“I am pleased to begin another great season at Bay Street with our second annual New Works Festival,” expressed Bay Street Theater Artistic Director Scott Schwartz. “Last year, as part of the panel discussion led by award winning writer John Weidman, there was a need expressed by writers for support for plays and musicals that have had initial productions but are still in the process of development and rewriting.”
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Ken Davenport. (Courtesy Photo) |
The 2nd Annual New Works Festival is returning to Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts on Friday, April 24th through Sunday, April 26th. The theater packed weekend will feature readings of works in development by up-and-coming New York-based playwrights, and this year’s Festival will be focused around the theme of “rediscovery.” Bay Street founded the New Works Festival as an opportunity for emerging playwrights to watch their works on stage, as professional actors read the plays in front of an audience. The weekend also gives the East End Community a sneak peak at plays from innovative voices in the theater world.
“This year, Bay Street is responding to this fascinating conversation by giving authors the opportunity to continue to work on projects that have had previous showings but which are still in the process of revision,” explained Schwartz. “As a home for the creation of new work in East End, Bay Street is delighted to offer our audience the opportunity to experience the distinctive voices and visions of exciting playwrights in various stages of development of their work.”
The three-day festival will showcase “A Delicate Ship” by Anna Ziegler on Friday, April 24th at 7 p.m., “The Green Heart” by Charles Busch and Rusty Magee on Saturday, April 25th at 3 p.m., and “Plane Play” by Julia Brownell on Sunday, April 26th at 2 p.m. Each reading will be followed by a talkback, where the playwrights and the audience can share their reactions to the work. The Festival will also feature an Artist Interact – Panel Discussion on Saturday, April 25th at 7 p.m. Tony Award winning producer Ken Davenport will moderate the discussion, which will feature the creators of “The Green Heart,” who will speak about the process of developing new musicals and rediscovering and reshaping musicals over the course of years and multiple productions. A cocktail reception at Bay Street will follow the panel.
Admission to the readings are free, with a donation requested. Tickets to the Panel Discussion are $10.
Bay Street Theater is located at 1 Bay Street in Sag Harbor. For more information, call 631-725-9500 or visit www.baystreet.org.
