Ojai Playwrights Conference's New Works Festival to Open 8/7

The Ojai Playwrights Conference (OPC), one of the most acclaimed new play developmental programs in the country, announces its 16th season with an extraordinary program of playwrights, new play workshops and special performance events from August 7 through 11, 2013 in Ojai, California. The OPC Summer New Works Festival will feature eleven events over five days with established and up-and-coming playwrights. Participating in this year's conference with new works are Luis Alfaro (winner of the National Hispanic Playwriting Prize), Lucy Alibar, Richard Cabral, Samuel D. Hunter, Sean Lewis, Jiehae Park, Laura Schellhardt and David Wiener. Alice Tuan will be this year's "Writer-In-Residence," and as always, there will be two unforgettable "Intersection Series" events: one featuring a first-ever musical theatre collaboration Walt Disney Imagineering, Creative Entertainment, and the other showcasing the talents of actors, writers, songwriters and storytellers in an evening of profound solo performances.
Tickets may be purchased online at www.ojaiplays.org or by calling (805) 640-0400.

The Ojai Playwrights Conference is a non-profit organization focused on playwrights and the development of their new plays. The OPC was founded on the belief that gathering a community of world-class theatre artists together in a place of extraordinary beauty can lead to a collaborative process that enables these artists to qualitatively rework and refine their dramatic vision.
Every summer for the past 15 years, theatre professionals and enthusiastic audiences from Southern California have converged in Ojai Valley to participate in the new play development process. Under the direction of Artistic Director/Producer Robert Egan, playwrights from all backgrounds join together for an intensive two-week, in-residence workshop. This process culminates in OPC's popular public performance series - the Ojai Playwrights Conference Summer New Works Festival.

Egan comments, "It is our mission to help nurture playwrights and plays that speak with integrity, intelligence and imagination to the burning social, ethical & political issues of our time. We are thrilled to announce that for the first time in our 16 year history, OPC was recognized for its work with funding for new program development from the National Endowment for the Arts." With this grant, OPC will present 8 new play workshops this year, instead of just six.

In addition to the presentation of new play workshops, prominent artists from the theatre community appear in engaging public performances for an exchange of ideas on a range of cultural and artistic subjects in the "Intersection Series." On opening night, August 7, "MILESTONES #2: THE MEN" offers an evening of male writers, singers, actors and storytellers presenting work about profound "milestones" in their lives.

Performers include:
Kathy Baker; Emmy Award Winner; CS Lee; featured on TV show DEXTER; Hunter Parrish, star of Broadway and TV's WEEDS; Richard Schiff, featured on TV show WEST WING; Christopher Hanke, Broadway star; singer Billy Valentine and many more! Writers include:

Luis Alfaro, Robert Askins, Jon Robin Baitz, Stephen Belber, Richard Cabral, Bill Cain, Stephen Adly Guirgis. Norman Lear and Ken Lin.

On August 8, "BREATHING LIFE INTO MUSICAL THEATRE: An Evening of Performance and Exploration," offers a first-ever collaboration with Walt Disney Imagineering, Creative Entertainment. Featured talent includes composer/lyricist Georgia Stitt, electric violinist/vocalist Valerie Vigoda and composer Brendan Milburn, Tony-nominated composer Laurence O'Keefe. The evening will be moderated by OPC Artistic Director/Producer Robert Egan and Chris Montan, President, Walt Disney Music.

The Ojai Playwrights Conference is also committed to nurturing the writing talents of Southern California youth. Through its Youth Workshop, high school students participate in a mentoring program with visiting theatre professionals and create their own dramatic works, which are performed during the Festival.

OPC SUMMER NEW WORKS FESTIVAL
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 2013
Wednesday, August 7
Intersections #1: Special Performance Event
MILESTONES #2: THE MEN
7:30 PM, Matilija Auditorium, 703 El Paseo Rd., Ojai
Tickets: $20 adults; $10 students (21 & under)

Thursday, August 8
Intersections #2: Special Performance Event
BREATHING LIFE INTO MUSICAL THEATRE:
An Evening of Performance and Exploration
In collaboration with Walt Disney Imagineering, Creative Entertainment
7:30 PM, Matilija Auditorium, 703 El Paseo Rd., Ojai
Tickets: $20 adults/$10 students (21 & under)

Friday, August 9
New Play Workshop #1
DOGS OF RWANDA by Sean Lewis
7:00 pm - Zalk Theater at Besant Hill, 8585 Ojai-Santa Paula Rd., Ojai
Tickets: $25

New Play Workshop #2
FIGHTING SHADOWS by Richard Cabral
9:00 pm - Zalk Theater at Besant Hill, 8585 Ojai-Santa Paula Rd., Ojai
Tickets: $25

Saturday, August 10
OPC YOUTH WORKSHOP PERFORMANCE
10:00 am - Zalk Theater at Besant Hill, 8585 Ojai-Santa Paula Rd., Ojai
Tickets: $20/$10 student (21 & under)

New Play Workshop #3
THE COMPARABLES by Laura Schellhardt
1:00 pm - Zalk Theater at Besant Hill, 8585 Ojai-Santa Paula Rd., Ojai
Tickets: $25

New Play Workshop #4 - SOLD OUT
CARL THE RAPING GOAT SAVES CHRISTMAS by Lucy Alibar
4:00 pm - Zalk Theater at Besant Hill, 8585 Ojai-Santa Paula Rd., Ojai
Tickets: $25

New Play Workshop #5 - SOLD OUT
GOLIATH by David Wiener
8:00 pm - Zalk Theater at Besant Hill, 8585 Ojai-Santa Paula Rd., Ojai
Tickets: $25

Sunday, August 11
New Play Workshop #6
HANNAH AND THE DREAD GAZEBO by Jiehae Park
12:00 pm - Zalk Theater at Besant Hill, 8585 Ojai-Santa Paula Rd., Ojai
Tickets: $25

New Play Workshop #7
REST by Sam Hunter
3:00 pm - Zalk Theater at Besant Hill, 8585 Ojai-Santa Paula Rd., Ojai
Tickets: $25

New Play Workshop #8
ST. JUDE - PART 2 by Luis Alfaro
6:30 pm - Zalk Theater at Besant Hill, 8585 Ojai-Santa Paula Rd., Ojai
Tickets: $25