Greetings NYCPlaywrights
*** FREE THEATER IN NYC ***
Uncomfortable Comfortable Spaces
A spoken collection of prose and plays
Written by Cesi Davidson
Directed by Mary Hodges
Featuring Sandra Mills Scott & Gha'il Rhodes Benjamin
February 20, 2016
3-4 PM
George Bruce Library
518 West 125th St.
New York, New York 10027
Free Admission
*** PRIMARY STAGES - SHORT FORMS ***
Is Your Short Play Portfolio Submission-Ready? Join KARA LEE CORTHRON (Writer, Julius By Design at Fulcrum Theater, "Kings" on NBC) for SHORT FORMS at Primary Stages Einhorn School of Performing Arts (ESPA) and build a solid portfolio of submission-ready short plays. Short plays require an ability to convey character, effective dialogue, and action without extensive exposition, and in this 10-week class, you'll learn how not to waste a single word. From this class, you'll take away the skills to craft surprising pieces of theater, regardless of length, that reflect something deeper about the world at large. Payment plans available. Register at:
http://primarystages.org/espa/writing/short-forms
*** PLAYWRIGHTS OPPORTUNITIES ***
New American Voices - We intend to do a one week production run of 6 to 8 selected short plays in a London West End theatre in late autumn. The 2016 theme will be Twenty Twenty. Therefore we are accepting submissions of short plays (maximum 20 minutes) on any topic that would reflect our theme. That could mean the year 2020, perfect vision or anything else that comes to mind.
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The World Sinophone Drama Competition for Young Playwrights project seeks to encourage production of new dramatic works that reflect upon global Chinese culture from a variety of perspectives and enrich our understanding of Sinophone cultures, circulations, histories, and communities. To this end, we invite young playwrights (aged 18-35) to submit new scripts composed in either English or Chinese for the inaugural round of this international drama competition. For English-language submissions, we welcome works of self-reflection from members of Sinophone communities, as well as those that explore encounters among the Sinophone and other cultural contexts; for Chinese-language submissions, there are no specific requirements for content.
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Theatre503’s Playwriting Award is an unprecedented opportunity for playwrights at all levels to be recognised for writing an outstanding, original piece of work for the stage. It will build upon the foundation of the venue’s reputation for engaging with the next generation of playwrights, whilst broadening its opportunities to include more experienced, produced writers.
To be considered for the 503Five you should have no full-length professional production credits.This is defined as a run of 3 weeks or more in an established venue for which you have received coverage from the national press.
*** That’swhatshesaid ***
Erin Pike stands onstage and apologizes for over a minute. At various moments a disembodied male voice describes her as mousy, elegant, attractive, a mess, and Pike struggles to embody each of them in quick succession. She runs up and down the stairs wearing heels. She stands in the spotlight and takes off most of her clothes. She immediately puts them back on. She takes them off again. An invisible hand pushes her to the floor. She picks herself up. She's pushed to the floor again.
These are a handful of actions Pike performs in That'swhatshesaid, a dramatic collage written by Courtney Meaker and directed by HATLO. To construct this piece, Meaker compiled lines from only the female characters in American Theater's list of the 11 most-produced plays of the 2014—2015 season. Only two of these plays were written by women. According to Meaker's script, these plays contain 74 total roles, 34 of which were written for women. Of those 34 roles, 28 were written by men.
More…
***
About 15 minutes ago, Samuel French, the publisher of Joshua Harmon's play Bad Jews, sent a cease and desist order to Gay City Arts Executive Director Fred Swanson, demanding that the show That'swhatshesaid, which opened Thursday night in the tiny theater at the back of Gay City, not be allowed to go on tonight as planned.
The one-person play, created and performed by Erin Pike and written by Courtney Meaker consists entirely of dialogue from the female characters that appear in the 10 most-frequently-produced Amercian plays during the 2014—2015 season (according to American Theater magazine). Bad Jews is one of them. (So are The Whipping Man by Matthew Lopez and 4,000 Miles by Amy Herzog, also published by Samuel French.)
***
Erin Pike’s web site
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AMERICAN THEATRE’S TOP 10 MOST-PRODUCED PLAYS OF 2015–16
Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar: 18
Peter and the Starcatcher, adapted by Rick Elice from Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson: 16
Outside Mullingar by John Patrick Shanley: 11
To Kill a Mockingbird, adapted by Christopher Sergel from Harper Lee: 9
Buyer & Cellar by Jonathan Tolins: 9
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang: 8
Mr. Burns, a post-electric play by Anne Washburn: 7
Fences by August Wilson: 7
Sex with Strangers by Laura Eason: 7
Stupid Fucking Bird by Aaron Posner, inspired by Chekhov: 7
***
AMERICAN THEATRE’S TOP 10 MOST-PRODUCED PLAYS OF 2014-15 (Actually 11 Because of Ties)*
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang: 27**
Outside Mullingar by John Patrick Shanley: 10
Bad Jews by Joshua Harmon: 8***
Other Desert Cities by Jon Robin Baitz: 8****
Around the World in 80 Days adapted from the novel by Jules Verne: 7(note, 6 for the Mark Brown adaptation and 1 for the Toby Hulse adaptation)
Peter and the Starcatcher, adapted by Rick Elice from Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson: 7
The Whipping Man by Matthew Lopez: 7
Tribes by Nina Raine: 7*****
4000 Miles by Amy Herzog: 6
Into the Woods, book by James Lapine, music and lyricsby Stephen Sondheim: 6
Venus in Fur by David Ives: 6
***
The Top 10 Most-Produced Plays: 1994–2014
Want to see what were the most-produced plays from the 1994-95 season to the 2013-14 season? We’ve got you covered here!
BY AMERICAN THEATRE EDITORS
Below is American Theatre magazine’s Top 10 Most-Produced Play list, as printed in AT‘s annual Season Preview issue in October, from 1994 to 2014. These numbers are as reported to TCG at press time by its member theatres nationwide.
As of the 2009-10 season the Top 10 List omits holiday themed shows (such as The Santaland Diaries and A Christmas Carol) as well as works by Shakespeare. OnStage/Theatre Profiles will reflect more up-to-date data.
2013-14
A tie for the final slot makes this a Top 14.
Venus in Fur (22)
by David Ives
Clybourne Park (16)
by Bruce Norris
Good People (14)
by David Lindsay-Abaire
Other Desert Cities (13)
by Jon Robin Baitz
The Mountaintop (13)
by Katori Hall
4000 Miles (12)
by Amy Herzog
Tribes (12)
by Nina Raine
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (11)
by Christopher Durang
The Cat in the Hat (8)
adapted by Katie Mitchell from Dr. Seuss
Detroit (7)
by Lisa D’Amour
God of Carnage (7)
by Yasmina Reza
Red (7)
by John Logan
The Whipping Man (7)
by Matthew Lopez
Water by the Spoonful (7)
by Quiara Alegria Hudes
2012-13
Good People (17)
by David Lindsay-Abaire
Clybourne Park (15)
by Bruce Norris
The Whipping Man (14)
by Matthew Lopez
Next to Normal (13)
by Brian Yorkey (book and lyrics) and Tom Kitt (music)
The Mountaintop (12)
by Katori Hall
Red (11)
by John Logan
Time Stands Still (10)
by Donald Margulies
Other Desert Cities (10)
by Jon Robin Baitz
The Motherfucker with the Hat (9)
by Stephen Adly Guirgis
A Raisin in the Sun (8)
by Lorraine Hansberry
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (8)
by Alex Timbers (book) and Michael Friedman (music and lyrics)
2011-12
Red (23)
by John Logan
God of Carnage (23)
by Yasmina Reza
In the Next Room, or the vibrator play (13)
by Sarah Ruhl
The 39 Steps (11)
adapted by Patrick Barlow from Buchan and Alfred Hitchcock
Time Stands Still (11)
by Donald Margulies
Next Fall (11)
by Geoffrey Nauffts
To Kill a Mockingbird (8)
adapted by Christopher Sergel from Harper Lee
Spring Awakening (7)
by Steven Sater (book and lyrics) and Duncan Sheik (music), adapted from Frank Wedekind
Race (7)
by David Mamet
August: Osage County (7)
by Tracy Letts
Clybourne Park (7)
by Bruce Norris
2010-11
The 39 Steps (23)
adapted by Patrick Barlow from Alfred Hitchcock
Circle Mirror Transformation (15)
by Annie Baker
Superior Donuts (10)
by Tracy Letts
Ruined (10)
by Lynn Nottage
August: Osage County (9)
by Tracy Letts
God of Carnage (8)
by Yasmina Reza
In the Next Room, or the vibrator play (8)
by Sarah Ruhl
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (8)
by Rachel Sheinkin (book) and William Finn (music and lyrics)
To Kill a Mockingbird (7)
adapted by Christopher Sergel from Harper Lee
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (7)
by August Wilson
2009-10
boom (9)
by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb
The Seafarer (8)
by Conor McPherson
Speech & Debate (8)
by Stephen Karam
Dead Man’s Cell Phone (8)
by Sarah Ruhl
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (7)
by Rachel Sheinkin (book) and William Finn (music and lyrics)
Around the World in 8o Days (7)
adapted by Mark Brown from Jules Verne
The Glass Menagerie (7)
by Tennessee Williams
Opus (7)
by Michael Hollinger
Our Town (6)
by Thornton Wilder
Shipwrecked! An Entertainment (6)
by Donald Margulies
Souvenir (6)
by Stephen Temperley
Yankee Tavern (6)
by Steven Dietz
Black Pearl Sings! (6)
by Frank Higgins
Boeing-Boeing (6)
translated by Beverly Cross from Marc Camoletti (6)
2008-09
Doubt (14)
by John Patrick Shanley
The Santaland Diaries (14)
adapted by Joe Mantello from David Sedaris
Rabbit Hole (13)
by David Lindsay-Abaire
The Seafarer (12)
by Conor McPherson
Eurydice (11)
by Sarah Ruhl
To Kill a Mockingbird (10)
adapted by Christopher Sergel from Harper Lee
The Glass Menagerie (9)
by Tennessee Williams
Souvenir (9)
Stephen Temperley
Mauritius (9)
by Theresa Rebeck
Noises Off (8)
by Michael Frayn
Radio Golf (8)
by August Wilson
2007-08
Doubt (34)
by John Patrick Shanley
Rabbit Hole (12)
by David Lindsay-Abaire
The Clean House (12)
by Sarah Ruhl
Moonlight and Magnolias (10)
by Ron Hutchison
9 Parts of Desire (8)
by Heather Raffo
A Year with Frog and Toad (8)
book and lyrics by Willie Reale; music by Robert Reale
The Little Dog Laughed (8)
by Douglas Carter Beane
The Piano Lesson (8)
by August Wilson
The Santaland Diaries (8)
adapted by Joe Mantello from David Sedaris
Gem of the Ocean (7)
by August Wilson
Its a Wonderful Life (7)
adapted from Frank Capra
The Diary of Anne Frank (7)
adapted by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett
2006-07
I Am My Own Wife (13)
by Doug Wright
The Pillowman (12)
by Martin McDonagh
The Santaland Diaries (11)
adapted by Joe Mantello from David Sedaris
Gem of the Ocean (9)
by August Wilson
Intimate Apparel (9)
by Lynn Nottage
Moonlight and Magnolias (8)
by Ron Hutchison
Rabbit Hole (8)
by David Lindsay-Abaire
Tartuffe (7)
by Moliere
Tuesdays with Morrie (7)
by Mitch Albom and Jeffrey Hatcher
The Underpants (7)
adapted by Steve Martin from Carl Sternheim
2005-06
A tie for the final slot makes this a Top 14.
Intimate Apparel (16)
by Lynn Nottage
Crowns (15)
by Regina Taylor
I Am My Own Wife (13)
by Doug Wright
Frozen (12)
by Bryony Lavery
A Number (11)
by Caryl Churchill
Bad Dates (9)
by Theresa Rebeck
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (8)
book by Linda Woolverton; lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice; music by Alan Menken
The Importance of Being Earnest (8)
by Oscar Wilde
Bug (7)
by Tracy Letts
The Santaland Diaries (7)
adapted by Joe Mantello from David Sedaris
Seussical (7)
book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens; book and music by Stephen Flaherty
Stones in His Pockets (7)
by Marie Jones
Urinetown (7)
book and lyrics by Greg Kotis; lyrics and music by Mark Hollman
A Year with Frog and Toad (7)
book and lyrics by Willie Reale; music by Robert Reale
2004-05
Take Me Out (12)
by Richard Greenberg
Anna in the Tropics (11)
by Nilo Cruz
Crowns (11)
by Regina Taylor
The Drawer Boy (11)
by Michael Healey
The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia (10)
by Edward Albee
The Underpants (9)
adapted by Steve Martin from Carl Sternheim
The Exonerated (7)
by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen
The Santaland Diaries (7)
adapted by Joe Mantello from David Sedaris
Tuesdays with Morrie (7)
by Mitch Albom and Jeffrey Hatcher
A Year with Frog and Toad (7)
book and lyrics by Willie Reale; music by Robert Reale
2003-04
A tie for the final slot makes this a Top 12.
The Drawer Boy (16)
by Michael Healey
Proof (14)
by David Auburn
Topdog/Underdog (13)
by Suzan-Lori Parks
The Santaland Diaries (12)
adapted by Joe Mantello from David Sedaris
The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia (10)
by Edward Albee
Stones in His Pockets (10)
by Marie Jones
Ain’t Misbehavin’ (9)
book by Murray Horowitz and Richard Maltby Jr.; music by Thomas Fats Waller
Private Lives (9)
by Noël Coward
Yellowman (9)
by Dael Orlandersmith
Blue/Orange (8)
by Joe Penhall
Lobby Hero (8)
by Kenneth Lonergan
Nickel and Dimed (8)
adapted by Joan Holden from Barbara Ehrenreich
2002-03
A tie for the final slot makes this a Top 11.
Proof (29)
by David Auburn
Dirty Blonde (15)
by Claudia Shear
Copenhagen (14)
by Michael Frayn
Fully Committed (12)
by Becky Mode
The Santaland Diaries (10)
adapted by Joe Mantello from David Sedaris
The Laramie Project (9)
by Moisés Kaufman and Tectonic Theater Project
Bat Boy: The Musical (9)
book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming; music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe
The Drawer Boy (9)
by Michael Healey
Lobby Hero (8)
by Kenneth Lonergan
My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra (7)
by David Grapes and Todd Olson
The Piano Lesson (7)
by August Wilson
2001-02
A tie for the final slot makes this a Top 14.
Art (15)
by Yasmina Reza
Dinner with Friends (15)
by Donald Margulies
The Laramie Project (14)
by Moisés Kaufman and Tectonic Theater Project
Spinning into Butter (12)
by Rebecca Gilman
Proof (11)
by David Auburn
Fuddy Meers (10)
by David Lindsay-Abaire
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (9)
book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro; music by Jimmy Roberts
Fully Committed (8)
by Becky Mode
The Santaland Diaries (8)
adapted by Joe Mantello from David Sedaris
The Glass Menagerie (7)
by Tennessee Williams
Wit (7)
by Margaret Edson
2000-01
Art (30)
by Yasmina Reza
Wit (22)
by Margaret Edson
Side Man (11)
by Warren Leight
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (9)
book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro; music by Jimmy Roberts
Closer (8)
by Patrick Marber
Fuddy Meers (8)
by David Lindsay-Abaire
The Beauty Queen of Leenane (7)
by Martin McDonagh
Picasso at the Lapin Agile (7)
by Steve Martin
The Santaland Diaries (7)
adapted by Joe Mantello from David Sedaris
A Streetcar Named Desire (7)
by Tennessee Williams
1999-2000
The Beauty Queen of Leenane (16)
by Martin McDonagh
The Last Night of Ballyhoo (12)
by Alfred Uhry
Master Class (12)
by Terrence McNally
Side Man (9)
by Warren Leight
As Bees in Honey Drown (8)
by Douglas Carter Beane
The Cripple of Inishmaan (8)
by Martin McDonagh
The Glass Menagerie (8)
by Tenessee Williams
Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde (8)
by Moisés Kaufman
The Old Settler (8)
by John Henry Redwood
Wit (8)
by Margaret Edson
1998-99
How I Learned to Drive (26)
by Paula Vogel
The Last Night of Ballyhoo (20)
by Alfred Uhry
Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde (16)
by Moisés Kaufman
Picasso at the Lapin Agile (10)
by Steve Martin
The Glass Menagerie (9)
by Tenessee Williams
Death of a Salesman (8)
by Arthur Miller
Having Our Say: The Delaney Sisters’ First 100 Years (8)
by Emily Mann
The Old Settler (7)
by John Henry Redwood
The Importance of Being Earnest (7)
by Oscar Wilde
Always! Patsy Cline (7)
by Ted Swindley
1997-98
Having Our Say: The Delaney Sisters’ First 100 Years (15)
by Emily Mann
Old Wicked Songs (12)
by John Marans
Skylight (11)
by David Hare
Moon Over Buffalo (10)
by Ken Ludwig
Sylvia (10)
by A.R. Gurney
To Kill a Mockingbird (9)
adapted by Christopher Sergel from Harper Lee
Valley Song (9)
by Athol Fugard
Molly Sweeney (7)
by Brian Friel
An Ideal Husband (6)
by Oscar Wilde
Private Eyes (6)
by Steven Dietz
1996-97
Sylvia (28)
by A.R. Gurney
Arcadia (13)
by Tom Stoppard
The Glass Menagerie (12)
by Tennessee Williams
To Kill a Mockingbird (12)
adapted by Christopher Sergel from Harper Lee
Having Our Say: The Delaney Sisters’ First 100 Years (10)
by Emily Mann
A Tuna Christmas (8)
by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard
Love! Valour! Compassion! (8)
by Terrence McNally
The Diary of Anne Frank (8)
adapted by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett
The Woman in Black (7)
adapted by Stephen Mallatratt from Susan Hill
The Cryptogram (7)
by David Mamet
1995-96
All in the Timing (15)
by David Ives
Three Tall Women (12)
by Edward Albee
The Sisters Rosensweig (11)
by Wendy Wasserstein
Arms and the Man (8)
by George Bernard Shaw
To Kill a Mockingbird (8)
adapted by Christopher Sergel from Harper Lee
Angels in America: Millennium Approaches and Perestroika (7)
by Tony Kushner
Blithe Spirit (7)
by Noël Coward
Private Lives (7)
by Noël Coward
Arcadia (6)
by Tom Stoppard
Later Life (6)
by A.R. Gurney
1994-95
Keely and Du (14)
by Jane Martin
Dancing at Lughnasa (11)
by Brian Friel
To Kill a Mockingbird (10)
adapted by Christopher Sergel from Harper Lee
Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me (8)
by Frank McGuinness
From the Mississippi Delta (8)
by Endesha Ida Mae Holland
Oleanna (8)
by David Mamet
All in the Timing (7)
by David Ives
A Perfect Ganesh (6)
by Terrence McNally
Forever Plaid (6)
by Stuart Ross and James Raitt
Lost in Yonkers (6)
by Neil Simon