ROYAL OAK –
The craft of playwrighting comes alive on Stagecrafters 2nd Stage as the local community theater presents the Fourth Annual New Works Play Festival from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. June 20 and 12-5 p.m. June 21. Attendees will have the opportunity to be the first viewers of 15 short, original plays by playwrights from across the country during the festival. The plays being produced were gathered by a call for scripts in March 2008.
This year's festival is being co-produced by Stagecrafters' members Kathleen Lietz (of Royal Oak) and Justine Dearth (of Berkley). Lietz, a playwright herself, felt strongly about continuing this annual event. "I think it's important to cultivate new works and give playwrights a chance to see their works on stage. Writing can be such an isolating act, so it's beneficial for playwrights to hear their words spoken by actors and get feedback from audiences," said Lietz in a statement.
For the fourth year in a row, Diane Sievers of Royal Oak is putting on her directorial hat. Sievers is directing both "Fate, Inc." by Ann Forsaith of Royal Oak, and "The Shrine" by D. Lee Miller of New York. Although Sievers is a well-seasoned director, she finds the New Works Play Festival to be an intriguing and welcome challenge. "With an unpublished script, I like the challenge of no preconceived notions of what should be done or can be done. I also like to invite the actors in the plays for input so this becomes a group effort," said Sievers in a statement.
The Baldwin Theatre's 2nd Stage provides the perfect setting for the festival. A black-box theater located in the balcony of the Baldwin, the 2nd Stage typically presents contemporary/off-Broadway productions. With only 100 seats, the audience members are in close proximity to the stage, which creates a more intimate atmosphere for smaller productions.
After the final performance on June 21, a talkback with the directors and actors is scheduled from 5 to 6 p.m. The talkback will allow audience members to ask questions or make comments about the plays or directorial interpretations.
There is a small admission fee. Attendees can choose to see one hour for $5, the whole day for $10 or both days for $15. Seats are on a first come, first served basis. Parking is available in the public structure across the street from the theatre as well as on-street parking.
New Works Play Festival
7 p.m.-12 a.m. June 20
12-5 p.m. June 21
Baldwin Theatre, Royal Oak
http://www.stagecrafters.org
248-541-6430
