South Florida Theatre League Sets Summer Theatre Fest Activities

The Theatre League's Summer Theatre Fest has become an integral part of South Florida's cultural landscape, and this year, South Florida audiences will once again have the opportunity to see theatre for free, check out new plays in development by South Florida playwrights, and tell the world what the arts - and theatre - mean to them. The success of last summer's Come Under Our Umbrella program and play reading series indicated to the League that theatre patrons are ready and willing to try new theatrical experiences, and even cross county lines to do it.

The theme governing this year's Summer Theatre Fest activities is Step Onto Our Stage. A unique 'step and repeat' has been created especially for the program, featuring theatrical curtains in front of a wall imprinted with the League's logo. Patrons will be invited to Step Onto Our Stage to be photographed or videoed 'on stage' as they are interviewed about their theatrical experiences, and the significance of the arts in their lives. The step and repeat, which made its 'debut' at the South Florida Theatre League sponsored Carbonell Awards 'after party', will travel to participating theatres throughout the summer.

Summer Theatre Fest: Each Monday from June 1 to August 31, a South Florida Theatre League member theatre will host a reading of a new play by a local playwright. Playwrights range from established local favorites, including Carbonell Award-winners and nominees, to emerging talents, with plays vastly ranging in subject matter and style. For more details, including a synopsis of each reading, please visit www.southfloridatheatre.com.

Step Onto Our Stage - Reading Schedule:

June 1 - Stages of the Sun: Readings by South Florida Theatre League Playwrights at Fort

Lauderdale Children's Theatre
June 8 - A Girl's Guide to Saving the Universe by Andie Arthur at Lost Girls Theatre at the

Deering Estate
June 15 - Fortuna's Ire by Guillermo Ramon at Storycrafter Studio at the Luna Star Cafe
June 22 - Text M for Murder by Carol White at Arts Garage/Bailey Contemporary Arts
June 29 - Women Who Hate Their Jobs by Leah Roth Barsanti at Evening Star Productions
July 6 - Life and Death by Bob Bowersox at TheatreXP
July 6 - Stages of the Sun Student Edition: Readings of Short Plays by Local Student Playwrights at Area Stage
July 13 - Thirteen is Murder at Mystery on the Menu at Empire Stage
July 20 - Shift of Fortune by Thomas McLaughlin at Delray Beach Playhouse
July 20 - Summer Flights by Local Playwrights at Pigs Do Fly at Empire Stage
July 27 - Wrongful Death by Christopher Demos-Brown at Maltz Jupiter Theatre
July 27 - The Prey by Gina Montet at Mangrove Creative Collective
August 3 - Stung & Wounded by Patricia Wakely Wolf at Main Street Players
August 3 - Grace, Sponsored by Monteverde by Vanessa Garcia at Thinking Cap Theatre at the Vanguard
August 10 - Summer Shorts Tryout Plays at City Theatre at Empire Stage
August 17 - A Brand New Musical at GableStage
August 17 - Summer Play Reading at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts
August 24 - Party Girls by Jessica Farr at Mad Cat Theatre Company at the Sandbox
August 31 - The Dana Plays: Raising Money for the Humane Society***

Free Night of Theater is an audience development program that has proved to be immensely popular since the League first introduced it in 2008. Free Night offers patrons an excellent opportunity to visit a venue they've never been to before, or sample a type of theatre they might not otherwise ever consider. Developed by the Theatre Communications Group (the national organization for American Theatre) about a decade ago to increase audiences, subsequent studies found that approximately 42% of patrons who attend a Free Night of Theatre return to that theatre and purchase tickets. So far, participating theatres include Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, Palm Beach Dramaworks, and Evening Star Productions, however several more theatres are expected to participate.

Patrons can sign up for tickets at http://summerfestfreenight.southfloridatheatre.com/ starting on June 10 for performances during the month of July. The window to enter the lottery will close on June 24, and patrons will find out if they have won tickets on June 29.

The South Florida Theatre League is "an alliance of theatrical organizations and professionals dedicated to nurturing, promoting, and advocating for the growth and prestige of the South Florida theatre industry". To date, the League is the umbrella organization for close to 80 theatres between Key West and Jupiter.

For more information about the South Florida Theatre League, including a list of member theatres and their current and upcoming productions, visit: http://www.southfloridatheatre.com/ or contact Andie Arthur at: andie@southfloridatheatre.com .