David Zak News

Five finalists have been named in Pride Films and Plays' Great Gay Screenplay Contest, an international contest for screenplays with LGBT characters and themes. The finalists include a wide range of subject matter ranging from a love triangle set in France, a mystical teenage romance laced with racial tension, a set of non-actors facing possible Hollywood stardom, a sweet coming-of-age tale, and an older man's revelation of painful secrets.

Ten semi-finalists have been named in Pride Films and Plays' Great Gay Screenplay Contest, an international contest for screenplays with LGBT characters and themes.

Pride Films and Plays is pleased to launch its 2013-14 Season with the world premiere of Martin Casella's drama DIRECTIONS FOR RESTORING THE APPARENTLY DEAD directed by David Zak. Winner of PFP's 2013 Great Gay Play Contest, the production will play October 4 - November 10, 2013 at Stage 773's thrust stage, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Tickets are available at www.stage773.com, in person at the Stage 773 Box Office or by calling (773) 327-5252. The press opening is Tuesday, October 8 at 7:30 pm.

Pride Films and Plays announced today that David Leeper, James Nedrud, Robert Ollis, and Raphael Schwartzman had joined the company as New Artistic Ensemble Members. Learn more about each new member below.

Pride Films and Plays is pleased to launch its 2013-14 Season with the world premiere of Martin Casella's drama DIRECTIONS FOR RESTORING THE APPARENTLY DEAD directed by David Zak. Winner of PFP's 2013 Great Gay Play Contest, the production will play October 4 - November 10, 2013 at Stage 773's thrust stage, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Tickets go on sale Saturday, August 10 at www.stage773.com, in person at the Stage 773 Box Office or by calling (773) 327-5252.

AND THE WINNER WASN'T III celebrates the great music of Broadway performed by the very best of Chicago's outstanding musical theater talent.

Due to popular demand, Celebration Theatre has announced that the Los Angeles Premiere of a new play, AT THE FLASH, written by Sean Chandler and David Leeper, performed by David Leeper and directed by David Zak is EXTENDING through Saturday, June 1 at Celebration Theatre, 7051B Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood.

Pride Films and Plays announces that Directions for Restoring the Apparently Dead by Martin Casella was named the winner of the 2013 Great Gay Play Contest. In this lovely new drama, past and present collide when a straight man and gay man reconnect after life-shattering experiences.

Celebration Theatre has announced an added show to its Celebratory 30th Anniversary Season, the Los Angeles Premiere of a new play, AT THE FLASH, written by Sean Chandler and David Leeper, performed by David Leeper and directed by David Zak. AT THE FLASH began previews on Wednesday, May 15th and will open on Friday, May 17th and will perform through Sunday, May 26th at the Celebration Theatre, 7051b Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood.

Five thrilling new works will be showcased in Pride Films and Plays Gay Play Weekend May 17 to 19 at Center on Halsted's Hoover-Leppen Theater. They include:

Celebration Theatre has announced an added show to its celebratory 30th Anniversary Season, the Los Angeles premiere of a new play, AT THE FLASH, written by Sean Chandler, performed by David Leeper and directed by David Zak. AT THE FLASH will begin previews tonight, May 15th and will open on Friday, May 17th and will perform through Sunday, May 26th at Celebration Theatre, 7051B Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood.

Five thrilling new works will be showcased in Pride Films and Plays Gay Play Weekend May 17 to 19 at Center on Halsted's Hoover-Leppen Theater. They include:

3 Squares Productions, LLC, will be presenting their first play, the World Premiere comedy "Lipstick Goes On Last," written by Cheryl Thomas and Gary Malinowski, and directed by Jeff Award-winning David Zak, at the Den Theater through June 23rd. Performances begin on Saturday, May 25th.

Celebration Theatre has announced an added show to its celebratory 30th Anniversary Season, the Los Angeles premiere of a new play, AT THE FLASH, written by Sean Chandler, performed by David Leeper and directed by David Zak. AT THE FLASH will begin previews on Wednesday, May 15th and will open on Friday, May 17th and will perform through Sunday, May 26th at Celebration Theatre, 7051B Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood.

Chandler Center for the Arts and Pride Films and Plays bring the 3rd season of Summer Pride to Chandler Music Hall in Randolph, Vermont, July 12-14 and July 19-21. The festival -- the only one of its kind in the state -- was inaugurated in 2011 as a way to facilitate conversations among gay and lesbian Vermonters, their friends and family members, and the broader community.

The Jeff Awards Committee today announced 120 nominations in 25 categories of Non-Equity Jeff Awards for productions that opened between April 1, 2012, and March 31, 2013. The Non-Equity Awards honor excellence in Chicago theatres not under a union contract. Jeff judges attended opening nights of 146 productions offered by 65 Non-Equity producing organizations. The judges recommended 54 of those shows, making them eligible for Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations. Thirty-three theatre companies received nominations.

The Bachelors, a new screenplay by Rick Kinnebrew and Martha Meyer, continues its development process with an enhanced reading in Chicago on Wednesday, May 29, followed by a highly anticipated performance in the historic Mineral Point Opera House on Sunday June 2.

Running almost every Wednesday through Sunday between now and April 21, 2013, is a world premiere musical that is certainly worth seeing. It's "Under A Rainbow Flag," with book, music and lyrics by Chicagoan Leo Schwartz, and based on the recollections of the now 91-year-old Jon Phillips, living in retirement in Evanston and present on opening night. The show is running in the Profiles Theatre Main Stage space at 4139 N. Broadway, in Chicago's Buena Park neighborhood, in the Uptown community area.

Based on the real-life story of a WWII naval corpsman Jon Philips (who lives in Evanston, Illinois), Under A Rainbow Flag is an high-energy work about a group of soldiers who meet on a transport train heading west from Chicago and about the choices they make during and after the war. BroadwayWorld has a first look at Pride Films and Plays' upcoming production below!