Depot News
News and notes about playwrights and readers featured in this series. Congratulations to all on their many successes!
Dates in parentheses indicate a season when a playwright’s work was read at the Depot. See the Past Seasons Page for more information.
Minigan at Moonbox in June
Moonbox Productions will mount John Minigan’s “Covenant” (2022) as part of their third Boston New Works Festival. The production runs from 20 to 23 June at the Calderwood Pavilion.
Dean Productions is producing “Covenant” as an audio script, as well.
flock’s jane Eyre at The Shaw
Flock Theatre will mount a new production of Jane Eyre in New London’s history Shaw Mansion from 17 May to 26 May (Fridays and Saturdays at 7 PM and Sundays at 2 PM). Julie Butters adapted the Charlotte Brontë novel for the production, and Flock Associate Artistic Director Victor Chiburis directs. The cast includes Julie Butters and Eric Michaelian as Jane and Rochester. Tickets are available here: https://events.humanitix.com/jane-eyre-n8h9dedr
Playwrights’ Platform Festival
Playwrights’ Platform mounts “Wild Life,” a new play festival, 11-12 May at the Boston Playwrights’ Theatre. For tickets: https://www.ticketsource.us/playwrights-platform
Butters celebrates the Bard
Julie Butters celebrates Shakespeare birthday with a podcast produced by ReachArts. Julie reads poems about Shakespeare and his characters, including two poems of her own. Download the podcast from ReachArts: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1734809?client_source=large_player&iframe=true&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buzzsprout.com%2F1734809.js%3Fcontainer_id&player=large
Ringel nominated for IGA Prize
Faye Ringel is one of fourteen scholars who have made the longlist for the 2024 Allan Lloyd Smith Prize for Best Monograph for her 2022 publication, The Gothic Literature and History of New England: Secrets of the Restless Dead (Anthem). The prize is sponsored by the International Gothic Association, and the prize will be presented in Nova Scotia, Canada in July.
Cooney and Hernandez Guests of Honor at Heliosphere
C. S. E. (Claire) Cooney and Carlos Hernandez are invited Special Guests at the annual Science Fiction and Fantasy convention HELIOsphere, May 3rd to 5th in Piscataway, New Jersey. They join Neil Clarke and David Gerrold for the honors.
Putt publishes new guide book
Barry M. Putt, Jr. has published Stories Told Through Sounds: The Craft of Writing Audio Dramas for Podcasts, Streaming, and Radio, available from numerous bookstores. For links, visit Barry’s website: https://www.barrymputtjr.com/stories-told-through-sound
Barry will promote the book in a free talk on May 10, 2024 at Mercer County (NJ) Teen Arts Festival held at Mercer County Community College, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Rushton produces shows
Jack Rushton (2021, 2022) and the Playwrights’ Collaboratiive (TPC) and its Traveling Troupe have been performing short plays to raise money for local non-profits, including The Actors Studio, Salisbury, MA, The Chelmsford Center for the Arts, Chelmsford, MA, and The Chocolate Church Arts Center, Bath, ME. To date the performances of eight short plays have raised $8,000 for sponsoring organizations.
Jack and TPC and the Traveling Troupe next perform at The Custom House Maritime Museum in Newburyport, MA on Sunday April 28 and Sunday, May 5, 2024. For more information and tickets, visit: https://customhousemaritimemuseum.org/events/
Brodie’s “Invincible” Premiers
Hole in the Wall Theater will mount the world premier of Kevin Brodie’s “Invincible Summer” (2021) the weekend of 3-5 May.
For tickets: https://holeinthewall.vbotickets.com/event/invincible_summer_-_presented_by_actors_ensemble/123103
Reynolds in “The Crucible”
Elizabeth Reynolds has been cast as Tituba in the Escapism Productions’ upcoming The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, presented with Connecticut Landmarks at the historic 17th-century Hempsted Houses in New London. The production runs April 20-21 and April 27-28 with performances at 2 PM and 6 PM. For tickets: https://escapismproductions.ticketbud.com/the-crucible
Blairs team up in delaware
George and Michele Blair have been cast as a husband and wife in the comedy mystery The Night I Died at the Palace Theatre to be mounted at the Smyma Opera House 10-12 May.
Williams to Play Stage Manager
Christie Max Williams will play the Stage Manager in Granite Theatre’s spring production of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town. Opening on 26 April, the play runs through 12 May. Tickets available here: https://www.granitetheatre.org/shows-and-events/our-town
Brodie wins for “Leviathan”
Kevin Brodie (2021) has won top honors for his new one-act “Leviathan” at the Tennessee Williams New Orleans Literary Festival. The award included a staged reading of the play.
Meagher’s “Cat’s PJ’s” Streams
In October, Teatro Paraguas produced “Cat’s Pajamas,” a new play by Vicki Meagher (2021). A recorded version of that production is now available to stream through Xerb TV for $5.00. To watch, visit https://xerb.tv/channel/teatro-paraguas/virtual-events/3552. The production will be available to stream through August 3, 2024.
Latham monologue published
Smith and Kraus have published Grumio’s monologue from the short play “Best Beware My Sting” by Donna Latham (2021, 2022). The monologue appears in the 2024 edition of The Best Men’s Stage Monologues, edited by Debbie Lamedman.
MABey’s “everything” At Inge
John Mabey (2022) travels to the William Inge Theatre Festival this April with his one-act play “Everything in Between” for the 7th Annual New Play Lab. John joins a group of thirteen playwrights whose work will receive professional staged readings with feedback. Playwrights will also attend playwriting classes and receive admission to the Inge Theatre Festival events.
Shames wins guild fellowship
Germain Shames (2021) has been selected for a 2024-2025 Dramatists Guild Foundation National Fellowship. Germaine joins a class of eleven playwrights. Through the program, Germaine will be able to attend workshops and receive mentorship in developing her work for productions.
McCluskey Gets Best Actor NOm
Maeve McCluskey has been nominated by BroadwayWorld Boston for Best Performer in a Musical (non professional) for her performance as the Baker in Colonial Chorus Players’ spring 2023 production of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods.
Anne is Podcast guest
Anne appears on Rachel Feeny-Williams’ Theatrical Shenanigans podcast, season 2, episode 6. The podcast features an audio performance of Ryan Kaminski’s “The Deal” with Vivian Howard and Arthur Nelligan. Afterwards, Rachel and Anne discuss the play. To listen to this episode and other episodes of Rachel’s podcast: https://theatricalshenanigans.podbean.com/e/s02-e06-episode-6-the-deal-anne-flammang/
Anne also appears as a guest on George Sapio’s Onstage/Offstage Podcast, Episode #171. You can find the podcast here: https://onstageoffstage.podbean.com/
Both podcasts are fantastic and quite distinct in format, so check out other episodes and support theater podcasters!
PUTT publishes children’s book
Barry M. Putt’s (2018) A Nutty Tale was published 1 December and is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, among other outlets. For more information and links to online stores, see: https://www.barrymputtjr.com/about-8
Barry has also published a guide to audio narratives, Stories Told through Sound: The Craft of Writing Audio Dramas for Podcasts, Streaming, and Radio. The book is available from Applause: http://applausebooks.com/books/9781493065349
hoffman finalist for Stanley
Lynn Hoffman (2021) was a finalist for the 2023 Stanley Drama Award for her play “Martha and Me.” Lynn received a Playwriting Fellowship from the Connecticut Commission of the Arts. In 2021, Caravan Theatre Company gave the play its first reading, under the direction of Elizabeth Bove.
For more information about the 2023 Stanley Drama Awards, visit:
https://www.silive.com/gracelyn/2023/10/wagner-college-announces-the-magicians-sister-the-winner-of-2023-stanley-drama-award-ceremony-set-for-oct-26.html#:~:text=STATEN%20ISLAND%2C%20N.Y.,Rub%2C%E2%80%9D%20by%20Kim%20E.
Flock Theatre in the Times
Flock Theatre’s annual Burning of Benedict Arnold, part of the Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival, has been covered by the Associated Press and the New York Times. For more about this singular Flock production, see:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/19/nyregion/benedict-arnold-connecticut.html
https://apnews.com/article/benedict-arnold-new-london-effigy-c956ffafab213136e71593939e9ef7cb
Beardsley named Executive Director at speakeasy
David Beardsley (2019, ‘21) has been named the inaugural Executive Director at Boston’s SpeakEasy Stage Company. The SpeakEasy board conducted a national search and selected David because of his multifaceted experience in non-profit leadership, his outstanding managerial skills, and his passion for theater.
“yella Jack” semi-finalist
“Yella Jack” by Donna Latham (2021, ‘22) was named one of 30 semi-finalists, out of 411 submissions, in the 2023 the Morgan-Wixson Theatre New Works Festival, Santa Monica. Other Depot playwrights who were named finalists or semi-finalists include Lisa Dellagiarino Feriend (2022), Rachel Feeny-Williams (2023), Amy Tofte (2022), John Minigan (2018, ‘19, ‘21, ‘22), John Mabey (2022), and Nayna Agrawal (2021).
Sapio Named Macdowell fellow
George Sapio (2022) was named a 2023 MacDowell Fellow. George was resident at the Peterborough, NH campus in March: “I could wax prolific about my time there, but suffice to say it was a watershed….”
Eli play premier at Purple rose Theatre
Quinn D. Eli’s (2018, 2021) “In Common” will see its world premier at Purple Rose Theatre Company in Chelsea, MI. Purple Rose was founded by actor Jeff Daniels, who still serves as Artistic Director. The production will be directed by Rhiannon Ragland and will open 21 April.
Hamilton and Chon Text published
Dramaturgy: The Basics, the new textbook by Anne Hamilton and Walter Byongsok Chon, has been published by Routledge. In 2016, the Depot presented the one-woman musical, “My Mother’s Daughter,” by one of Anne Hamilton’s clients, Beth Rontal.
“Yella Jack” Monologue published
Omi Friday’s “I do despise the color red” monologue, from Donna Latham’s (2021, 2022) “Yella Jack,” has been published by Smith and Krause in Best Women’s Stage Monologues 2022.
“Yella Jack” also was named a finalist for production at Heller Theatre Company in Tulsa, OK.
Surowiecki’s “Solitaires” in print
John Surowiecki (2016) has published his 14th collection of poetry: The Place of the Solitaires: Poems from Titles by Wallace Stevens. The volume is available from Wolfson Press and Amazon.
BOSTON PODCAST Players
Season Three of Boston Podcast Players features interviews with playwrights who reflect on the impact of the pandemic. Highly recommended listening. Find the podcast on iTunes and on the BPP website.
