Play PROTECT & SERVE Adapted into Film

[UPDATE 5/10/2020 to include link to full film below]

Back in the fall of 2016 I wrote a play for Chalk Repertory Theatre as part of their semi-annual FLASH Festival. This small play seems so basic, with only two characters having a conversation in real time, in a single location. But in some ways it was the most challenging piece I've written because of the event that inspired it (the shooting death of Tamir Rice) and and the context of my own life at the time. I was barely able to get this piece written at all.

The play was directed by Kate Jopson and featured Jaquita Shashu Aziza Ta'le and Ray Ford. When I saw their work I was stunned. It was so delicate and beautiful. These three theatre artists were heart-and-soul in this piece. Sadly, the festival only ran for a short period of time, only a limited number of people were able to see it.

But.... these amazing people decided to adapt the play into a short film, which has recently been completed and is being submitted to film festivals as we speak. You can see the trailer here, but we can't share the film until some time in the future after the film festival circuit has come and gone.

Kate did an amazing job adapting the play and directing the film. Stream the film below:

National Ubu Bake-Off: February 19th, Victory Gardens Theatre

Paula Vogel, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer of How I Learned to Drive and Indecent, has called for a national Ubu Bake-Off to be held on Presidents Day. 

What is a Bake-Off?
A bake-off is a quickly written exercise on an assigned theme with assigned elements or ingredients that folks do within a 48 hour period of time.

What is Ubu Roi?
Ubu Roi is “an inglorious slop-pail of a play” [see the review here: https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2015/09/08/an-inglorious-slop-pail-of-a-play/]
by Alfred Jarry, which opened (and closed) on December 10, 1896. Read a copy of the play here: http://paulavogelplaywright.com/ubu-supplemental-materials

So then.... what is the Ubu Bake-Off?
Paula has started a national grassroots movement to respond to our global crisis with a bake-off inspired by this play on Presidents Day 2018 (February 19). People will be writing plays and coming together to share them all over the country.

On Monday, February 19th (President's Day) Victory Gardens Theatre is the Chicago host of the Ubu Bake-Off.

Participating playwrights include:

Marsha Estell
Ben Fisher
Tanuja Jagernauth
Samie Jo Johnson
Jasmine Henri Jordan
Nora Anne Leahy
Nancy Garcia Loza
Brian James Polak
Isaac Gomez

Tickets are FREE but an RSVP will make sure you get a seat: https://goo.gl/forms/Dxsi0UDQ2DMBvsPx2

American Theatre Magazine presents The Subtext

I couldn't be happier to announce that American Theatre Magazine, a publication of Theatre Communications Group, is now presenting The Subtext, a playwright podcast hosted by yours truly. 

New episodes to be released by American Theatre monthly beginning in January, 2018. 

Click here to stream episodes online.

Click here to listen and subscribe on iTunes.

Click here to listened to the archived interviews from 2015-2017 when this podcast was produced by LA Stage Alliance.

Returning to MORTIFIED February 10th in Chicago

Many years ago, back when I lived in Boston, MA, I stood up in front of friends and strangers to read embarrassing teenage poetry as part of the Mortified Live Show. After moving to Los Angeles, I hit the stage again so I could mortify myself west-coast style. It's now been ten years. My awful love poems have since been published in Mortified: Love is a Battlefield, and I'm about to return to the stage in Chicago on February 10th to humiliate myself for my new city of residence. 

[UPDATE: Audio of this event can be heard at this link.]

Mortified Valentine Shmalentine Show

Date: Sat Feb 10 @ 6:30PM

Location: Lincoln Hall, Chicago, IL, USA

Address: 2424 N. LINCOLN AVE. CHICAGO, IL 60614

Cost: $20 adv / $23 door

Ages: 21+

Seating: General Admission

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

Mortified stars everyday people reading aloud their most embarrassing, pathetic and private teenage diary entries, poems, love letters, lyrics and locker notes… in front of total strangers. Witness “personal redemption through public humiliation” in a refreshing show that is equal parts comedic, cathartic and voyeuristic. The largest and longest running project of its kind featuring a cast of Chicago’s bravest souls. Share the shame.

Performers include Savannah Cannistraro, Ryan McQueen, Nicole Novak, Morgan Phillips-Spotts, and Brian James Polak! Hosted by Shay DeGrandis. Musical Guest Cover Stories with The Nerdologues!

"I'm Only Sleeping" published in Best 10-Minute Plays of 2017

I’m Only Sleeping was first presented by SHOTZ LA, at The Granada Building, June 6, 2016.

This is my third time published in Smith & Kraus's "Best 10-Minute Plays" anthologies. "Reverse Evolution" appears in the 2009 edition, and "Pass Go: A Monopoly Play" appears in the 2013 edition. Each of these anthologies can be found at Amazon or at Smith & Kraus's website.