Old Pueblo Playwrights Presents Its 35th Annual New Play Festival: 10 Playwrights, 11 Plays, over 2 weekends in April!

 

From: cbsomer@gmail.com <cbsomer@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, April 1, 2024 4:02 AM
Subject: NEWS: Old Pueblo Playwrights Presents Its 35th Annual New Play Festival: 10 Playwrights, 11 Plays, over 2 weekends in April!

 

Old Pueblo Playwrights presents its 35th Annual New Play Festival this April. The annual celebration of original theatre features a bevy of local actors stage-reading 11 original works by 10 Tucson playwrights at St. Francis in the Foothills.

"OPP is committed to bringing literary theatre to life," says 2024 Festival Coordinator and OPP President John Vornholt. "This year we dedicate the Festival to the memory of Philip Levere. The well-loved and respected playwright took up acting, playwriting, and screenwriting after a notable culinary career.

"Like Hamlet, we think the play's the thing and perform each play just once, script in hand, on a bare-bones set. Provocative post-performance 'talk-backs' further enhance the workshop experience." The best-selling author, actor, playwright, director, producer, screenwriter, journalist, and co-founder of Active Imagination Theatre, directs Danish Pastry by Larry Gutman.

The 2024 Festival welcomes back OPP board member—and University of Arizona College of Medicine clinical associate professor—Mel Hector, MD. Hector pivots from his longstanding focus on geriatrics and end-of-life issues to teen angst and obesity with Anything that Doesn't Kill You.

Other returning playwrights include Sydney Flynn, Vince Flynn, Liisa Rose, Debra Vassallo, and past OPP presidents Gavin Kayner and Dave Sewell.

Actor/set designer/playwright Scott Berg makes his Festival debut with There but by the Grace directed by Joanne Anderson who also directs Ripples. Veteran actor and 2023 Festival Coordinator David "Zink" Zinke explores the impact of a 1976 hate crime on Tucson's gay community. Santa Cruz Shoestring Players' Regina Ford directs Liisa Rose's Exit Bag, which also explores the ripple effects of a death, in this case assisted suicide.

Special thanks to St. Francis in the Foothills and the Arizona Commission on the Arts.

 

Old Pueblo Playwrights New Play Festival—2024 Playwright Line-up
Bottom row from left to right: Sydney Flynn, Liisa Rose, Debra Vassallo, and Larry Gutman
Top row from left to right: Dave Sewell, Mel Hector and Gavin Kayner
Camera-shy or otherwise engaged: Scott Berg, Vince Flynn, and David Zinke (headshot available)

 

WHAT                                  2024 OPP NEW PLAY FESTIVAL (NPF)

WHERE                               St. Francis in the Foothills: 4625 E. River Road (NW corner of River Rd @ Swan) Tucson, Arizona

§ NO TIX NEEDED!           Open seating. Pay-what-you-can. Please arrive 15-20 min. before curtain.

§ Handicapped-accessible venue. Free off-street parking. Bottled water available.

SHOWTIMES                        LINE-UP

§ Thurs., April 4 @ 7 PM      DEBRA VASSALLO: Gathering the Flock—Bethany is frantic. Her dad is about to make decisions that could sever family bonds, ruin his evangelical empire, and send him to prison. Dennis O'Dell directs Chad Eggen (JEFF), Eric Everts (PAT/Offstage Interviewer), Audrey Gambach (BELINDA), Meagan Jones (BETHANY), Paul Hammack (PASTOR STEVE), and Cristian Holman (NOAH); Liisa Rose facilitates.

§ Fri., April 5 @ 7 PM           GAVIN KAYNER: The Unpronounceable Name of God—A script found in the trash permeates a custodian's thoughts to devastating effect. Kayner directs Samantha Callicutt (ROSEMARIE/ ELEANOR), Christopher King (FREDDY), Matt Milne (ALFONSO/EDWARD), and Stephanie Sikes (OLIVE); Halsy Taylor (STAGE DIRECTIONS/FACILITATOR).

§ Sat. April 6 @ 2 PM        VINCE FLYNN: The Crush of Sally Tarish—Sally used to love Bob but now she loves Mateo—or does she? Drew Kallen-Keck directs himself (BOB) and Kristen Kallen-Keck (SALLY). Liisa Rose facilitates.

§ SYDNEY FLYNN: Plan B—Don tries to get rid of his wife Rita. High jinks ensue. Joan O'Dwyer directs Brandon Joule (BUD), Drew Kallen-Keck (DON), Kristen Kallen-Keck (RITA), Kim Lowry (DUSTY), and Paul Hammack (OTIS). Liisa Rose facilitates.

§ GAVIN KAYNER: Two Persons Singular. A couple deals with the residue of their marriage. Mary Davis directs herself (WIFE) and Mike Sultzbach (HUSBAND). Facilitator TBA.

§ Sat. April 6 @ 7 PM           LARRY GUTMAN: Danish Pastry—From the Vietnam era to the heyday of Ronald Reagan, a young man tries to make a life for himself with his family and on-again, off-again girlfriend. John Vornholt directs David Gunther (ALLAN), Brandon Joule (JAMES), Sarah Martino (KAREN), Joe Smith (GILBERT), and Amber Weinstock (MIRIAM). Mel Hector facilitates.

§ Sun. April 7 @2 PM           MEL HECTOR: Anything that Doesn't Kill You—For teens, growing up is harder than it used to be—or has to be. Zach Wetzel directs Beth Acree (MONIKA TARENT), Seth Allen (MR. ROBERTS/911 DISPATCHER) Tim Foran (MR. DRACK), Adrianna Gonzales (MAKAYLA ALLEN). Jules Grantham (MS. ALLEN), Haylie House (ISABELLA JUAREZ), Patti House (SANDRA PRUITT), Jack McCall (CHARLES PRUITT), Kira McNeil (BRIANNA SIMS), Lexi Reeves (STEPHANIE JEWETT), Anabel Turnage (SYDNEY ABBOTT), Ellie Vought (RACHAEL SIMS), and Lee Vought (JIMMY SIMS). Facilitator TBA.

§ Fri. April 12 @7 PM           LIISA ROSE: Exit Bag—Family drama explores challenges faced by the "sandwich" generation, multi-generational household dynamics, and the ripple effects of assisted suicide. Regina Ford directs Gavin MacMurdo (GRIFFIN), Chad Eggen (DAN) John Dadante (LEO), Lauren Rose (MICHAELA), Joe Smith (DR. ANGELO), and Patti Zlaket (CARRIE); Dave Sewell (STAGE DIRECTIONS/FACILITATOR).

§  Sat. April 13 @ 2 PM         DAVE SEWELL: The Benevolency Provides—Daily existence under a brutal regime is more precarious for siblings Len and Arwen than their parents could have imagined. Alex Totillo directs Erin Amsler (LLEWELLYN "LEW" ARMENTA), Denise Blum (SANDRINE BELLAMY), Eric Everts (DIXON), David Gunther (ELENDIL "LEN" VANOVER), Sara Mirasola (ARWEN VANOVER), Eric Rau (RIGHT REVEREND CLOVIS BEANE), and Caroline Sanford (DEBORAH SMITH). Liisa Rose facilitates.

§ Sat. April 13 @ 7 PM         SCOTT BERG: There but by the Grace—It's not easy to care for a loved one with Alzheimer's while trying to repair a troubled relationship and reprioritize family. Joanne Anderson directs Eric Everts (MICHAEL), Meagan Jones (MELINDA), and Pat Timm (FRANCIS); Barb Tobiasson (STAGE MANAGER). Dave Sewell facilitates.

§ Sun. April 14 @ 2 PM        DAVID ZINKE: Ripples—Loosely based on a 1976 hate crime, this sadly, still timely drama explores its impact on Tucson's gay community. Music by Pat Bracken. Joanne Anderson directs Scott Berg (JAKE JOHNSON/IONA JOHNSON), Eric Everts (RICHARD WATSON/RICHARD JOHNSON), Tim Foran (WILLY COX/BUBBA, BILLY BROWN/BRAD/TOMMY THOMPSON), Audrey Gambach (MIKEY SALINAS/JANET), Lanette Kallal (GLADYS WATSON), Dan Reichel (ZACH PRETZEL/STEVE MURRAY/JACKIE FURNHAM), Liisa Rose (MONA BROWN/SARAH PRETZEL), Ina Shivack (JIMMY DAWSON), Michael Singervalt (SOFONDA COX/ JUAN COX/WAITER), Jeffrey Webster (JARED ROWE/MAYOR ROWE/BILL WOODS/ DOORMAN), Amber Weinstock (RACHEL WATSON), and Mia Zuniga (SHEALITA RODD/ KAREN/HANK ANDREWS); Pat Timm (Staging/narration); Barb Tobiasson (STAGE MANAGER). Mel Hector facilitates.

FYI                                        Old Pueblo Playwrights, a 501C3 nonprofit, has been inspiring professional veteran and aspiring writers to create new works for stage, film, radio, or TV, for 35 years. Join us Monday nights as we table-read and critique original member works. Follow us on Facebook at oldpuebloplaywrights. Donate at theoldpuebloplaywrights@venmo.com to support original theatre in Tucson.

§ CONTACT        OPP/President/2024 Festival Coordinator John Vornholt: 520-548-3484 or johnvorn@aol.com

§ OPP/CBS Communications/Carol Somer: 858-204-7424 or cbsomer@gmail.com

 

 

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