Boston Theater Marathon XXVII Set For Next Month

Boston Playwrights’ Theatre has announced Boston Theater Marathon XXVII, featuring 50 ten-minute plays written by 50 New England playwrights and presented by 50 New England theatre companies. Inspired by the iconic Boston Marathon, the Boston Theater Marathon (BTM) is a “theatre endurance event” that provides a unique showcase and connecting point for New England artists and audiences, and is an impressive demonstration of the depth and breadth of what is possible in a ten-minute script.

“From a whodunit featuring Rock, Paper, and Scissors, to a meta-Elizabethan queer love story in verse, I absolutely love all 50 plays in this year’s Marathon and can’t wait to see them onstage,” BPT Artistic Director Megan Sandberg-Zakian says. “And while the BTM is always such a meaningful time of community connection, this year I’m looking forward to that aspect more than ever—because after a long pandemic hiatus, we are bringing back the PARTY portion of the BTM…but with a twist!”

In response to artist and audience feedback in recent years, BTM XXVII will include a “Block Party”—a reception right in the middle of the BTM at 5 p.m. “Marathoners” can enjoy tasty beverages and snacks to refuel for the final two legs of the journey; BTM XXVII resumes at 6 p.m.

Net proceeds from the Boston Theater Marathon benefit the Theatre Community Benevolent Fund (TCBF), which provides financial relief in a confidential, respectful manner to individual theatre practitioners of Greater Boston and the surrounding areas. The organization makes it possible for theatre artists to offer support to one another and deepen the sense of community in Boston.

“[TCBF] provides no-strings funding to artists in times of catastrophic emergency, be it an unexpected medical procedure, a fire in their home, or anything else. We exist as a life raft, there to help people through the hard times,” Alex Lonati, president of TCBF’s board of directors, says. “But not only do we support the Boston arts community, we are supported by the Boston arts community—all of the funds we grant come from donations from artists, art lovers, and organizations who want to help. And the Boston Theater Marathon is our biggest and most essential fundraiser of the year. This one day is the epitome of our mission—community coming together to make art and raising money for those who need an extra hand.”

Full event details and tickets are available on www.BostonPlaywrights.org.