CARNEGIE, PA — On August 23, 2015 the Pittsburgh New Works Festival kicks off their 25th anniversary season of producing world premiere plays.
The Pittsburgh New Works Festival (PNWF) is dedicated to fostering the development of original one-act plays. Each year, 18 new one-act plays are given world premiere productions by Pittsburgh region theater companies during the six weeks of the festival.
The on-going mission for the Festival is the encouragement and support of playwrights worldwide and production of original one-act plays. Since its founding in 1991, PNWF has served as a collaborative organization, pooling the talents and rich resources of western Pennsylvania’s emerging theater community and playwrights from around the world in a series of creative activities.
As it does each year, the Festival begins with two free evenings of “staged readings,” each at 7pm. Each evening of plays, during both the Staged Reading portion and Main Stage Festival, includes the performance of three one-act plays.
STAGED READINGS
August 23
1) Glue by John Seibel from Pittsburgh (produced by Industrial Gardens)
2) Extraordinary Lies by James Baden from Columbia, MO (produced by Comtra Theater)
3) Flabby Abby by J. Thalia Cunningham from Delmar, NY (produced by Prime Stage Theatre)
August 30
1. Girl In the Washroom by Bella Poynton from Williamsville, NY (produced by R-ACT)
2. Turning of the Screw by Warren Holleman from Houston, TX (produced by Pittsburgh New Works)
3. Town Hall Incident by Fred Perry from Roswell, GA (produced by University of Pittsburgh Stages)
MAIN STAGE PLAYS
PROGRAM A
1. Prodigal Returns by Garry Kluger from La Crescenta, CA (produced by CCAC South)
2. Empty Plots by Chris Gavaler from Lexington, VA (produced by Stage Right Boyd)
3. Two by Eugenie Carabatsos from Pittsburgh (produced by Thoreau, NM – – A Production Company)
PROGRAM B
1. Queen Steffi by Zac Thompson from Chicago, IL (produced by Actors Civic Theatre)
2. Sweet Tea and Cadillacs by Ben Torbush from Barcelona, Spain (produced by Cup-A-Jo Productions)
3. The Old Maid and Her Old Goose by Kyle John Schmidt from Austin, TX (produced by Theater Factory)
PROGRAM C
1. Gravity Between Us by Josie Rush from Pittsburgh (produced by Duquesne Red Masquers)
2. The Man Who Got Away by Jeffrey James from Ontario, CA (produced by Phase 3 Productions)
3. Rules of Discovery by Andrew Ade from New Wilmington, PA (produced by Duquesne The Summer Company)
PROGRAM D
1. Grim Tidings by Dennis Jones from Powhatan, VA (produced by Heritage Players)
2. Nana’s Home Movies by F.J. Hartland from Johnstown, PA (produced by McKeesport Little Theater)
3. The Green Eyed Monster by Michael Wolfson from Valley Village, CA (produced by South Hills Players)
The four programs of “Main Stage” plays are presented in a true festival format, alternating performances between programs A & B the first two weeks of September and C & D for the final two weeks.
[example: week 1, Thursday = A, Friday = B, Saturday @ 4 = A, Saturday @ 8 = B, Sunday = A… then the pattern continues with B starting off week 2]
All performances will be held at Carnegie Stage (formerly Off The Wall Theater), 25 W. Main Street, Carnegie, PA 15106. Main Stage performance times are 8pm Th-Sat with additional matinees at 4pm on Saturdays and 2pm Sundays.
Single tickets start at $12 and Festival Passes are available for $40. Tickets are available via PittsburghNewWorks.org or by calling ShowClix at 888-71-TICKETS.
2015 marks the 25th year of the Pittsburgh New Works Festival, truly a landmark milestone for the organization. Leading up to the Festival, a variety of events such as monthly play reading programs and presentations of previously-produced works from over PNWF’s history have been presented in a variety of venues around the greater Pittsburgh area. This kind of year-long programming is an integral part of the Festival’s strategic plan.
The Pittsburgh New Works Festival is proud to be supported by WQED as Media Sponsor for the 25th anniversary season.
