ASHLAND, ORE.: Ashland New Plays Festival presents new works by Thomas Brandon, Meghan Brown, Andrew Lee Creech, and Tylie Shider. The event runs Oct. 20-24, with in-person performances followed by talkbacks with playwrights, as well as artist workshops and several virtual offerings.
“This is the first year I have had the opportunity and responsibility of selecting the four winning plays,” said ANPF artistic director Jackie Apodaca in a statement. “The finalist pool, chosen through a vigorous process completed by our 70 devoted readers over 10 months, included 12 truly compelling plays. Our four winning playwrights stood out for their unique, original stories told through engaging characters. I am truly grateful that we are able to bring these powerful new-works to our community.”
Ashland New Plays Festival will present readings of new-works by winning playwrights Thomas Brandon, Meghan Brown, Andrew Lee Creech, and Tylie Shider at its annual event running October 20–24. The Festival features in-person evening and matinee performances followed by audience talkbacks with the playwrights. There will also be a playwriting workshop taught by the winning playwrights and opportunities for audiences to attend the festival virtually.
“This is the first year I have had the opportunity and responsibility of selecting the four winning plays,” says ANPF artistic director Jackie Apodaca in a statement. “The finalist pool, chosen through a vigorous process completed by our 70 devoted readers over 10 months, included 12 truly compelling plays. Our four winning playwrights stood out for their unique, original stories told through engaging characters. I am truly grateful that we are able to bring these powerful new works to our community.”
Thomas Brandon’s Pocket Universe explores true love, hope, and heartbreak; Megan Brown’s What Happened While Hero Was Dead picks up where Much Ado About Nothing ends, with Shakespeare’s Hero discovering the benefits of being deceased; Andrew Lee Creech’s Last Drive to Dodge examines race, love, and legacy during the end of the cowboy era; and Tylie Shider’s Certain Aspects of Conflict in the Negro Family centers on a disintegrated Plainfield, N.J., family migrating to the South during the racially tense summer of 1967.
The winning playwrights receive a $1,500 stipend and a weeklong workshop with professional directors and actors, a collaborative process helping the playwrights refine and develop their scripts. After a year of virtual programming, ANPF aims to bring audiences and artists back together. “At this time, we are moving ahead with our plans for the fall festival to be live,” said ANPF board president Peggy Moore in a statement. The location and format will be announced later.
Ticket sales for ANPF 2021 open to the public in September. ANPF members receive advance access and discounts on tickets. Visit www.ashlandnewplays.org to learn more.
