The Fire This Time Festival Sets Inaugural Writers Group

For its seventh season the Obie Award winning The Fire This Time Festival has expanded to include an inaugural Writer's Group, which was created to help playwrights of African and African American descent develop new work during bi-monthly sessions over four months beginning in October, which will culminate in a public presentation of new works during the annual festival, January 18-Febraury 6, 2016 at The Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Avenue and Bowery). The Fire This Time Festival Writer's Group, co-moderated by Cynthia G. Robinson (Nightfall in Season 4 of TFTT) and A.J. Muhammad (Assistant Producer of TFTT), aims to foster a nurturing, supportive and collaborative environment where playwrights can share work with their peers and receive constructive feedback during the early stages of developing a new project.

The inaugural Writers Group will welcome playwrights Ngozi Anyanwu (Founder, 1st Generation Nigerian Project), Christine Jean Chambers (The Eternal Return, Season 2 of TFTT), Edgar Chisholm (Adaption of Miss Julie, August Strindberg Repertory Theatre), Danielle Davenport (Claudia, semifinalist 2012 Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference), Khalil Kain (Lambs To Slaughter, Spring 2016 at The Cell), and Maia A. Matsushita (Classical Theatre of Harlem's Playwrights' Playground).

THE FIRE THIS TIME FESTIVAL (TFTT) Playwright Kelley Nicole Girod founded the festival in 2009 to provide rising playwrights of African and African American descent a platform to write and develop new work. The festival was conceived as an opportunity for playwrights to write and produce material that reflects diverse perspectives as 21st century theater artists.

The first season of TFTT brought together over thirty collaborative performers, directors, and other collaborators to create an amazing evening of short one-act plays. Presented by Horse Trade Theater Group over a five-show run in February 2010, the first season of the festival sold out every presentation. Exploring themes from euthanasia, hero-worship, intergenerational conflict, and more, the inaugural season of TFTT presented a dynamic theatrical experience.

Following the success of the first year, TFTT has continued to grow, with input from participating playwrights and other collaborators. The Festival has evolved into an annual January event, expanding upon its core short play presentations to offer panel discussions, staged readings, and other programs. With ongoing momentum, TFTT has quickly become a destination for diverse audiences, producers, and artists seeking new possibilities and opportunities in contemporary theater. The festival has previously featured the work of notable playwrights such as Katori Hall (The Mountaintop, Hurt Village), Dominique Morrisseau (Detroit '67), Marcus Gardley(The Box), Radha Blank (Seed) and Zoey Martinson (Ndebele Funeral).

FRIGID New York is a theater development group with a focus on new work that produces a massive quantity of stimulating downtown theater every season. FRIGID's Resident Artist Program offers a home to a select group of Independent theater artists, pooling together a great deal of talent and energy. FRIGID New York grew out of the annual FRIGID Festival, the first and only festival of its kind in New York City to offer artists 100% of their box office proceeds, and Horse Trade Theater Group, a self-sustaining theater development and management group.

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