DEL SHORES FOUNDATION WRITERS FESTIVAL Will Take Place in Pensacola

The Del Shores Foundation and Red Ribbon Charitable Foundation will present the Del Shores Foundation Writers Festival from May 8 through May 10 at Pensacola Little Theatre.

Produced by Festival Director Emerson Collins, the event will feature staged readings of winning scripts from the Del Shores Foundation Writers Search alongside panels with theatre and film professionals.

The festival will be hosted by Del Shores and Emerson Collins, with special guest Peter Paige. Additional participants will include Marisa Calin, Mat Hayes, Sierra Hobbs, Chris Jadallah, Leslie Kimbell, Ariel Mahler, Matthew Scott Montgomery, William Mettlach, and Brianca Williams.

Opening night on May 8 at 7:30 p.m. will include a staged reading of the Best Short Film Script winner Do You Take This...? by Eric Gustafson, a screening of Smoke Breaks by William Mettlach, and a conversation with Peter Paige led by Del Shores. On May 9, panels with industry professionals will run from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., followed by a 7:30 p.m. staged reading of the Best Play winner Animals ~or~ We Just Want Love... by Jameson L. Black. The festival will conclude May 10 at 2:30 p.m. with a reading of the Best Screenplay winner The Invalid by Robbie Robertson.

Panelists will include playwrights Matthew Scott Montgomery and Leslie Kimbell, screenwriters Marisa Calin, Mat Hayes, Ariel Mahler, William Mettlach, and Brianca Williams, and filmmakers Chris Jadallah and Sierra Hobbs.

Del Shores said, “The Writers Festival is my favorite program we have and I'm thrilled to bring it to Pensacola thanks to the incredible support of Josh Menge and The Red Ribbon Charitable Foundation's Board of Directors.” Emerson Collins added, “Pensacola has become a special place for us. Our winner William Mettlach was inspired to submit to our Writers Search when we appeared at the tenth anniversary of the Stamped Film Festival. We've been here so many times as guests, it's our honor to come back and give back to the thriving arts and LGBTQ+ communities in Pensacola.”

The festival supports the Del Shores Foundation’s mission to develop new southern LGBTQ+ voices by connecting emerging writers with industry professionals and providing opportunities for new work to be presented.

Schedule

Friday, May 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Do You Take This...? stage reading, Smoke Breaks screening, and “One-On-One with Peter Paige”

Saturday, May 9
10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. panels
7:30 p.m. Animals ~or~ We Just Want Love... stage reading

Sunday, May 10 at 2:30 p.m.
The Invalid stage reading

Ticket Information