Nor'eastern Playwrights' Showcase - Vermont ART

Last week I was privileged to take part in the Nor’eastern Playwrights’ Showcase at the Vermont Actors’ Repertory Theatre in Rutland, Vermont. As any playwright can tell you, work-shopping a script directly with the input of the director and actors is an enormously beneficial and inspiring experience. We writers have a tendency to hole ourselves up in our caves too much. The creative and emotional stimulation of an experience like this is enough to make an introvert like me weep with the relief of an exile suddenly stumbling upon her lost tribe.

The intensive rehearsals were held Thursday and Friday, and the show was put on at the Paramount Theatre Brick Box in Rutland on Friday and Saturday. Along with my one-act play, “In Memory of Trixie Gazelle”, two other one-act plays were produced. These were “The Bad Habit” (soon to be published by Original Works Publishing) by Constance Humphrey Egan, and “The Revision” by Alan L. Steinberg. I was very impressed by the other two plays and so was the audience.

I’d like to thank ART’s producing directors for this opportunity: Ilene Blackman, Sandra Gartner, and Peter Marsh, and especially the director of my play, Bonnie Pritchard, whose insight was very important and truly helpful to me.

I’d like to acknowledge the cast, who were so kind, and so terrifically funny: Winnie Denis, Wheaton Squier, John Papais, Sandy Gartner, Tom Smith, and Laura Steere.

The Holiday Inn Rutland/Killington provided complimentary accommodations for the out-of-town playwrights, and many thanks to the staff and management for their support of the Vermont Actors' Repertory Theatre.

Thanks also to the audience, not only for their warm reception and their participation in the question-and-answer part of the evening, but just for risking a dime on something new and unknown. That’s a pretty brave thing these days.

If you happen to stumble upon an ad for some new play, musical, or one-acts at a theater, or community center, or barn in your hometown this summer, you might want to take a chance on something new and unknown, too. You and me, we need to climb out of our comfort zones once in a while. You never know. You might find your lost tribe.