Christian Campbell and Sydney Schmidt rehearsing "Skittles." Jeff Malet Photography
Not standing still, the McLean Drama Company (MDC) has broadened its mission and will soon produce its annual festival of new, award-winning 10-minute plays in a new location: the Woolly Mammoth Rehearsal Hall in Washington, D.C.
Where and When
McLean Drama Company Stage Readings, Woolly Mammoth Rehearsal Hall, 641 D Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. Performances: Friday and Saturday, Sept. 21-22, 8 p.m. Tickets: $20 at the door. Half-price tickets available on-line at www.ticketplace.org. For Information email: rachbail@yahoo.com.
We want people to "come away from these performances feeling that they have seen exciting new work, expressing the unique voice of emerging talent; and with a greater enthusiasm for the theatre and for supporting new original plays and playwrights," said Rachel Bail, founder and president, MDC.
"We decided to expand the McLean Drama Company's 10-Minute Play Contest," Bail said. "People all over the country should have the opportunity to have their work considered."
The Woolly Mammoth Rehearsal Hall was selected as the venue since Woolly Mammoth "concentrates on new work and produce emerging playwrights," continued Bail. There will be three new plays produced as fully staged readings, though without full costumes or full sets. Audience feedback will be solicited. There will also be musical interludes between plays with tunes from the famed "Fiddler on the Roof."
This year's winning play "True Colors" is by Deborah Dashow Ruth, a Dramatist Guild member. The storyline follows a married couple as they face the changing roles and directions of their lives. It is a snapshot in time as marital roles were changing.
The two other MDC 10-minute play contest winners include "Skittles" by Jennifer Stafford. It is a dark comic fantasy as an ice fishing trip leads two men face to face with fate as they sit by a fishing hole. "Death Valley DQ," by Brett Rebecca is a roadside drama set in a town full of lost souls longing for more to life on the last day of operation of a local Dairy Queen.
Stevie Zimmerman, a seasoned director from Falls Church, will bring the original works to life. "I hope we will create more interest in new work, and show audiences that the old chestnuts have their place but the lifeblood of any art form is what is being created now."
"I enjoy the process of exposing new work to audiences and giving writers the chance to really hear their work not just in their own heads," said Zimmerman. Some might think staged readings "aren't dramatic or fun or 'real plays.' These will be!"