In a FringeNYC-less summer, other theater festivals promoting the work of up-and-coming artists are taking the lead, including the Ice Factory Festival at New Ohio, the Corkscrew Theater Festival at the Paradise Factory, and the UNFringed Festival at the Secret Theatre. Here, we talk to three of the playwrights participating in the Broadway Bound Theatre Festival, a brand new festival whose aim is to help turn playwrights into producers.
Larry Phillips on Must Win
Sunday, July 30, 6:30 PM; Thursday, August 3, 4 PM; Tuesday, August 8, 7:30 PM
Tell us about your play!
Must Win is about a high school football coach in Texas. He's facing enormous pressure to win. And he must decide what's more important, his ethics or his job.
What have been the most exciting things about seeing your show come together?
Listening and watching actors bring the characters to life. No matter how many plays I've had come to life, it never stops amazing me how much great actors can deepen a play.
Who are your favorite playwrights, past and present?
Neil Simon, David Mamet, Arthur Miller, Lucas Hnath.
What famous (or not so famous) line do you wish you’d written?
Can we swear in print? Here it goes anyway.
David Mamet Glengarry Glen Ross: "Nice guy? I don’t give a shit. Good father? Fuck you, go home and play with your kids."
What would you change about the current state of theater?
The price. I get it, I do. It's expensive to produce Theatre, but I am positive the price keeps many people away or at least away from seeing more than one or two shows a year.
How important is it to you that your work relate to our current political/social climate?
The play opens up a lot of questions about morals, and ethics, and what one is willing to do to stay on top and win. I think that's been a theme since humans first started walking the planet and continues to be.
Amy da Luz on Skeletons
Monday, July 31, 12:30 PM; Sunday, August 6, 11:30 AM; Monday, August 7, 7:30 PM
Tell us about your play!
Family secrets come alive, literally. Meet the Skeletons. They exist with the keepers of those secrets. Some are quite comfortable hanging out in the closet, while others struggle to stay put. But all of them need silence. A crisis brings Maddie, her family, and their skeletons together under one roof for the first time in over 10 years. The closet is very cramped, and social skills are lacking. When the truth threatens this tenuous co-existence, a battle begins that is as insidious as it is tragic.
What have been the most exciting things about seeing your show come together?
The collaborative effort has made the play so much better already. These actors are so good, they're feeding my vision in ways I hadn't ever imagined. I feel so fortunate to have them on board.
Who are your favorite playwrights, past and present?
"Favorite" is a hard word for me. But I've been inspired by: Sarah Ruhl, Adam Rapp, Deborah Zoe Laufer, debbie tucker-green, Annie Baker, Sarah Kane, Tennessee Williams, Lillian Hellman, Arthur Miller among many many more.
What famous (or not so famous) line do you wish you’d written?
"Shall we begin" -- Daenerys to Tyrion in the last line of this season's premiere of Game of Thrones. (Yes, I did just kind of avoid that question. But I also like Game of Thrones.)
What would you change about the current state of theater?
Inclusivity. Across the board. I wish every aspect of theatre, whether it be directing, casting, writing, producing, or ticket pricing were more inclusive. It seems theatre, of all things in the world, should be inclusive.
How important is it to you that your work relate to our current political/social climate?
It's going to relate to that climate. It has to. I am writer, writing in this climate. No matter the topic, the genre, the period or production, the piece will be informed by the times in which it is written. And the current times are stirring up some inspiration for artists of all mediums everywhere, that is for sure.
Erin Moughon on Snow White Padded Room
Tuesday, August 1, 7:30 PM; Friday, August 4, 4 PM; Saturday, August 12, 7 PM
Tell us about your play!
Adelaide is committed to a mental facility by her devoted husband Mark when she suffers severe memory loss and hallucinations due to a tragic car accident. Ten years of memory have been wiped away. As she works to recover what she’s lost, Mark isolates her further by keeping everyone else away, keeping a watchful eye on her through a two-way mirror. As her supposed delusions worsen, she tries to remember what caused the accident and who Mark really is. Can Adelaide escape from behind the magic mirror and emerge from her glass coffin by remembering the truth?
What have been the most exciting things about seeing your show come together?
Working with my truly fantastic cast and crew. The director of the show, Christopher Diercksen has really pushed me to polish the piece by asking smart questions and not accepting vague answers. I'm excited to see every member of the team use their talents to bring my words to life and make the play their own. I cannot say enough wonderful things about these artists.
Who are your favorite playwrights, past and present?
William Shakespeare. Arthur Miller. Lynn Nottage. Christopher Durang. Paula Vogel. Sarah DeLappe. Alexis Roblan.
What famous (or not so famous) line do you wish you’d written?
It's not a line, but a stage direction. Exit, pursued by a bear.
What would you change about the current state of theater?
I would want to have a national theatre that is fully funded so that producers feel more inclined to take risks on new artists and tickets can be subsidized to allow for a more diverse audience. I would also love for more students to see more shows/have more opportunities to share their work on a national level. Theatre needs to be accessible everywhere for everyone.
How important is it to you that your work relate to our current political/social climate?
I'd say very, but that doesn't mean story takes a backseat. If my story is good and writing is strong, it will bring to light aspects of our society. That's the goal.
