Road Theatre Company presents SUMMER PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY, Taylor Gilbert (Founding Artistic Director) and 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 26th season, the Eighth annual SUMMER PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL (SPF8).

The Summer Playwrights Festival is the largest of its kind in the country. This year The Road will present readings of 33 plays, 19 full lengths and 14 one acts, from around the country including one from Finland. That reading will be sponsored by The Rusnak Group and Volvo. All readings will take place at The Road on Lankershim and The Road on Magnolia. For a full schedule go to roadtheatre.org.

This year's festival features all new works to Los Angeles and has attracted playwrights from around the country and internationally including, Julie Marie Matt (John Is A Father Ovation Nomination Playwriting, Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter), Sharr White (The Other Place, 2010 Playwrights First Award, Outer Critics Circle Award nominee for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play, Annapurna, Snow Geese, Producer The Affair), Donna Hoke (Plays include The Couple Next Door, Princess Grace semi-finalist, Safe, winner of the Todd McNerney, Naatak, and Great Gay Play and Musical Contests, Brilliant Works of Art, 2016 Kilroys List, and Elevator Girl, O'Neill finalist), Shem Bitterman (Open House Skylight Theatre, PEN USA Finalist, man.gov, New American Theatre, Best Play Nominee, LA Weekly, The Job), Bruce Graham (Jefferson Award Winner for The Outgoing Tide, Consecutive Barymore Award Winner, White Guy on the Bus, Off Broadway, Two Time Drama Desk Nominee.) Minna Koskela ( Kumman Kaa, well known Finnish Writer and Actress), and Erik Patterson (Winner of 2012 Humanitas Prize, 2016 Ovation Award Winner, Writers Guild Award Winner, Multi-nominated Emmy Award Nominee.)

THE SUMMER PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL (SPF8) will open on Sunday July 30th at 8pm and run through Sunday August 6th at the Historic Lankershim Arts Center, 5108 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood, CA. Additional performances of The Crash by Scooter Pietsch will be held Saturday, August 5th at The Road on Magnolia in the NoHo Senior Arts Colony located at 10747 Magnolia Blvd North Hollywood.

Past festivals have highlighted the talents of: Laurie Metcalf, Bryan Cranston, Nancy Travis, Kathy Baker, Perry King, Michael O'Neil, John Polito, Harold Gould, Eddie Jemison, Rondi Reed, Jennifer Tilly, and many more! This year some featured actors are: Stephen Tobolowsky ("The Goldbergs," "Groundhog Day"), Sam Anderson ("Lost," "Ouija"), Josh Zuckerman("Significant Mother"), Isabella Gomez ("One Day at a Time") and Jack Cole ("Dynasty," "Heroes") Paul Witten ("Dropping the Soap"). This year's festival features some of the best stage directors in the area, including Michael Peretzian (Mark Taper Forum), Steven Robman (A Noise Within's Ah, Wilderness), Jon Lawrence Rivera (The Skylight Theatre's The End Times), Marya Mazor (The Geffen's The Model Apartment) and world reknown casting director April Webster ("Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and "Star Trek"), among many others. Road Company members are also highlighted with plays by: Ann Hearn, Jordan Essoe, and Andrew Manardo.

Most of the playwrights whose work is featured will be attending and will participate in a post-show discussion with the audience and cast. 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, craft beers, delicious appetizers, and desserts.

THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY 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 26 seasons. Now on the verge of their 27th season of bringing new works to Los Angeles, the company is coming off a very successful 26th season featuring the hit plays The Lyons by Nicky Silver, The Play About the Baby by Edward Albee, White Guy on the Bus by Bruce Graham, and Little Children Dream of God by Jeff Augustin. 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 150 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 27th season.

A suggested donation of $15 is requested of festival attendees. There is an option of a $50 festival pass which allows them to see as little or as much as they want during each day's performance. SCHEDULE AND PRICING Performances are Monday-Friday at 8pm; Saturday at 2pm and 8pm; Sunday at 2pm and 8pm at the Road on Lankershim and Saturday August 5th at 8 pm at the Road on Magnolia. Ticket prices are suggested donation of $15; For more details and to view complete schedule, play descriptions and cast lists visit roadtheatre.org.