“Book of Ezra”
October 4-25
The season will kick off October 4 with the premiere of a one-man play, “Book of Ezra,” written and performed by spoken word artist and national slam poet Leslie Ezra Smith.
“Book of Ezra” chronicles his coming of age and consciousness – growing up as a Black man in America.
Playwrights founder and producing artistic director Mark Clayton Southers will direct.
The riveting show runs through October 25
December of 2014
“Ubuntu Holiday”
“Ubuntu Holiday” by Kim El is a full-length version of a one-act play that was performed as part of the 2013 Theatre Festival in Black and White.
This gentle but thought-provoking comedy, directed by Mils James, is set at a Kwanzaa celebration interrupted by a distrustful Christian guest. Rancor and controversy threaten to disrupt the otherwise festive atmosphere. However, in the end the joy and good feelings of the season win out.
“Christmas Star”
Running in repertory along with “Ubuntu Holiday” will be Ray Werner’s “Christmas Star,” directed by Monteze Freeland.
Also a product of the 2013 Theatre Festival in Black and White, “Christmas Star” tells the story of an Iraq war veteran, his Vietnam-veteran father and bewildered mother, gathering for a Christmas Eve celebration.
Patriotism, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the meaning of family all jostle for attention in this thought-provoking holiday-themed play.
February of 2015
First Annual Pittsburgh Playwrights One Act Play Festival
Formerly known as the Theatre Festival in Black and White, the First Annual Pittsburgh Playwrights One Act Play Festival is open to all Pittsburgh playwrights. This festival will shine a light on Pittsburgh’s diverse communities by soliciting plays from an array of playwrights from various cultural backgrounds. The only requirement is that you’ve lived in the Pittsburgh area for at least two years at some point.
The scripts selected will receive a fully staged production during the festival. The festival will conclude with an awards ceremony where Pittsburgh Playwrights will recognize the talent during the festival.
Find more details at www.pghplaywrights.com.
March/April of 2015
“Dinah”
March 20 – April 12
“Dinah,” a dazzling play about the legendary blues singer Dinah Washington, will run from March 20 – April 12.
Ernest McCarty is both director and playwright of this play set during the last year of the short life of the remarkable woman called the Queen of the Blues.
“Dinah” includes a riveting array of musical numbers and biographical vignettes.
This show provides a powerful insight into the tragic and often controversial life of one of the most popular African-American singers of the 1950s.
May of 2015
May 1 – 31
“Fences”
Returning to familiar ground, Pittsburgh Playwrights artistic director Mark Clayton Southers will direct August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece “Fences,” running May 1 – May 31.
The production will reconfirm Southers and Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company as among the foremost interpreters of the work of Pittsburgh’s most famous playwright.
Set in the 1950s, “Fences” evokes the early rumblings of the civil rights movement. The central character, Troy Maxson, a middle-aged resident of Pittsburgh’s Hill District, is unable to shed the legacy of his failure as a young baseball player. The play follows Troy’s struggle to accept the generational changes that allowed his son to succeed in ways Troy never could.
About Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company
Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company was founded by Mark Clayton Southers in 2003.
Pittsburgh Playwrights is committed to developing and showcasing the works of local playwrights, from accomplished masters like August Wilson and George S. Kaufman to promising new talents. Pittsburgh Playwrights seek to nurture a racially and culturally diverse community of playwrights, directors, actors and technical specialists to hone their craft and to network creative opportunities.
Find more details at www.pghplaywrights.com.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Eric A. Smith, Managing Director
esmith@pghplaywrights.com
412-304-3606
