Company in the News Nov-2021

See what PlayGround Writers, Alumni, and Company Members are up to this November!

Jerome Joseph Gentes, board member and longtime PlayGround member, is producing American Sign Language (ASL) versions of LGBT playwright Harrison David Rivers’ HOLD ME THE FORGOTTEN WAY MONOLOGUE CYCLE. The videos will be released and made available for free viewing on Monday, November 8, 2021. An online premiere event for the videos is scheduled that evening for 6:00-7:30 PM Pacific Time, followed by a discussion with the project creators. The premiere event is free and open to the public. Reserve a virtual ticket at TigerBear Productions: Home

Rachel Bublitz has been named Resident Playwright for the Egyptian YouTheatre, where her new plays for young audiences will get yearly development opportunities and productions. Up first in December, HOLLY, HOLLY, & EXTRA FOLLY, her collection of holiday plays, and she’ll workshop her full length, THE SUMMER I HOWLED, this Spring.

Garret Jon Groenveld, founding PlayGround writer, has a developmental reading of his new play SACRIFICE – A Clytemnestra Story, being presented by Cockpit Theatre in London as a follow up to his play, DISBELIEF – A Cassandra Story (PG Zoomfest 2020). The date is Sunday, November 7th – 11:00 AM – PST (7pm London Time).  Directed by Beatriz Cabur, Featuring West End staple, Denise Pitter as Clytemnestra and Esme Tan as Iphigenia.  Cost is only 1 pound. Lean more at New Stuff

Ross Peter Nelson‘s ten-minute play THE LOBBYIST will appear as part of the Last Chance New Play Fest, running Nov 5-15 in Helena, MT. Learn more at 8th Annual Last Chance New Play Fest

Michael Barrett Austin will be playing Fred Hastings in Center Rep’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL, Dec. 9-23. Learn more at Lesher Center for the Arts

Cindy Goldfield is finally back to work! Opening on the 6th, in 42ND Street Moon’s A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, as Mdme. Armfeldt. As always, she is still cooking up a storm with MARTHA AVENUE Home Cooked Meals, which can be ordered off their website at MARTHA AVENUE FOOD, for delivery throughout the Bay Area. 

Madeleine Butler recently completed the Kennedy Center Playwriting Intensive with an amazing group of playwrights from all over the country. The Intensive, organized by Gregg Henry of the Kennedy Center and playwright/educator Gary Garrison, assembled leading playwrights and dramaturgs as faculty for two long weekends of virtual classes, generative workshops, and work sharing.

Karen Offereins can be seen in Ferocious Lotus’ upcoming production, FEROCIOUS FUTURES FALL SHOWCASE, livestreaming on Sat. Nov 13 @ 7pm PST. Buy tickets at Ferocious Futures Showcase Tickets, Sat, Nov 13, 2021 at 7:00 PM

Alanna McFall sat down with MonsterThoughts.com for Halloween, as part of their Women and Nonbinary Individuals in Horror interview series. You can read her thoughts about ghosts, monstrous women, and her pet peeves about Shirley Jackson adaptations at [Interview] Women/Nonbinary Individuals in Horror [Alanna McFall]

Evelyn Jean Pine is commissioned by the Strange Trace Opera company to write a short opera with Norwegian composer Tze Yeung Ho about the Cliff-Hanger Effect — the impact of interruption on memory. Learn more at Stencils — Strange Trace

Melanie Marshall will be reprising her role of Xander in Oasis’ drag parody of Buffy the Vampire Slayer ONCE MORE WITH FEELING running November 11 – December 4. Buy tickets at Buffy the Vampire Slayer LIVE: Once More, With Feeling

Mary Baird just did an online reading of SHAKESPEARE AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE OF 1591, playing Elizabeth the good queen.

Daryl Anthony Harper has launched his first website in 18 years as a professional Actor, with the help of Web Designer, Life Coach and all around Artist for growth, Liana Estillore, A.K.A. Liana Vibes, which you can access at https://www.darylanthonyharper.com/

Shruti Tewari, Actor, Writer, Filmmaker, was interviewed by award-winning playwright and author, Tanya Shaffer, about her creative process in the Off-Leash Arts podcast last month. The episode is titled “Think Amorphous” – Shruti’s personal mantra. Podcast available on Apple Podcast and other platforms. Learn more at Actor-Writer-Filmmaker Shruti Tewari: Think Amorphous — Tanya Shaffer

Alex Moggridge‘s adaptation of RHINOCEROS is now playing at the Atlantic Acting School through November 13. Get tickets at Rhinoceros Tickets, Multiple Dates

Brian Herndon will be playing Scrooge in SCROOGE IN LOVE at 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa November 26 through December 19. Learn more at Scrooge In Love – Santa Rosa

Louel Señores is excited to be returning to Potrero Stage—even if for one weekend only!—to perform in The Chikahan Company’s inaugural production, THE ACT OF CARE. Hope you’ll check it out! Lots of Filipinx artists (and coincidentally, Cal alum) are involved in this one <3. Learn more at https://www.chikahancompany.com/shows

Diane Sampson’s new musical LIVING LARGE, about little-known show business phenom Marie Dressler, will have three in-person and live-streamed staged readings at Potrero Stage on December 10 and 11. Written in collaboration with composer/co-lyricist Lauren Mayer, directed by Cindy Goldfield and with Gwen Loeb as Marie. Buy tickets at Login

Jennifer Le Blanc is very excited to be part of the cast of Charles Dickens’ GREAT EXPECTATIONS adapted by Neil Bartlett at San Jose Stage Company (November 17-December 12)! Learn more at GREAT EXPECATIONS | San Jose Stage

Nancy Carlin has an ensemble film she’s in (alongside Cybill Shepherd, Rosanna Arquette, Polly Draper, Maya Kazan, and others) LOVE IS LOVE IS LOVE, written and directed by Eleanor Coppola, that will be released November 12 in select theaters, and will have a one night only screening at the Roxie in SF on Monday November 22 at 6:45 pm. Eleanor (and I!) will be in attendance. Would love to see you there.  It will also play at 1pm on Sunday Nov 21st at the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael. Buy tickets at https://www.roxie.com/ai1ec_event/love-is-love-is-love/?instance_id=43343

Rebecca Pingree will play the Baker’s Wife in INTO THE WOODS at Berkeley Playhouse (November 19- December 24). Buy tickets at Where Music and Theater Come to Life. Also this month: Analog Theatre (which she co-founded) will be featured in Playground’s Innovator Incubator Showcase. 

Eric Fraisher Hayes just completed directing and editing a feature length film of Eugene O’Neill’s play Beyond the Horizon. Learn more at Eugene O’Neill Foundation – Tao House

Isabel Anne To has just wrapped up filming for Awesome Theatre’s premiere of Allison Page’s THE JERSEY DEVIL PLAY. She will be sure to share the streaming URL when it is done being edited and ready to be shown to the world. And just because Christmas decorations are already up doesn’t mean spooky season is over! Head over to YouTube to catch Killing My Lobster’s 3-part video series “Paranormal Hotline” written by Rebecca Pierce, starring Alexandra Barthel and Isabel Anne To! Please see URL’s below. Happy Fall Y’all! Watch them at Paranormal Hotline Ep 1, Paranormal Hotline Ep. 2, Paranormal Hotline Ep 3, 

Norman Gee is thrilled to return to San Jose Stage in GREAT EXPECTATIONS this Nov.17-Dec.12, having recently finished PERICLES with SF Shakes. Learn more at San Jose Stage Company

Gwen Loeb will be playing star of vaudeville and screen, Marie Dressler, in the staged reading of a new musical based on Marie’s life: LIVING LARGE. The musical is written by PlayGround company member Diane Sampson, composed by Lauren Mayer, and directed by PlayGround company member Cindy Goldfield. LIVING LARGE will perform at Potrero Stage on December 10th and 11th. Learn more at Living Large

Madeline Puccioni‘s WONDER PEOPLE will be featured in Santa Cruz Actor’s Theatre’s 8×10@8 New Plays Festival in January, 2022.  Her new full-length,  TIME AFTER TIME AGAIN has won a spot in Ross Valley Playhouse’s R.A.W. Festival in March 2022. Buy tickets at Now Showing @ Actors Theatre

Katherine Hamilton will be performing alongside Olga Molina, Kimberley Ridgeway and Gavi Goldstein in The Revolutionists by Lauren Gunderson at Palo Alto Players. Nov 5-21, 2021. Come see this story about activism, art and resistance! Learn more at The Revolutionists – Palo Alto Players

Ginny Reed, 6 yrs. living on the Mendocino Coast !, is directing Jonathan Spector’s EUREKA DAY for the recently refurbished Mendocino Theatre Co., w/ Set and Lights designed by Jeff Rowlings. We are offering online AUDITIONS for the role of ELI (late 20s-mid-30s) as a Guest Artist (includes beautiful Mendo Coast housing, travel allowance, groceries, and a required paid Teaching session – focus of class depends on your experiences- tbd). Possibility of additional part-time employment in the area. Rehearsals from mid Jan. , starting online, in person Jan. 30 >  performances March 3-thru closing April 3. See website (link here) or contact virginiareed@sbcglobal.net for video auditions or more info. Learn more at Auditions