Women’s Work May Mini-Festival
May 20 - 23, 2023
Join us for readings of powerful new scripts and excerpts of works-in-progress from NPTC's innovative laboratory for plays by women.
458 West 37th Street (@10th Avenue)
Admission is by Donation ($10 suggested)
ALL AUDIENCE MEMBERS MUST BE MASKED!
Schedule
SATURDAY, MAY 20:
READY FOR PRIMETIME:
LEDA'S CHILDREN by Joan Castagnone, 2:00pm
Directed by Melody Brooks
Inspired by Aeschylus' Agamemnon, LEDA'S CHILDREN takes place in 1978 after the violent upheavals of the 1960s. Radical revolutionaries are now working within the system, but the death of a daughter for political gain still requires a reckoning. After 10 years on the run, the leader of the movement returns, ready to resume his rightful place in the hierarchy. His wife has other plans.
Actors: Marie Elena O’Brien, William (Bill) Franke, JD Daw, Penny Deen, SEAN PHILLIPS, Brian Reilly, Sammy Smedley, Brittany Koscinski,
FIRST LOOK:
THE WORST ROOMMATE IN THE WORLD by Michele A. Miller, 5:30pm
Directed by Kathy Curtiss
College roommates Ter and Blane are having some issues, especially since Blane continues to colonize Ter’s space without a care in the world. In this absurdist modern Morality play, their struggles are set against a re-imagined backdrop of Creation, and the true legacy of the loss of Eden.
Actors: Daniella Wilson, Joseph D’amore, timmy ong, Logan murphy
OPENING RECEPTION: 6:45pm
Join us for refreshments and a chat immediately following the readings.
SUNDAY, MAY 21
UP & COMING:
THE DICTATOR'S DENTIST by Sonya Hayden, 2:00pm
Directed by Zoya Kachadurian
This history-inspired dramedy follows the journey of Hitler’s dentist as his ambitions get in the way of his relationships and morals. The play poses a question about the cost of silence in the face of injustice and reflects on the deeply embedded oppressive systems we are still facing today.
Actors: Jed peterson, irina kaplan, stuart green, federico trigo, brooke nagel, david sitler
BITS & PIECES, 5:00PM
Excerpts from brand new plays still in the early development stages from Gena Bardwell, Jane Denitz Smith, Rebekah Lopatto, and MJ Perrin.
MONDAY, MAY 22
READY FOR PRIMETIME:
I CAN'T REMEMBER by Zakeia Tyson-Cross, 6:30pm
Directed by Melody Brooks
When Jerome Davis’ sister, Renee reveals to him a long- held secret, it opens the door to many things that have been hidden within the family. As tensions rise, the Davis family struggles to reconcile competing memories and alternate versions of the "truth", which father Ed may or may not remember due to his dementia.
Actors: Thaddeus Daniels, Gena Bardwell, David Roberts, Kubbi, Stephanie Anuwe, Brenda Flores, Benjamin Rowe, Joyce Griffen
TUESDAY, MAY 23
Due to unforeseen circumstances, we will have to postpone our panel discussion. Stay tuned for a new date.
A Roundtable/Panel Discussion, 7:00pm
How are Playwrights Managing the New Focus on Inclusivity in Their Work?
Moderated by Malini Singh McDonald, Executive Producer, Theatre Beyond Broadway
NPTC's Women's Work Project has been developing and producing award-winning, provocative scripts since its inception in 1994. We invite our friends and colleagues in the industry for a preview of new works, and a taste of things to come!
NPTC received a prestigious and highly competitive grant from the NYC Women's Fund in 2022 to produce How to Melt ICE, a new script developed in the LAB by Amalia Oliva Rojas. The play was produced in collaboration with Boundless Theatre Company in February 2023, directed by Elena Araoz.
Women's Work was the featured program for the 2018 Barbour Playwriting Award, submitting three finished scripts from the LAB as finalists. Alexis Roblan was the winner, with THE ANDREW PLAY.