories or nominations. To read the entire award citation, please click on the image.
I'd also like to give a special thank you to Kate Folkins, who was, as always, an amazing collaborator and partner. For me, 2016 has been the Year of Kate. Last December Kate directed the world premiere of my play EXIT STRATEGIES at the Edge Theatre. It seems so fitting and meaningful that twelve months later we share this award, because during the pre-, mid- and post-production of EXIT we discovered that we share a passion for community-building; moreover, we both long for a new model of theatrical collaboration, one that TRULY embodies and embraces CO-laboration -- working together in a synergistic fashion to create something special, something meaningful, and something that is much greater than the sums of its parts. I'm a much better playwright, a much better theater practitioner and a much better human being because of the light, love, and inspiration that Kate has brought into my artistic (and personal) life.
I'm so excited to announce that our curated theater action, which took place on November 14 & 15, has been recognized with a True West Award. The True West Awards, now in their 16th year, began as the Denver Post Ovation Awards in 2001. DCPA Senior Arts Journalist John Moore — along with additional voices from around the state — celebrate the entire local theatre community by recognizing 30 achievements from 2016 over 30 days, without categories or nominations. To read the entire award citation, please click on the image.
I'd also like to give a special thank you to Kate Folkins, who was, as always, an amazing collaborator and partner. For me, 2016 has been the Year of Kate. Last December Kate directed the world premiere of my play EXIT STRATEGIES at the Edge Theatre. It seems so fitting and meaningful that twelve months later we share this award, because during the pre-, mid- and post-production of EXIT we discovered that we share a passion for community-building; moreover, we both long for a new model of theatrical collaboration, one that TRULY embodies and embraces CO-laboration -- working together in a synergistic fashion to create something special, something meaningful, and something that is much greater than the sums of its parts. I'm a much better playwright, a much better theater practitioner and a much better human being because of the light, love, and inspiration that Kate has brought into my artistic (and personal) life.
NOVEMBER 2016
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Pen & Podium -- Lauren Groff -- On November 14, I had the immense pleasure of hosting Lauren Groff (Monster of Templeton, Arcadia, Fates & Furies) for our second Pen & Podium lecture of the 16-17 season. In the wake of a very contentious presidential election, Lauren presented a powerful, thoughtful and timely lecture about the importance of artistic expression. When she simply stated that "art can keep you from despair," you could feel the ripple effect of her words with each of the 900+ people in attendance. Lauren was as funny and sweet as she was smart and eloquent. Quite frankly, it should be a little criminal how quickly we bonded, how much we giggled and how often we hugged.
After Orlando: A Benefit for the Human Rights Campaign -- Denver -- On November 14 &15, Benchmark Theatre, in association with Missing Bolts Productions Inc. and NoPassport Theatre Alliance and Press, presented AFTER ORLANDO, an evening of short plays in response to the shooting that occurred at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida earlier this year. The reading featured performances by ten of Colorado’s preeminent theater companies including Athena Project Festival, Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, Benchmark Theatre, Buntport Theater, Curious Theatre Company, Funky Little Theatre Company, Local Theatre Company, PHAMALY Theatre Company, and Vintage Theatre Productions with a special guest appearance by the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus. All proceeds from this unprecedented, collaborative, two-night effort benefitted the Human Rights Campaign and I was honored, humbled and delighted to have been a part of this event, not as a writer but rather as a producer and as curator of the scripts.
Dangling Participles -- San Diego, California -- My short play about grammar and sex had another showing, this time at the Fourteenth Annual North Park Playwright Festival. It's lovely to see continued accolades and productions of this play, which holds a very special place in my heart.
After Orlando: A Benefit for the Human Rights Campaign -- Denver -- On November 14 &15, Benchmark Theatre, in association with Missing Bolts Productions Inc. and NoPassport Theatre Alliance and Press, presented AFTER ORLANDO, an evening of short plays in response to the shooting that occurred at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida earlier this year. The reading featured performances by ten of Colorado’s preeminent theater companies including Athena Project Festival, Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, Benchmark Theatre, Buntport Theater, Curious Theatre Company, Funky Little Theatre Company, Local Theatre Company, PHAMALY Theatre Company, and Vintage Theatre Productions with a special guest appearance by the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus. All proceeds from this unprecedented, collaborative, two-night effort benefitted the Human Rights Campaign and I was honored, humbled and delighted to have been a part of this event, not as a writer but rather as a producer and as curator of the scripts.
Dangling Participles -- San Diego, California -- My short play about grammar and sex had another showing, this time at the Fourteenth Annual North Park Playwright Festival. It's lovely to see continued accolades and productions of this play, which holds a very special place in my heart.
September 2016
Pen & Podium -- John Irving -- People may not know this, but I have an almost debilitating case of stage fright and fear of public speaking. This may seem strange considering some of the decisions I've made in life: marketing, training & development, playwriting, event facilitation. On Monday, September 26, I was given the opportunity to do something that absolutely terrified me on several levels: I was not only asked to be onstage for 1 1/2 hours, but also to share that stage with one of my personal heroes and to interview him one-on-one. I said "yes" very reluctantly to this proposal at the beginning of the year and, quite frankly, I have been living in anticipation, anxiety and outright dread for the past couple of months as we got closer to the event proper. Now that the night has passed, all I can say is ... I am so happy I embraced something I feared rather than succumbing to it.
Meeting, hosting and interviewing John Irving will probably be one of the most memorable nights of my life. He was immensely entertaining, wildly intelligent and breathtakingly genuine. Warm, generous, jovial, kind, thoughtful, sweet and funny, he not only shared the stage with me as if we were peers, but also as if we'd been friends for many, many years. We talked about his career, the art of storytelling, the relationship between comedy and tragedy and, to my surprise, playwriting, which John told the audience was a a medium he could never work in, because "it's simply too hard. To tell a story solely through dialogue and action is, in my opinion, a difficult and almost insurmountable task."
After the event (which sped by much, much too quickly), he wrapped me in a big bear hug -- pun sort of intended, Irving lovers -- and said, "exceptional job, Jeffrey. What a wonderful night and what an absolute pleasure to meet you."
Meeting a personal hero can always be a dangerous and precarious crapshoot; finding out that a personal hero is deserving of your admiration and esteem, however, is a wonderful and fulfilling feeling that makes the risk all worthwhile.
Meeting, hosting and interviewing John Irving will probably be one of the most memorable nights of my life. He was immensely entertaining, wildly intelligent and breathtakingly genuine. Warm, generous, jovial, kind, thoughtful, sweet and funny, he not only shared the stage with me as if we were peers, but also as if we'd been friends for many, many years. We talked about his career, the art of storytelling, the relationship between comedy and tragedy and, to my surprise, playwriting, which John told the audience was a a medium he could never work in, because "it's simply too hard. To tell a story solely through dialogue and action is, in my opinion, a difficult and almost insurmountable task."
After the event (which sped by much, much too quickly), he wrapped me in a big bear hug -- pun sort of intended, Irving lovers -- and said, "exceptional job, Jeffrey. What a wonderful night and what an absolute pleasure to meet you."
Meeting a personal hero can always be a dangerous and precarious crapshoot; finding out that a personal hero is deserving of your admiration and esteem, however, is a wonderful and fulfilling feeling that makes the risk all worthwhile.
August 2016
Hello, Colorado friends!
If you’re free next Tuesday evening (8/23), I’d LOVE for you to meet me at the playground—the Rough Draught Open Mic Theatrical Playground, that is!
If you’ve never attended before, the Playground is an exciting and fun-filled way for playwrights to share works-in-progress with friends, family and the general theater-loving public. I’ve been co-hosting this quarterly event for the past four years, but this one is very special to me, because I’ll actually be sharing a scene from my newest play, What You Will. And, not only will I be sharing a scene from this developing work, I’ll also be PERFORMING in it with Andrew Uhlenhopp, who many of you will remember from his spectacular starring turn in my play Exit Strategies.
If you’re free next Tuesday evening (8/23), I’d LOVE for you to meet me at the playground—the Rough Draught Open Mic Theatrical Playground, that is!
If you’ve never attended before, the Playground is an exciting and fun-filled way for playwrights to share works-in-progress with friends, family and the general theater-loving public. I’ve been co-hosting this quarterly event for the past four years, but this one is very special to me, because I’ll actually be sharing a scene from my newest play, What You Will. And, not only will I be sharing a scene from this developing work, I’ll also be PERFORMING in it with Andrew Uhlenhopp, who many of you will remember from his spectacular starring turn in my play Exit Strategies.
- Where: The Walnut Room, 3131 Walnut Street, Denver www.thewalnutroom.com/walnut-street
- When: Tuesday, August 23, performances begin at 7pm
- Food: The Walnut Room is a full service restaurant and bar. Please come early and get a great meal and hand-crafted spirits! Make sure your server knows you're there for RDP!
- Parking: Free street parking in the neighborhood.
- Cover Charge: $5, cash only
Benchmark Theatre -- What do you say to two theater artists you greatly admire when they ask you to come on board as a founding member for a brand new theater company they are creating? You say ... HELL YES!
I am very, very excited to announce that I have just agreed to serve as Manager of Literary Development for Benchmark Theatre, a new, professional theater company in Denver dedicated to unique productions of uncompromising quality. I'm honored to be a company member of Benchmark and really excited about what our company can and will do for the Colorado theater landscape. Our inaugural season will launch in March 2017 with a title that will soon be announced. To find out more information about Benchmark as well as our Fever Dream Festival, a festival of new genre (sci-fi, horror and fantasy) plays, please visit http://www.benchmarktheatre.com.
The company of Benchmark Theatre (clockwise from top left),
Susannah McLeod, Marc Stith, Lauren Bahlman, Jeffrey Neuman, Rachel Bouchard, Kate Folkins, and Haley Johnson.
JULY 2016
Exit Strategies Nominated for Two Henry Awards!
I am OVER THE MOON with joy and gratitude that The Edge Theater Company's recent production of Exit Strategies has been nominated for two Henry Awards -- Outstanding New Play and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play. Established in 2006, the Henry Awards honor outstanding achievements during the past season and serves as the Colorado Theatre Guild's annual fundraising event. The awards are named for longtime local theatre producer Henry Lowenstein. Nominations are determined through a judging process conducted by more than 45 statewide theatre reporters, educators and assigned judges.
This year's nominees for Outstanding New Play or Musical, include:
The Colorado Theatre Guild's 11th Annual Henry Awards will take place Monday, July 18, 2016 at the PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue in Parker, Colorado. The evening begins at 6 p.m. with cocktails and the awards ceremony will begin at 7 p.m., followed by an after-party. Tickets are $23 for CTG members (limit 2 per person online with the code Henry2016), $30 non-members or $50 VIP. Tickets go on sale June 20 through the PACE Center website, parkerarts.org, or by calling the box office at 303-805-6800.
This year's nominees for Outstanding New Play or Musical, include:
- "Fade" by Tanya Saracho, Directed by Jerry Ruiz; Produced by DCPA Theatre Company
- "Exit Strategies" by Jeff Neuman, Directed by Kate Marie Folkins; Produced by The Edge Theater Company
- "The Nest" by Theresa Rebeck, Directed by Adrienne Campbell-Holt; Produced by DCPA Theatre Company
- "The Rembrandt Room" by Buntport Theater, Directed and Produced by Buntport Theater
- "Reunion '85" by Susan Draus, David Larsen, and Cody Jamison Strand, Directed by David Larsen, Musical Direction by Chris Sargent; Produced by Lone Tree Arts Center
- "Uncle Jed's Barbershop" by Kenneth Grimes and David Wohl, Directed by Susan Einhorn, Musical Direction by Michael Williams; Produced by DreaMaker Productions
- "Voddville" by Robert Dubac and Dave Shirley, Directed by Dave Shirley; Produced by Avenue Theater
The Colorado Theatre Guild's 11th Annual Henry Awards will take place Monday, July 18, 2016 at the PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue in Parker, Colorado. The evening begins at 6 p.m. with cocktails and the awards ceremony will begin at 7 p.m., followed by an after-party. Tickets are $23 for CTG members (limit 2 per person online with the code Henry2016), $30 non-members or $50 VIP. Tickets go on sale June 20 through the PACE Center website, parkerarts.org, or by calling the box office at 303-805-6800.
May 2016
On The Horns of a Dilemma -- Albuquerque, New Mexico -- Though I didn't make it to festival this go-around, I'm thrilled to announce that my short play On The Horns of a Dilemma has been selected as a finalist for FUSION Theater Company's esteemed national play festival, "The Seven." This year, FUSION had submissions from 40 different states and 9 countries. I'm really proud of the fact that this is the FOURTH time I've placed in this competitive festival, having made it to full production twice (Paradise Lost, 2013 and Dangling Participles, voted audience favorite, 2015).
Pen & Podium -- TC Boyle -- Hosting TC was kind of a dream come true for me. I've been a long-time reader and fan of Boyle's work, which has the amazing hallmark of melding gorgeous prose with an undercurrent of violence and unpredictability. TC did not disappoint! His lecture was thoughtful and thought-provoking, the reading he did for the crowd was absolutely riveting and he was a hell of a nice guy. My favorite quotation from the evening came when he spoke about craft. "Everyone tells you to write what you know," he stated. "Don't! Why would you?! Write about what you don't know and learn about it."
Pen & Podium -- TC Boyle -- Hosting TC was kind of a dream come true for me. I've been a long-time reader and fan of Boyle's work, which has the amazing hallmark of melding gorgeous prose with an undercurrent of violence and unpredictability. TC did not disappoint! His lecture was thoughtful and thought-provoking, the reading he did for the crowd was absolutely riveting and he was a hell of a nice guy. My favorite quotation from the evening came when he spoke about craft. "Everyone tells you to write what you know," he stated. "Don't! Why would you?! Write about what you don't know and learn about it."
Wish You Were Here -- Denver, Colorado -- My newest full-length play Wish You Were Here (former working title Last Resort [a title I may recycle because I like it so damned much]) had its first outing this month at a table read with some of my favorite Colorado actors. The play definitely needs a lot of work, but I was thrilled by the excitement in the room and its general first-round reception. The play is not a traditional full-length, but rather a series of interrelated stories that explores the ephemera of experience despite the constancy of setting. I've got my work cut out for me with this one, but I'm really excited to tackle that workload and, hopefully, have a full production of the play within the next year and a half.
April 2016
InSex -- Edinboro, Pennsylvania -- Claire and Brad are at it again! This time, my post-coital mantodea are making the rounds on college campuses, beginning with an April production in Laugh/Riot Performing Arts Company's Fourth Annual New Works Festival. Laugh/Riot has served as the resident theatre at Edinboro University of PA, and they are committed to providing alternative theatre productions that focus on the interaction between actor and audience. The festival takes place April 22 through May 1.
Rough Draught Playwrights -- Denver, Colorado -- Rough Draught Playwrights, the community organization I co-founded four years ago, will be hosting its Spring Theatrical Playground on Tuesday, April 12. The Playground is a wonderful, fun-filled way for playwrights to share works-in-progress in a supportive, relaxed environment. If you're in Denver next week, I urge you to put this event on your calendar. It's not only a fantastic way to support local dramaturgy, but if you're a Front Range theater practitioner, it is an amazing way to meet other members of your community!
Rough Draught Playwrights -- Denver, Colorado -- Rough Draught Playwrights, the community organization I co-founded four years ago, will be hosting its Spring Theatrical Playground on Tuesday, April 12. The Playground is a wonderful, fun-filled way for playwrights to share works-in-progress in a supportive, relaxed environment. If you're in Denver next week, I urge you to put this event on your calendar. It's not only a fantastic way to support local dramaturgy, but if you're a Front Range theater practitioner, it is an amazing way to meet other members of your community!
March 2016
BEST OF DENVER -- Westword Magazine -- I'm absolutely ecstatic that Westword, Denver's alt weekly, has highlighted two very personal items for me amongst their annual BEST OF DENVER issue.
My dear friend, EMMA MESSENGER, was awarded "Best Season for an Actress." Along with amazing turns in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and The Normal Heart, Emma was praised for her portrayal of the "strangely secretive and defensive mother" in my play Exit Strategies.
Additionally, DIRTYFISH Theater, the playwriting collective I helped to form, was acknowledged as "BEST MOVE BY LOCAL PLAYWRIGHTS" for our bold attempts to create a self-production culture in Denver. Click on the image to the right to see the BEST OF citation!
Dangling Participles -- Waxhaw, North Carolina -- Grammar continues to be my good luck charm as "Dangling Participles" wins placement in the Storefront Theatre 2016 Playwriting Competition, "We Like Short Shorts." The play, along with the other winners, was presented in concert style March 5 and 6. Many thanks to Storefront for the generous honor and for supporting new voices in playwriting.
Pen & Podium -- Bill Bryson -- Dad Puns, Being Grumpy at McDonalds, Prepping for Bear Attacks and Filling Out Inappropriate Answers on Questionnaires were just some of the things that Bill Bryson touched upon in his delightfully funny lecture March 8 at the most recent Pen & Podium lecture. Bill was a warm, sweet, lovely man and an absolute joy to host.
One of the highlights of the evening, though, was that we got to announce the 2016-17 line-up, which is a truly spectacular season, including Mary Karr, Anthony Doerr, Julia Alvarez and Lauren Groff. I have to admit that the event I'm beside myself with excitement about is the season kick-off. In September, I will be moderating an on-stage conversation with my favorite novelist of all time, John Irving!
February 2016
DIRTYFISH Theater -- Denver, Colorado -- About a year ago, I began to engage in a conversation with six other Front Range playwrights about the look and landscape of Colorado dramaturgy. All of us felt somewhat thwarted by the lack of production opportunities for Colorado playwrights and frustrated with the trend of endless staged readings that all too often fail to lead to full production. Rather than just sit and bemoan the situation, though, we decided we wanted to take a solutions-based approach to the situation, to explore the possibilities of self-production (a movement that really hasn't found its way to Denver as yet) and to build a network of support and resources for one another. The result: DIRTYFISH Theater.
“Please don’t look up the words “dirty fish” in the Urban Dictionary unless you want to be totally grossed out,” warns co-founding member William Missouri Downs. “So why did we take the name? Because in today’s theatre playwrights are too often nothing more than unwanted leftovers, the dirty fish of the theatre. Will this collective last? We don’t know. Will it succeed? We don’t care. Will every play be brilliant? No. But for one brief moment the bottom dwellers of the theatre will stage the plays they want to stage without getting permission from the usual chaperones of the theatre world.”
DIRTYFISH will proudly launch with a fully produced evening of new short works by the collective’s members. Called Wedding Cake Vodka, the event promises to be “an unusual evening of uninhibited, un-chaperoned, unlike-anything-you’ve-seen-before theatre.”
Wedding Cake Vodka, directed by Heidi Schmidt and featuring some of Denver’s most beloved actors, will run Thursday, March 3 at 7pm, Saturday, March 5 at 2pm and 8 pm, and Sunday, March 6 at 2pm and 7pm at The Three Leaches Theatre, 985 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, Colorado 80204.
For more information about DIRTYFISH Theater, DIRTYFISH’s mission or the upcoming production of Wedding Cake Vodka, please email dirtyfishtheater@gmail.com or visit www.dirtyfishtheater.com.
“Please don’t look up the words “dirty fish” in the Urban Dictionary unless you want to be totally grossed out,” warns co-founding member William Missouri Downs. “So why did we take the name? Because in today’s theatre playwrights are too often nothing more than unwanted leftovers, the dirty fish of the theatre. Will this collective last? We don’t know. Will it succeed? We don’t care. Will every play be brilliant? No. But for one brief moment the bottom dwellers of the theatre will stage the plays they want to stage without getting permission from the usual chaperones of the theatre world.”
DIRTYFISH will proudly launch with a fully produced evening of new short works by the collective’s members. Called Wedding Cake Vodka, the event promises to be “an unusual evening of uninhibited, un-chaperoned, unlike-anything-you’ve-seen-before theatre.”
Wedding Cake Vodka, directed by Heidi Schmidt and featuring some of Denver’s most beloved actors, will run Thursday, March 3 at 7pm, Saturday, March 5 at 2pm and 8 pm, and Sunday, March 6 at 2pm and 7pm at The Three Leaches Theatre, 985 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, Colorado 80204.
For more information about DIRTYFISH Theater, DIRTYFISH’s mission or the upcoming production of Wedding Cake Vodka, please email dirtyfishtheater@gmail.com or visit www.dirtyfishtheater.com.
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Pen & Podium -- Meg Wolitzer -- I had the great privilege of hosting Meg Wolitzer, one of my favorite authors, on Monday, February 8 at the first Pen & Podium lecture of 2016. It was a thrilling night and Meg was an absolute delight -- smart, thought-provoking and wildly funny. From the "bullion cube reading" she did of the first chapter of The Interestings to her frank and thoughtful conversation about craft, there were so many high points of the evening. I will say, though, the statement that stayed with me most was when Meg spoke about writing: "They always tell us that we should write what we know. I don't think that's the case, though. I think we should write what we obsess about."
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Colorado New Play Summit -- Denver, Colorado -- It's time, once again, for the Colorado new Play Summit, one of the country's premier showcases and celebrations of new plays. The Summit kicked off on Saturday, February 13 with a panel called "Regional New-Play Development." I was thrilled to be asked to sit on the panel, where we discussed, among other things, the state of local dramaturgy and the important relationship between directors and playwrights, especially as it relates to new play development. Hosted Matthew Lopez ('The Legend of Georgia McBride'), the panel was composed of Candy Brown (Broadway actor and Denver School of the Arts Theatre Faculty), Josh Hartwell (first-ever Colorado Regional Rep for the The Dramatists Guild of America), Dee Covington (Curious Theatre Company's Curious New Voices) and myself.
January 2016
Exit Strategies -- Denver, Colorado -- Still riding high from the amazing experience of The Edge Theater Company's production of Exit Strategies, which was superbly acted, beautifully designed and exquisitely directed. The play was warmly received by audiences, selling to sold out houses for many nights of the run. The play also resonated with Colorado critics, who described the play as "original, funny, often mesmerizing" (Westword), "funny, emotionally raw and tragic" (Denver Post) and "caustic, funny, meaningful" (North Denver Tribune).
