The Mendocino College Theatre Arts Department will present the Thirteenth Annual Festival of New Plays on Friday and Saturday, May 20 and 21 at 8 PM in the College’s Little Theatre, Room 710, on the Ukiah campus.
The festival features eleven new plays by local playwrights. Each play is approximately ten minutes long and will be presented at both performances. Some of the plays were developed in English professor Jody Gehrman’s writing classes; others were submitted by writers from throughout Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma counties. Gehrman is also the production’s dramaturge, helping develop the scripts.
The plays are directed by Mendocino College directing students under the guidance of theatre professor Reid Edelman. The short plays cover a wide range of topics and performance styles. This year, the festival will also feature original lighting designs by students in the college Stage Lighting class, under the direction of instructor Steve Wilson. The production Technical Director is David Wolf. According to Edelman, “This annual festival is one of the college theatre program’s most exciting projects, and this year’s line-up of plays is a very exciting mix.”
In “Saturday,” a hilarious play by Monique Marmon, a hopelessly boring auditor named Susan is thrown into a chaotic storm of events by a mysterious stranger. The director is Ilena Pegan; the cast includes Melany Katz and Harrison Hazen.
Alice Gully is directing Don Samson’s play “Moxie,” a 1950s period piece in which two worlds collide when a dysfunctional Hollywood couple descends upon a rural New York farmer and his grandson at their road-side apple stand. The cast features Zachary McQueen, Frank Braverman, Andrea McCullough and Kevin Klay.
Next, Jacquelyn Wells’ play “Birthday Presence” is a story about growing up, and taking responsibility for one’s actions. According to director Kevin Klay, the play “reminds us to be aware of how the things we say and do effect those around us. Prepare to laugh, cry and celebrate in a place where ‘everybody knows your name.’” The cast includes Charley Sawyer, Libby Guthrie, Justus Hawks and Shannon Sawyer.
"Tales From The Hood: The Case of Little Red Rider," by playwright Kevin Klay, explores the true intentions of those involved in the well-known tale. This hip hop-Dragnet spin on the classic gives the audience an opportunity to decide for themselves if the wolf really is "big" and "bad" or if he is simply being a wolf. The cast includes Meghan Baker, Andrea McCullough and Maxwell Hovland. The director is Ayla Decaire.
"Always in My Head" by Cecile Mitchell and directed by Teresa Etter, is a heartwarming play about a young widow that is letting go of her beloved, deceased husband, and moving forward from the past to a future full of hope and love. The cast features Melissa Chapman, Will Schlosser and Thomas Kenney.
In Thomas Kenney’s “Two Sides, One Kind,” a British and a German soldier in World War I meet in a trench ad reflect upon the nature of war. The director is Shannon Sawyer, and the cast includes Ari Sunbeam, Cooper Clark and Brad McClanahan.
Next, director William Schlosser invites audiences to enter the dark twisted depths of playwright Deneb T. Hall’s world of utmost madness in the play "Dirty Little Bottle.” The cast features Brad McClanahan, Marco Orozco, Ayla Decaire, Maxwell Hovland, Fallon Hovland and Justus Hawks.
“Community Service by Noelle Lammouchi, is a disturbing psychological study of a seemingly all-American teenage girl. The director is Liana Edington. The cast features Joy Brown, Stacey Sheldon and Monique Marmon.
In Jason Edington’s play “Perfect,” a young married couple plans for a Christmas celebration forever altered by a life-changing revelation. Director Thomas Kenney leads a cast which includes Joni McLeod and Charley Sawyer.
Kristin Hills’ “A Blanket for Bartholomew,” is a deeply troubling play which unfolds on a park-bench. A woman gets more than she bargained for in a seemingly innocent conversation with a teenage girl knitting a blanket for her baby son. The director is Sasha Guleff. The cast includes Andrea McCullough and Sydney Del Secco.
Finally, the play “Starbucks on Broadway,” by Scott Lummer, is a boy meets girl story with an upbeat twist. Add an over-the-top barrista with an eye for subtext and hilarity ensues. The director is Kristin Hills. The cast features Monique Marmon, Ilena Pegan, and James Blake.
Tickets are available in Ukiah at Mendocino Book Company and the Mendocino College Bookstore, and online at www.ArtsMendocino.org. This production is recommended for ages 14 and up, as some of the plays are for mature audiences and include disturbing themes. Admission is $10. This production is expected to sell out quickly, so audience members are encouraged to purchase tickets soon! For more information, call Reid Edelman at 468-3172.