The Road Theatre to Showcase New Work at Sixth Annual SUMMER PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL, 7/26-8/2

THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY and Taylor Gilbert, Founder/Artistic Director together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director, remain committed to their meaningful mission to produce and develop New Work for the Stage. They are thrilled to announce in this, their 24th season, the sixth annual SUMMER PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL (SPF6).

This year's festival features all new works to Los Angeles and has attracted playwrights from around the country including, Wendy Macleod (The House of Yes, nominated for 6 LADCC for The Water Children, Juvenalia), Vince Melocchi (Ovation Award nominated Lions, LA Weekly Best Play nomination Julia) Julie Marie Myatt (The Happy Ones, LADCC Ted Schmidt Award for Outstanding New Play, Boats on a River, Finalist Susan Smith Blackburn Prize). Lucille Lichtblau (The English Bride, winner the Susan Glaspell Prize and Israel Baran Award. The Hemings Diary, finalist Inkwell/Woolly Mammoth Competition, Weissberger Award finalist. 4 time winner of PATV's Annual New Play Competition.

First receipient of Yale's first MCA Fellowship in Playwriting). Robert Edward Lunney (Boardwalk Empire, Broadway-Born Yesterday, Deuce, Streetcar Named Desire, The Graduate. His Play For Nina was a 2007 O'Neill Playwright's Conference semi-finalist), Laurence Klaven (2 Obie Awards, 2 Barrymore awards and 7 Drama Desk nominations and an Outer Critics Circle nomination for Bed and Sofa), Paden Fallis (award winning The Play About the Coach), Stephanie Walker (The Art of Disappearing- O'Neill Playwright's Conference semi-finalist, Princess Grace award), Kat Ramsburg (Playwright of the Year The Bridge Initiative: Women in Arizona Theatre), Steven Young (The Resurrectionists 2 Joseph Jefferson citations, The Wal*Mart-ians Jerome Fellowship Finalist, The Night We Bombed Lincoln Towing Finalist 2012 Stage West New Play Competition), Jennie Webb (co-founder LA Women's Playwrights Initiative), Steven Simoncic (Once Upon a Time in Detroit 2013 O'Neill Playwright's Conference semi-finalist, Emmy winner, Woodward/Newman Finalist Broken Fences.) Lorenzo Destefano (Winner Los Zafiros:Music From the Edge of Time Winner Grand Festival Award Berkeley Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival Gold Hugo nomination, Talmage Farlow), Jon Kern (2012 Laurents/Hatcher Award Modern Terrorism) Richard Manley (Matches, Winner Oglebay Institute Towngate Prize 2013), Carmen Milito (nominated for 2 Ovation Awards).

THE SUMMER PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL (SPF6) will open on Sunday July 26 at 8pm and run through Sunday August 2 at the Historic Lankershim Arts Center, 5108 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood, CA. Additional performances will be held Wednesday July 29 and Thursday July 30 at The Road on Magnolia in the NoHo Senior Arts Colony located at 10747 Magnolia Blvd North Hollywood.

Road Company members are also highlighted with plays by: Anna Carini, Deana Barone (Peabody Award winner). Bettina Zacar, Lisa Kenner, Shanti Reinhardt. This year's festival features noted directors such as, Taylor Nichols (Barcelona, NAACP Award All My Sons, LA Drama Critics Circle Award), April Webster (Emmy Award Winner-3 nominations, 4 time CSA winner. 11 nominations ), Keith Stevenson (Ovation Award, Out There on Fried Meat Ridge Road) and many Road company members and members of the Los Angeles theater community. This year's Collegiate Playwriting Competition winner is Will Arbery (Northwestern University), and his play, The Mongoose which will be performed Sunday August 2 at 11am. Most of the playwrights whose work is featured will be attending and will participate in a post-show discussion with the audience and cast.

Guest actor include Butch Klein (Grace and Frankie, 24) and Matthew Glave (The Wedding Singer, Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce, Argo) and many other guest actors. Artistic Directors Taylor Gilbert and Sam Anderson on the importance of the festival to the theatre, "The Road's Summer Playwrights Festival offers a wonderfully compressed period of new works and voices from established and emerging playwrights brought to life by the Road ensemble and guest artists who interact in lively discussions with our audiences, different live bands each evening, great food and drink and a tremendous sense of community between artists and theatregoers. An unforgettable event."

LIVE MUSIC! One popular feature of the festival last summer was the live music that was featured during each reading reception in our gallery space. This year's festival will feature the bands and musicians Mleo, Stage 11, Engine of Survival, End of Ever, Theo's Dream, and Irish band sensation, Whiskey Sunday. The reception will be held in our backyard patio-Bettina's Cantina-and will feature wines from Paso Robles Wineries and delicious appetizers and desserts.

Located in the heart of the NoHo Arts district-the fastest growing arts district in Los Angeles County-the company has called the Historic Lankershim Arts Center home for the past 19 seasons. Now on the verge of their Silver Anniversary 25th season of bringing new works to Los Angeles, the company is coming off a very successful 24th season featuring the hit plays Mud Blue Sky by Marisa Wegrzyn (SPF5 Official Selection) and (Melissa Arctic by Craig Wright (SPF1 Official Selection) Things Being What They Are by Wendy MacLeod, The Other Place by Sharr White and The English Bride by Lucille Lichtblau.

Fiercely committed to that most dangerous of theater missions-the dedication to new works-the Road Theatre Company led by founding artistic director Taylor Gilbert and artistic director Sam Anderson, is a multi-award winning theater that has been named one of the top ten intimate theater companies in Los Angeles (LA Weekly). It is home to over 100 theater artists devoted to the creation of the highest level of work. This festival is our way of sharing the process of play development with our community and allows participants playwrights the chance to hear their plays in a professional setting of talent and artistry. The festival is also a fundraising event for the theater to help us launch our Silver Anniversary 25th season, which begins with the SPF5 festival pick Homefree by Lisa Loomer.

A suggested donation of $15 is requested of festival attendees and they are invited to give as little or as much as they want during each day's performance. A week long all play festival pass is available for $50. See as many plays as you want for $50.

Performances are Monday-Friday at 8pm; Saturday at 2pm and 8pm; Sunday at 11am, 2pm and 8pm at the Road on Lankershim and Tuesday-Thursday at 8pm at the Road on Magnolia. Ticket prices are suggested donation of $15; WEEK-LONG FESTIVAL PASS available for $50. Good for any reading any and all days. For more details and to view complete schedule, play descriptions and cast lists visit roadtheatre.org.

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