The Fine Print Theatre's CITIZENS PLAY FESTIVAL Returns to Stage 773, Now thru 7/2

The Fine Print Theatre Company's Citizens Play Festival returns to Stage 773 in its second year, with a new crop of plays in development. A new play workshop, Citizens culminates in a friendly competition that enlists the audience in the development process.

In May and early June, each of the ten new plays featured in the fest are workshopped with the playwright, a director and a team of actors. During three weeks in June, short selections of each play are presented to an audience. Each week, audiences choose the plays they would most like to see further developed. As some plays are eliminated, others are given more workshop and stage time.

This year's festival features the new works of writers (in alphabetical order) Axel Arth, Ross W. Berman IV, Jeff Bouthiette, Nikki Paley Cox, MT Cozzola, Lisa Holmes, Joe Janes, Arlene Malinowski, Laurie McConnell and Lynne McMahon.

Each playwright's team is led by a director; (respectively) Jennifer Olson, J. Cody Spellman, Aaron Graham, Stephanie Stroud, Skye Robinson Hillis, Patrick Kenney, Heather Bodie, Emmi Hilger, Wyatt Kent and Juan Castañeda.

Dozens of actors collaborate with the directors and playwrights to bring these new plays to the stage.

With insight and support from a large community of artists, playwrights involved in the Citizens Play Festival are able to grow and strengthen their work. Several plays from last year's Citizens have gone on to further development at Fine Print and elsewhere. Last year's festival winner, Erik Gernand, continues to work with Fine Print on his play, currently entitled "A Place in the Woods". And finalist MT Cozzola's play "Boy Small" was featured in Fine Print's Fresh Ink series, as well as the Saturday Series at Chicago Dramatists.

The 2013 Citizens Play Festival kicks off June 18th and 19th at Stage 773, when excerpts from all ten new plays will be publicly presented. Shows begin at 7:30pm and 9:00pm, with five of the plays featured in each hour-long performance. Audiences attending the first round will determine the six plays that continue on to round two, June 25th and 26th, where three plays will occupy each hour slot. And on July 2nd, the final four will duke it out for the title of Winner of the 2013 Citizens Play Festival.

The Fine Print Theatre Company presents the Citizens Play Festival, tonight, June 18 - July 2, at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. Shows are June 18, 19, 25, 26 and July 2 at 7:30pm and 9:00pm each day. Tickets are $10 per show, $15 per day pass, or $20 per festival pass, and may be purchased through the Stage 773 box office at 1225 W. Belmont, online at www.stage773.com or by phone 773-327-5252. More info at thefineprinttheatre.org.