Julia Lee Barclay’s We live in financial time, Part 1: Blackberry Curve first had a staged reading in 2010.  You can read it here on Indie Theater Now.  It will have a staged reading at The Brecht Forum, 451 West Street (Bank & Bethune) on January 20 & 21 at 7:30pm. (includes talk-back with speakers from OWS and banking industry – should be a rollicking good time!).

We live in financial times, Part 1: Blackberry Curve is a darkly funny theatrical shell game wherein the conventions of character and story (in the form of Mike and James, investment bankers alone with an angry female voice they do not understand) collapse and attempt to frantically reassemble.  Global capitalism as tragic farce.

Want reservations?  Sure you do!

You can reserve directly through Brecht Forum at: 

https://brechtforum.org/civicrm/event/info?id=12129&reset=1 (for Friday, January 20)

https://brechtforum.org/civicrm/event/info?id=12130&reset=1 (for Saturday, January 21)

Director: Rik Walter; performers: Marietta Hedges*, Matt Higgins, Terry Runnels, Kevin Scot, Alyssa Simon*

The Harvardwood Actors’ Program, in association with the American Repertory Theatre / Moscow Art Theatre Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University Alumni Association will present a reading of Kelly McAllister’s screenplay Burning Man.

Photograph ©GretjenHelene.com

Burning Man photography provided by Gretjen Helene <www.gretjenhelene.com/burningman>

Photograph ©GretjenHelene.com

Burning Man photography provided by Gretjen Helene <www.gretjenhelene.com/burningman>

Monday November 14th
6:00 PM (reading will start promptly at 6:00 – please arrive a little early to grab a drink and find a seat)
Solas Bar
2nd floor seating area – no elevator access
232 E 9th St
Free admission
No reservations needed, seating is first come first serve on the upper level.
Trying to fulfill their father’s dying wish of having his ashes scattered at the Burning Man festival, two brothers who can’t stand each other find themselves stranded in the middle of the Nevada Desert.  They have no money, no car, and only 24 hours before the festival ends. An epic story about two not-so-epic lives
*Christian Grunnah – MARTY
*Paul Murillo – BOBBY
*Rebecca West – JO
*Anna Rahn – CANDY
*Jason Beaubien – EARTH
*Tim Eliot – EDDY / THE OLD MAN
*Doug Chapman – LIQUOR STORE CLERK, GAS STATION ATTENDANT & BIKER DUDE
*Chudney Sykes – LADY BARFLY, Stage Directions
All actors are alumni from the American Repertory Theatre / Moscow Art Theatre Institute at Harvard MFA program.

Kelly’s play is now available on Indie Theater Now.

A reading of RIDDLE LOST by Kelly McAllister (pp07, pp03)

As part of Boomerang Theatre Company’s FIRST FLIGHT series

Saturday November 19^th at 5pm

At ART/ NY 520 8^th Ave, 3^rd floor

A sideshow tent somewhere in Limbo. A man named Riddle meets Hel, Goddess of death, who demands a story. What follows is a quirky, hilarious and harrowing ride as Riddle, Hel and a cast of unforgettable characters re-enact the story of the Modoc War, trying to find their place behind the stars.

The play is an exciting mix of magic-realism and history.

To reserve a seat at the reading or to read a copy of the play, please contact Scott D. Edwards at 212.977.8502 or scottedwards@hardencurtis.com

And we have other plays we’ve published with more to come:

• Julia Barclay (2001) Word to Your Mama plus two other plays
• Brendon Bates (2007) Corps Values plus another play
• Leslie Bramm (2008) Marvelous plus four other plays
• Nat Cassidy (2010) Any Day Now plus two other plays
• Tim Collins (2009) A Fire As Bright As Heaven
• James Comtois (2007) The Adventures of Nervous Boy
• David Dannenfelser (New Millennium) When Words Fail… and one more play
• Colette Freedman (2009) Sister Cities and three other plays
• Ashlin Halfnight (2007) Diving Normal and two other plays
• Stephen Kaliski (2011) West Lethergy

And the rest of the list next post.  Check these out and enjoy Indie Theater Now.

Blue Coyote Theater Group and Playwrights for Pets present a reading of excerpts from David Johnston’s new full length play, CONEY on Oct. 27 and 28, part of an evening of one-acts entitled HEAVY PETTING, at the Access Theater, 380 Broadway, New York, NY.  Tickets for this benefit are $20 and can be purchased through Smarttix. 

Trav has two plays currently available on the website, both part of the fringenyc collection. He also has a cool blog called Travalanche and the topics he covers are many. Check it out, especially if you want to learn a bit about vaudeville and the good old days.

Lots of our playwrights have blogs – there’s a whole list in the sidebar on the right.  Click on any that appeal to you for some fascinating reading.

I couldn’t be happier about my most recent writing news:  I HAVE A COMMISSION!  

A commission is an original piece of artwork completed by an artist at the request of and paid for by a client. 

As you know, last year, I participated as a librettist in American Lyric Theatre‘s Composer/Librettist Development Program.  The program trains people to write contemporary opera.  I spent the year learning how to write opera.  Only 8 writers were accepted to the program.  This was a big departure for me–opera is very different from musical theatre.  But with the patience of the faculty and of my composer collaborators, it eventually started to click!

Both of my collaborations went well, but one in particular stood out: All Wounds Bleed written with composer Christopher Cerrone, a wunderkind who in his mid-20s has already had major commissions and works performed at Carnegie Hall.

Because of our success with All Wounds Bleed, Chris and I have been asked back to the CLDP as return resident artists.  ALT wants us to write a full-length opera!  Once the story we choose is approved, ALT will finance the development of the piece which includes further advising with the ALT faculty, underlying rights optioning, developmental readings, and even money for the writers!!!

And from David Johnston who penned The Eumenides – a retelling of the Oresteia:

I’ve been chosen as one of the eight new resident artists for the American Lyric Theater’s Composer Librettist Development Program. This will start in September and go until next June, with presentations at some cool places (like Symphony Space) and workshops with some amazing opera and theater people.

Congrats to both and I know we’ll be hearing more as the year progresses.

Indie Theater Now is the digital theater library for the 21st century.  It is the place on the web where you will find the newest and most extensive group of plays by indie playwrights.  You can browse the site and the many plays and playwrights, read bios, excerpts from the plays and much more. And for ONLY $1.29 (subscriptions available that lower the price) you can purchase a play to read.

Want to produce the play? Want to talk to the playwright about other work? Contact information is available with each play. And you can always write to us – feedback@indietheaternow.com

Check out our brand new blog. And let me know what you think of this new project.

OUR COUNTRY: in Concert

Shotwell Studios in the Mission District.

3252-A 19th St. – on the corner of Shotwell and 19th st.

JUNE 24th (Pride weekend!)

TWO performances: 7:30 and 9:30

Tickets are $20.

To purchase tickets, click here.

For questions, call 415-289-2000.

Seating is VERY limited.  Shotwell only has about 60 seats, so get your tickets RIGHT AWAY!  That said, we want a packed house, so get the word out to your friends and family!

Relentlessly putting it out there BI-COASTALLY now!