City Theatre Presents FREE Taste of Summer Shorts on March 4 at the Olympia Theater

City Theatre continues its 20th anniversary celebration with In the Lobby Lounge . . . CITY THEATRE!, a special program presented by City Theatre and the Olympia Theater that features six directed readings of short plays that are in consideration for future production and/or are part of the City Theatre National Award for Short Playwriting Contest. This one-night-only FREE event takes place on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 in the Lobby Lounge of the Olympia Theater at Gusman Center.

"We are very happy to have a downtown location and the opportunity to reach new audiences who are attending the Olympia Theater's 'In the Lobby Lounge' series. These attendees are exactly the kind of sophisticated audience who can provide meaningful feedback about the new works they are hearing." said City Theatre's Literary Director and Co-Founder Susan Westfall.

Directed by City Theatre Producing Artistic Director John Manzelli, In the Lobby Lounge . . . CITY THEATRE! will give audiences a first-hand role in the process that scripts go through on their way from page to stage. Audiences serve as critic and supporter, or even as actor, while also having a peek at what makes City Theatre a center for fresh, new works.

"These evenings are an entertaining way for audiences to help City Theatre find great plays from among the hundreds of submissions that the company has received for its annual SUMMER SHORTS FESTIVAL," said Manzelli.

This year's winning play of the City Theatre National Award for Short Playwrighting Contest is guaranteed a production in the 20th annual SUMMER SHORTS FESTIVAL that will take place from June 4 - 28, 2015 at The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, along with an incredible line-up of scripts penned by the country's best writers. The playwright will also receive a $1,000 cash prize, royalties, and an invitation to Miami for the festival and to take part in the Citywrights: Professional Weekend for Playwrights from June 25 - 28, 2015.

The Olympia Theater's "In the Lobby Lounge" series is sponsored by the Miami Downtown Development Authority, with grant funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

"The project is an exciting one," said Olympia's Executive Director Robert Geitner. "To offer free performing arts activity in the lobby of the theater to draw new audiences to the venue and enhance the cultural experience for a new Downtown Miami neighborhood." The theater's ornately decorated lobby is transformed cabaret-style with tables and a small stage complete with lights and drape to create a wonderfully acoustic and intimate performance venue.

In the Lobby Lounge...CITY THEATRE! is a FREE event that is open to the public. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the readings will start at 6:30 p.m. Cocktails will be available at the cash bar. Attendees are invited to enjoy a guided tour of the historic Olympia Theater during intermission.

For more information on City Theatre, call (305) 755-9401 or visit www.citytheatre.com.

About City Theatre

City Theatre is a professional theatre company in Miami, FL that will celebrate 20 years of dedication to the development and production of new work, specifically the short play format in 2015. Since its inception, the company has received over 17,000 national script submissions (with over 900 submitted for this season alone) and produced over 400 original short plays by established playwrights and important new voices in the theatre industry. Best known for its award-winning Summer Shorts - America's Short Play Festival, City Theatre also presents in its annual programming Shorts 4 Kids, CityWrights: Professional Weekend for Playwrights Conference, and the LGBT-themed Shorts Gone Wild Festival. The company fulfills its educational mission with the Short Cuts Educational Tour that introduces students throughout South Florida to the art of theatre.

Visit www.citytheatre.com for more information.

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