Original Play Will Be Developed At Cumberland Theatre

The Cumberland Theatre is introducing a "Page to Stage" new play development program in which audiences experience the "birth" of a play. The goal of the program is to assist playwrights with the development of new works.

Encompassing commissions, readings, workshops and workshop productions, Page To Stage serves the specific needs of a project at all stages in its evolution, helping artists take their work to the next level of development. The theatre intends to take one original pay per year through workshop, staged reading and production.

This year's selection is The Haverton Howler, a retro comedy by Ashley Snow. Snow has appeared in several CT productions including CLUE on Stage, The Wisdom of Eve, The Great Gatsby, The Prom and last season's The Cover of Life. She has also written and produced several audio dramas.

The Haverton Howler covers the hilarious events that transpire when Clifford and Ginny Haverton invent a whimsical tale about the "Haverton Howler" to save their struggling grocery store - what starts as a clever marketing ploy quickly spirals into a full-blown local legend. Rival reporters, a conspiracy theorist, an animal rights activist, and an ambitious filmmaker all descend on the town, each eager to capture the elusive creature-or at least a piece of the story. As excitement mounts, Clifford encounters unsettling truths that challenge him to confront deeper struggles within their community. As the myth of the Howler spirals out of control, will it overshadow the real stories that matter, or spark genuine change?

The Page to Stage Journey will begin this weekend (April 12th and 13th) with a private workshop in which actors will read and discuss the play with the playwright. This is an invitation-only event to give the playwright some fresh perspective on the her work and the opportunity for feedback from other artists, including the actors who are participating in the workshop. Minimal staging may take place to help the playwright visualize her work on stage, so that changes may be made and new ideas may develop.

Following this, a staged reading for the public will be held in May, in which the audience may also offer feedback to the playwright and the actors at the talk-back session immediately following. Finaly, in November, the theatre will stage the play for a weekend - allowing audiences to see the evolution of the play from "page to stage."

The program features both local and visiting actors. Making their first appearances at CT will be Chelsea Williamson of Fairfax, Cristen Stephansky of Montgomery Village, and Jeffrey Charles Flemming of DC. Returning to the CT stage will be visiting actors Morganne Chu and Connor McCabe. Local actors participating will be Marty Jellison, Emily Snyder and Brendon McCabe. Other local actors for the ensemble will be added at a later date.

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