BPT's Boston Theater Marathon XVII Set for 5/10

Boston Playwrights' Theatre (BPT) presents the 17th annual Boston Theater Marathon and the seventh year of the Warm-Up Laps. The Boston Theater Marathon features 50 ten-minute plays, by 51 New England playwrights, produced by 50 New England theatres in ten hours.

For almost two decades, the Boston Theater Marathon - to be held on Sunday, May 10 - has brought together playwrights, directors and theatres in an effort to foster collaboration between artists and producers. Many playwrights have enjoyed full-length productions with collaborating theatres because of relationships forged during the Boston Theater Marathon.

On Saturday, May 9, the Warm-Up Laps will feature Hair of the Dog by Constance Congdon at 12 p.m. (sponsored by Huntington Theatre Company); The King of Love is Dead by Liana Asim at 2 p.m. (sponsored by Company One); and Uploaded by Gregory Fletcher at 4 p.m. (sponsored by SpeakEasy Stage Company). The Warm-Up Laps - readings of full-length plays - are presented in collaboration with The Boston Center for the Arts and its resident theatres in the BCA's Plaza Theatre. The readings are free and open to the public.

For the second year, in collaboration with the Dramatists Guild of America, the One-Minute Sprints will introduce the Warm-Up Laps. Ten one-minute plays will be read prior to each of the full-length plays in the Warm-Up Laps. Playwrights were asked to write the shorts using the theme "To Be Filled In."

Net proceeds from ticket sales to the Boston Theater Marathon will benefit the Theatre Community Benevolent Fund, which provides financial support to theatres and theatre artists in times of need.

The Boston Theater Marathon is supported in part by the Boston University Center for the Humanities.