NEOMFA Playwrights Festival Opens 2/11 at convergence-continuum

convergence-continuum presents four world-premiere plays by local graduate-student playwrights at the 2016 NEOMFA Playwrights Festival. The Festival features two full-length (two-act) plays by final-year MFA candidates Logan Smith and Lisa Langford, and two short one-act plays by second-year grad students Jaclyn Cifranic and Samuel Amazing. These plays are part of a three-year intensive program of study under playwright and Cleveland State University professor Mike Geither, and are co-produced by convergence-continuum and the Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts (NEOMFA) in Creative Writing consortium. This will be the fifth year convergence-continuum has mounted the Festival at its performance space, the Liminis, 2438 Scranton Rd, Cleveland 44113 in the historic Tremont neighborhood.

Feb 11, 12, 13: A double bill of the 10-minute play: The Last Word by JC Cifranic

and the two-act The Panther Dancer by Logan Smith. Thu-Sat at 8 pm

Feb 18, 19, 20: The 20-minute play The Last Stand on Mango Street by Samuel Amazing, with the two-act .The Split Show by L. Langford. Thu-Sat at 8 pm.

The Last Word by JC Cifranic is about two hitmen who are conducting business as usual - until one comment sets off a discussion about an unmentioned pet peeve. Directed by con-con director Cory Molner and featuring Lucy Bredeson-Smith, Charles Hargrave and Ryan Mayer.

The Panther Dancer by Logan Smith is a playful synthesis of biographical fact and tabloid journalism, tracing the arc of Michael Jackson's life by staging the many mediated images of it. Michael wanted, in his own person, to be the greatest show on earth. And perhaps he was. And here Michael's meteoric rise and tragic fall are rendered a sidelong glance in fast-forward. Directed by con-con's Clyde Simon and featuring Dave Flynt, Zac Hudak, Miguel Osborne, Pamela Morton and Monica Zach.

The Last Stand on Mango Street by Samuel Amazing is a twenty-minute, one-person play following a grocery shop owner as he lives through the last day of Earth. Or the first day of the Apocalypse, however you'd like to look at it. Directed by con-con's Geoffrey Hoffman and featuring Robert Branch.

The Split Show by L. Langford explores what happens when compassion and understanding help shrink the empathy gap. Momdukes is the sassy, irascible neighbor of the Wilsons, a raucous African-American family embroiled in domestic dysfunction. The Brusteins are a white, liberal, NPR-listening, Whole-Foods-loving couple expecting their first child. The Wilson's and the Brustein's worlds couldn't be further apart-until a monumental mix-up and a fateful night bring the two families together. Inspired by actual events in Northeast Ohio. Directed by guest director Jimmie Woody and featuring Lisa Langford, Tamicka Scruggs, Eric Sever, Gregg White and Kim Woodward.

The 2016 NEOMFA Playwrights Festival opens Thursday, Feb. 11 and runs at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through Feb. 20 at the Liminis, 2438 Scranton Rd., Cleveland, OH 44113. Tickets are $10 general and $5 for students. Tickets and information at convergence-continuum.org or 216-687-0074.