After 32 years, it seems as if every year everyone and his agent sends a one-act play script to The Ensemble Studio Theatre for its annual marathon of one-act plays, the oldest, acclaimed one-act play festival in the country. This year is no exception with 886 one-act scripts totaling 21,264 pages which were read by 17 readers over 5 months. From that, Ensemble Studio Theatre artistic director William Carden has selected 10 plays to be presented on two separate programs for the Ensemble Studio Theatre's 2010 Marathon of One-Act Plays May 21 through June 26
The playwrights to make this year's cut are for Series A Robert Askins, Ben Rosenthal, Daniel Reitz, Amy Fox and Adam Kraar and for Series B Laura Jacqmin, David Auburn, Rachel Bonds, Laura Maria Censabella and Jacquelyn Reingold. This year's Marathon of One-act Plays takes place at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, 549 West 52nd Street. Series A begins previews May 21 for an opening May 24 and Series B begins previews June 5 for an opening June 10.
"We mix emerging writers with established writers," said Mr. Carden. "We go for plays where stuff really happens Actions and impact and nothing predictable. This year's outstanding lineup of playwrights are voices of richness, texture and daring."
The casts too will mix the merging with the established and will be announced in the days ahead.
Series A begins previews May 21, opens May 24 (runs through June 19).
Matthew and the Pastor's Wife by Robert Askins, directed by John Giampetro
Matthew is a small town sinner and Dorothy is the pastor's wife. When they kiss the world starts to fly apart and only something awful can put it back together.
Robert Askins has been commissioned by Divercity Theatre and Baylor University and has been produced in New York, Los Angeles, Prague, Belfast and Waco, Texas. His play critically acclaimed Princes of Waco received a mainstage production at EST last January.
Safe by Ben Rosenthal, directed by Carolyn Cantor
A rug salesman is roused out of bed to bail his stepson out of jail after the boy assaults a girl at a party.
One of EST's newest artist members, Ben Rosenthal's plays include Welcome Back, Buddy Combs, The Bog Lacuna and The Monkey Puzzle Tree.
Turnabout by Daniel Reitz, directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel
An actor in trouble summons the courage to invite his bitter ex-boyfriend for coffee, not in search of closure or rekindling but to ask a tremendous favor of his ex's newfound wealth.
Daniel Reitz's most recent play, Studies For A Portrait, is currently running Off-West End at the King's Head Theatre in London. His screenplays include Urbania (Lionsgate Films), which he adapted from his play Urban Folk Tales. His Self-Portrait in a Blue Room was in EST's 2007 Marathon.
Where the Children Are by Amy Fox, based on an original story by Caitlin Shetterly and Amy Fox, directed by Abigail Zealey Bess
This play has five parents of soldiers serving overseas finding ways to support their children and hold onto hope.
Playwright and screenwriter Amy Fox has been produced by theaters in New York, London, San Francisco, Austin, and St. Paul. She adapted her one-act Heights into a feature film produced by Merchant Ivory.
Wild Terrain by Adam Kraal, directed by Richmond Hoxie
Two scrappy seniors battle over love, art and the relativity of memory as they navigate their fiery relationship.
Adam Kraar has had plays produced and developed by Primary Stages, N.Y. Stage and Film, Public Theatre, Urban Stages, Theatreworks U.S.A, GeVa Theatre and others.
Series A Performance Schedule:
Previews May 21, at 7:00pm, May 22, at 2:00pm and 7:00pm, and May 23 at 7:00pm;
Opens May 24 at 7:00pm, and runs May 27, 28 and 29 and June 11, 14, 17 and 19 at 7:00pm with matinees May 29 and June 12 at 2:00pm, May 30 at 3pm and June 6 at 5:00pm.
