Fine Arts Center Unveils New Works at 2015 Rough Writers New Play Festival, Now thru 6/14

The Rough Writers New Play Festival, one of the largest such festivals in the region, returns for its second year at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. It runs tonight, June 4-14.

This year the FAC received plays from writers all over the world: As close as Colorado Springs and as far away as New Zealand. The works were juried and three full-length and four short plays will be produced during two weeks of staged readings. FAC regulars like Sue Bachman and Jessica Weaver will see works produced. FAC President and CEO David Dahlin will even appear in a play.

Moderated talkback sessions with the audience follow each performance.

"The idea is to give playwrights an opportunity to hear their play, get feedback - unbiased feedback - from an audience," says Scott RC Levy, Executive Director of Performing Arts and Producing Artistic Director. "It could mean that subsequent performances would reflect that."

The challenge to playwrights: Create plays tied to painter Georgia O'Keeffe and themes of her work.

O'Keeffe is the centerpiece of the season's blockbuster exhibition, "Eloquent Objects: Georgia O'Keeffe and Still-Life Art in New Mexico." This traveling exhibition, which runs June 27-Sept. 13, features more than 40 paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe and her contemporaries.

Tickets are $5 day pass, $20 festival pass. For more details: www.csfineartscenter.org/theatre-events/rough-writers/.

WEEK 1

Thursday, June 4, 8p
Two Nine One Letters by Jade O'Keeffe (Toronto, ON)
The Flower by Alyson Mead (Los Angeles, CA)

Friday, June 5, 8p
A Woman on Paper by Susan Shafer (New York, NY)

Saturday, June 6, 8p
Short Plays by Colorado Springs Playwrights
Georgia on His Mind by Sue Bachman
Mary and Georgia by Grant Swenson
The Real Meaning of Things by Todd Wallinger
The Last Rabbit by Jessica Weaver

Sunday, June 7, 3p
Early Sunday Morning by Dara O'Brien (New York, NY)

WEEK 2

Thursday, June 11, 8p
Two Nine One Letters by Jade O'Keeffe (Toronto, ON)
The Flower by Alyson Mead (Los Angeles, CA)

Friday, June 12, 8p
A Woman on Paper by Susan Shafer (New York, NY)

Saturday, June 13, 8p
Short Plays by Colorado Playwrights
Georgia on His Mind by Sue Bachman
Mary and Georgia by Grant Swenson
The Real Meaning of Things by Todd Wallinger
The Last Rabbit by Jessica Weaver

Sunday, June 14, 3p
Early Sunday Morning by Dara O'Brien (New York, NY)

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Direction of a Play - Top 3

1. Joe Mantello - Death of a Salesman

19.7% of votes

2. Duncan MacMillan, Jeremy Herrin - Every Brilliant Thing

17.4% of votes

3. Whitney White - Liberation

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