Friday, October 31, 2008

Looking for someone to write an occasional theater related column, blog or review

Riveting Riffs Magazine is looking for an individual (s) who would be willing to contribute the occasional column, review or blog to our magazine, http://www.rivetingriffs.com/ We are not paying for this but we are offering a barter system that has worked quite well for our writers who are employed in the music industry. This works best for actors, playwrights or directors who are looking to increase their visibility, in this case in the theater communities. We offer in return a head shot at the top of the piece, your name on the written piece, a three to four line bio at the bottom of the piece and a link or links to your websites. At the bottom of this posting I will provide links where you can view some of our guest bloggers and columnists' past contributions. Riveting Riffs Magazine is primarily a multi-genre music magazine whose interviews and reviews are regularly included within the press kits and press releases for Grammy Award winners and nominees, as well as emerging talent. We also publish theater and film content. We enjoy full press privileges with Warner Bros. Pictures and some smaller but critically acclaimed studios. Our film reviews regularly appear on IMDB's website. We have found that by cross pollinating fans of theater, film and music, we have broadened our audience substantially. Our reader demographics are: 87% American, 5% European, 2% Australian, 2% Canadian and 4% other countries. These are links to some of the contributed blogs, columns and music reviews that we have published. If you scroll to the bottom of each, you will find the bios etc.
We will require you to submit an example of your writing.

It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues at Crossroads 11/6-16 (New Brunswick)


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To order tickets, click here.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Scene Study Classes with The Spirited Actor's Tracey Moore (NYC)

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There is still time to join between today and next Wednesday.
Thanks,
Chat
Chautaqua Collins
Chief Operations Officer
The Spirited Actor, Inc

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Baraka & Bullins with Fletcher Opens Tonight thru November 9th (NYC)

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Click here to buy tickets online.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Crossroads Theatre Company Benefit Saturday, November 1st (New Brunswick)

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Click here to buy tickets.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Wrapped The Musical


Winner of the National Music Theater Network's 2008 Director's Choice Award, Wrapped The Musical is a brand new hip-hop musical that just premiered in the New York Musical Festival's Developmental Series.

Click here to check out the New York Musical Festival's page for a short synopsis and to listen to some songs from Wrapped The Musical.

MRS. STREETER Saturday, November 1st (NYC)

MRS. STREETER: a reading
Saturday, November 1
7:30 pm
Pearl Studios
500 8th Avenue
Room 401

The African American Playwrights Exchange invites you to join us on Saturday, November 1st for the NYC reading of MRS. STREETER, a startling, award-winning new family drama dealing with African American, feminist and gay themes by Washinton, D C playwright Merrill D. Jones. Come meet the playwright and join director Ward Nixon, stage manager Tobi Kanter and a stellar cast featuring Kimberly Munroe, Fulton Hodges, Lawrence Floyd, Dee Spencer, Michael Munroe, Robyne Cone, Valarie Tekosky and Terrence Epps, as they remind us that "You're not here to make up for every bad thing that happened to your mother." Hosted by AAPEX dramaturg Jaz Dorsey. Seating is limited and reservations are required. Please RSVP ASAP to mjones67@verizon.net

Friday, October 17, 2008

AAPEX Writer Norwood's BILLIE'S BLUES to Raise Funds for Barak 10/18 (NYC)

Dear People,
Please come ready for an exciting night of live performances, great wine and good people. The silent auction will start as soon as the event begins. We are looking forward to seeing you, and supporting Barack Obama in his quest for the President of the United Sates, while promoting Hershell Norwoods' play, Billie's Blues.
Smile & laugh often,
Bankolé
Press Release
York, NY, October 1, 2008 -- On October 18th, 2008, Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation and Nkiru watches will host a silent auction fundraiser of its prestigious timepieces in the Danny Simmons' Corridor Gallery to benefit playwright Hershell Norwoods' play Billie's Blues. The benefit, entitled "Time on Our Hands," is named after a Billie Holiday song, and will raise funds for the new play "Billie's Blues," written by playwright Hershell Norwood. The play tells the story of the legendary artist's interpersonal struggles and shows the viewer a place filled with frustration and fear, mixed with musical elements that foster possibilities and joy. Her art became her life, and this play will give the audience a true sense of her experiences. "Billie's Blues" is produced by Mugendai Entertainment, a production company based in New York City, and directed by co-founder Bankolé.The event hosted by "Billie's Blues'" producer Jackie Jeffries and director Bankolé, on October 18th will be from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Danny Simmons' Corridor Gallery located at 334 Grand St, Brooklyn NY. Billie Holiday songs will be performed by Celiné Justice, who stars as Billie Holiday in the play. Danny Simmons, himself a bigsupporter of Bankolé, and an owner of an Nkiru timepiece, invites the public to participate in the festivities and good spirits of the night. A percentage of the proceeds will go to the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation (http://www.rushphilanthropic.org/) and to The Barak Obama campaign.

Contact: Nina Ziefvert
The Corridor Gallery
718.230.5002

Stephanie Williams(To RSVP)
stephanie@mugendaifilms.com
1-347-564-2359

AAPEX Writer Owa's JAIL Opens 10/21 at Workshop Theater Comp (NYC)

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Dr. Howard Owa Jackson
in partnership with
Diva on Parade Productions
at
Workshop Theater Company
presents
Jail
A series of 5 short plays about long term detention
written by
Owa

Jail is not your ordinary cops and robbers crime story. Jail is a collection of
five short plays, all fictional but inspired by current events. It explores the minds of
men and women over the edge and in crisis. They collide head-on with fractured
faith, self -consuming sex, perverse politics and yes, real honest-to-goodness
love.

Directed by
Patricia R. Floyd, Passion, Scottie Davis, Domingo Martin, and Jeff Glaser

Featuring:
Cecily Benjamin, Bryan Webster, Nedra McClyde, Tom Martin,
Scott Williams, Bill Growney, ..Georgia Southern, Penn
Lucy McMichael, Marcel Torres, and Isaac Schinazi

Stage managed by
Zidana Bell

October 21, 22 and 23 at 3pm
At
The Workshop Theater
312 W. 36th Street between 8th and 9th Avenue
Reservations strongly suggested, as seating is limited.
212-714-4768

Essential Theater Presents a "Celebration of Women" starting October 25th (DC)

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Thursday, October 16, 2008

AAPEX Writer Owa gets read at WE ARE THE PEOPLE (NYC)

Roy Arias Studios & Theaters
present:
We ARE the People Reading Series 2008
at the
Roy Arias Studios & Theaters
300 West 43rd Street – 5th Floor
New York, NY 10036
(between 8th & 9th Avenues).

The event is FREE and OPEN to the PUBLIC
(although DONATIONS are kindly ACCEPTED)

Producer Roy Arias Studios & Theaters along with Artistic Director, Herb Donaldson (Palaver Tree Theater), present work from local and national artists that speak to the current political, social, and global issues that surround the upcoming Presidential Election. Guest WRITERS include: Dominic Taylor, Evan Guilford-Blake, J.D. Hanagan, Owa, Stephen Baily, Rosebud Ben-Oni, Michael Niederman, Jamal Williams, Paul Cohen, France Luc Benson, Ann G. Bauer, David Beckett, Lew Riley, Joe Thristino, Cindy Pierre, J.B. Pravda, and Jesse Tendler. Guest DIRECTORS include: James R. Jaworski, Antoinette Broderick, Kim Weston-Moran, Patricia Floyd, Passion, Matt Morrow, others TBA.

SCHEDULE:
Fridays / Oct. 24, 31 - 6pm
Saturdays / Oct. 25, Nov. 1 - 2pm
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24TH – 6pm
THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS By Owa
CONTACT
Herb Donaldson
212-957-8358
bleerby@hotmail.com
herb@royariasstudios.com

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Stagefright: A Literary Cabaret at The Players Club Halloween Night (NYC)

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The Southern Writers' Theater and The African American Playwrights Exchange invite you to join us at 7pm on Friday, October 31 in the library of The Player's Club, 16 Gramercy Park South, NYC for
STAGEFRIGHT,
a special pre-Halloween party event which fuses two poems by Edgar Alan Poe with one tale of (political) horror by AAPEX playwright Fernando Manon.
Poe may not have written much for the stage, but theater was definitely in his blood. Both of his parents were actors. That being the case, why didn't he write more plays?
Maybe he had... STAGEFRIGHT?
Was it the untimely death of his talented mother which left him orphaned at the age of three? Was it the horrible Richmond theater fire which consumed the lives and bodies of everyone in the theater that night? Do these tragedies resonate in his work (e.g. The Fall of the House of Usher; The Bells)? But even if he didn't write scripts, Poe's work has provided an endless source of material for actors. Where would Vincent Price be without him? Are his poems poems - or are they MONOLOGUES? And has his work not served as a profound source of inspiration for writers of stage, radio, television and film who have encountered his work since his death in 1849.
Join us, if you dare, for a brief sojourn with Poe himself (Jared Reinmuth) in the library of the renowned Player's Club. Let our hostess, Liliane Klein, turn you on to that monster THE CONQUERER WORM (is he talking about the theater?), and experience one of the most horrible horrors of all time as the Devil (Staxx Cordero) and a "really bad dude" (Lawrence Floyd) debate just what it takes for a man to have to go to h**l in Fernando Manon's classic political satire YOU'RE GETTING ME HOT.
And then THE RAVEN flies.
Seating is limited. Please RSVP ASAP to aapextv@gmail.com.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Aurin Squire's "Friendly Fire" at Blackboard Reading Series Monday, October 13th

The Blackboard Reading Series asked for a political play and got one: Aurin Squire's "Friendly Fire."

AURIN SQUIRE is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter from Opa Locka, Florida. His plays have been produced over 30 times in the last few years and won numerous awards in Florida, New York, and Illinois. He graduated with honors from Northwestern University and completed his MFA at the Actors Studio Drama School. In the past he's worked as a radio journalist, magazine editor and crime reporter for publications like Chicago Tribune and Miami Herald. His cartoon series, BodegaAve.com, is based around the Brooklyn neighborhood where he currently lives. Bodega Ave. has been featured on LATV, Catalina, Ambiente, and the New York Daily News.

Synopsis:
Disgruntled and dismissed, an embittered veteran group of intelligence and defense workers begin playing a hypothetical game of revenge that quickly spins out of control. "Friendly Fire" is a dark comedy that takes aim at this nation's biggest threat in the 21st century: ourselves.

There will be a twenty minute talk-back following the reading.
~Donations Greatly Appreciated~

http://www.blackboardplays.com/
http://www.thecelltheatre.org/
The Blackboard Reading Series is a new reading series devoted to Black Playwrights, finding its home at thecell, in New York City. The series runs the 2nd Monday of every month at 7:30pm. Please visit our website and join our group on Facebook!

Directions to thecell:
Take the C, E to 23rd street and head west to 338 W. 23rd (b/t 8th and 9th Avenues)
See you Monday!-- BlackBoard Reading Series
2nd Mondays
the cell theatre
338 W. 23rd (23rd b/t 8th and 9th Ave.)

Check out Travel Bound magazine's story on African American theatre!


Travel Bound magazine, "The Official Magazine of the African American Travel Conference," has a terrific feature story on African American theatre in its September/October 2008 issue. Written by Herb Sparrow, you can read it here.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Doorway Arts Ensemble Theater seeks submissions

DOORWAY ARTS ENSEMBLE THEATER COMPANY (D.C.)
Material: Full Length Plays
Deadline: Open

Doorway Arts Ensemble Theater Company (DAE) is seeking submissions of new plays for future productions. We are looking to produce one full-length play and several staged readings of plays in various venues throughout the Washington, DC metro area each year. DAE will also consider submission of plays for fringe festivals in Washington, DC and New York. Submissions considered must be new plays or a creative, contemporary interpretation of a well-known play (any genre). We welcome all types of small scale productions including plays which incorporate dance, and music. Material that is in development and has been produced as part of a staged reading workshop or in any public venue with reviews will be accepted.

Plays with small casts ( 4 or less) will be considered for full productions. Plays with larger cast sizes will be considered for staged readings or full production as budget permits. All work will continue to receive further development prior to public performance. Playwrights must be able to commit to hard deadlines. All workshop readings and rehearsals will be held in Washington, DC and writers must be present for readings as needed. Playwrights outside of the Washington, DC area will need to provide own housing.

Each submission must contain:
*One script with numbered pages and cover page
*Contact information (links to personal web sites are not acceptable)
*Playwright’s bio including any awards
*Short play synopsis: not to exceed one paragraph
*A list of characters
*Play reviews
*History of play production
*Submissions maybe done electronically as a MS word attachment to info@DoorwayArts.org, or mailed on standard CD in MS word format along with a SASP to acknowledge receipt of your
materials. Entries that are incomplete or do not conform to the requested format will not receive consideration.

Please visit our website here for more information.
Source: The Loop

Lark Playwriting Contest (Deadline: 11/15/09)

LARK PLAY DEVELOPMENT CENTER:
PLAYWRIGHTS’ WEEK 2009 (NYC)
Date: 11-15-09
Material: Plays

The Lark is committed to providing access to all writers, regardless of age, ethnicity, experience, or whether they have agent representation. The Open Access Program ensures that the Lark’s programming reflects both global and U.S. ethnic diversity. The Lark distributes a call for submissions to the industry-at-large, seeking new plays and new voices, and the work is then carefully reviewed by a volunteer committee of readers, the Literary Wing, and the highest-ranking work is showcased in an annual Playwrights’ Week Festival. A submission to this annual festival is the ONLY way that the Lark is able to support unsolicited play submissions.

* Given that one of the primary goals of our open access program is to increase the number of writers we serve, alumni who have previously presented in a Barebones, Playwrights’ Workshop, Studio Retreat, Playwrights’ Week, or Public Reading are not eligible to submit.

Please download application here and mail completed submission materials to:

Lark Play Development Center
c/o Literary Wing Submission
939 Eighth Avenue, Suite 301
New York, NY 10019

Please note that all applications should be typed. Incomplete submission materials will be discarded!

SUBMISSION CHECKLIST:
One full length play. One completed application form.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
*No more than ONE FULL-LENGTH play per playwright will be considered.
*List only the play title on the cover page-no personal information.
*Please do not submit unbound scripts or permanent spiral binding.
*We prefer scripts bound in clear plastic covers.
*Double-sided pages are appreciated if possible.
*Do not attach application materials to script.
*Each submitting playwright should expect a final response by summer 2009.
*Please, no calls to the office.

If you have any questions or would like more information please email: submissions@larktheatre.org.

WHAT KIND OF PLAYS ARE WE SEEKING?
*Works that are ambitious, fresh, playful, engaging, energizing, provocative, powerful and theatrical.
*Works that reveal unheard and vital perspectives.
*Authors with clear goals about their writing who are open to the Lark’s developmental process.
Source: The Loop