BoxFest Detroit Sets 2016 Festival Schedule

The producers of BoxFest Detroit are pleased to announce BoxFest Detroit 2016, an annual theatre festival that showcases and creates opportunities for women directors. The festival runs Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons and evenings, August 19 - 27, at Planet Ant Theatre.

Planet Ant Theatre is located at 2357 Caniff, Hamtramck, MI, 48212. Admission is payable by cash only at the door with day passes for $10. A limited number of festival passes are on sale for $30, and may be purchased at the door and reserved online.

BoxFest Detroit produces festivals that allow women directors the opportunities to direct original shows of their choice and win awards to help further their careers in directing. Proceeds from each festival are given to one or more directors as a scholarship to help further her career. The winning director of the audience vote competition is given the opportunity to direct a show with Planet Ant Theatre's Late Night Series.

Over the two weekends long festival, BoxFest Detroit 2016 presents the work of 13 local women theatre artists. Directors reshaping the box this year are Mycah Leigh Artis, Dyan Bailey, Yolanda Fleischer, Emily Harpe, Wendy Katz Hiller, Shannon Hurst, RoNeesha Jackson, Michelle Resnick, Frannie Shepherd-Bates, Andaiye Spencer, Terie Spencer, Jennifer Ward, and Megan Wright. The producing team for BoxFest Detroit 2016 includes Molly McMahon, Kelly Rossi, and Amanda Grace Ewing.

"Once again, the BoxFest Detroit festival will feature exciting new work directed by a few of Michigan's hardest-working and dynamic theatre artists," said Molly McMahon, Artistic Director. While some women are new to directing or are just beginning professional careers, others are established artists with decades of experience. "Whether she is directing for the first time or whether she is a seasoned professional, each of our directors bring to their work the creative spark and vision necessary for success," continuEd McMahon.

"We cannot wait to see the plays that were selected brought to life this year by our talented directors and actors," said Kelly Rossi, Executive Director. "With over 500 play submissions, the selection process was tougher than ever before, and we look forward to audiences enjoying new plays by playwrights from across the U.S. and Canada."

BoxFest Detroit, the only theatre festival of its kind in the U.S., is an annual theatre festival that showcases the work of and provides opportunities for women directors. BoxFest Detroit has served and continues to function as a springboard for many women and their directing careers. Directors who have participated in past festivals have gone on to pursue graduate studies at highly competitive universities, become directors at professional theatres, and form their own successful theatre and production companies. For more information, visit www.boxfestdetroit.com. BoxFest Detroit 2016 is sponsored by Planet Ant Theatre.

Detailed Schedule for BoxFest Detroit 2016:

Box 1:
Purging by Ann Marley, directed by Michelle Resnick
Mary and Magda by Abbey Fenbert, directed by Emily Harpe
american kids by Emily Kaczmarek, directed by Terie Spencer

Box 2:
Insert Token by Greg Burdick, directed by Mycah Leigh Artis
A Play of Disbelief by J.J. Steinfeld, directed by Yolanda Fleischer
The Booth Chronicles by Jonathan Davidson and Frannie Shepherd-Bates, directed by Frannie Shepherd-Bates

Box 3:
The Gentleman's Pact by Karen JP Howes, directed by Wendy Katz Hiller
Gel Us by Paige Zubel, directed by Jennifer Ward

Box 4:
Riot Grrl 90 by Dyan Bailey, directed by Dyan Bailey
Cassiopeia by Christian Simonsen, directed by Andaiye Spencer

Box 5:
Cushie by M.D. Tylicki, directed by Shannon Hurst
Chinese or Pizza by Todd Weston, directed by Megan Wright
Strange Fruit Redux by Afrika Brown, directed by RoNeesha Jackson

Friday, August 19:
7pm: Cocktail hour
8pm: Box 3
9pm: Box 4

Saturday, August 20:
3pm: Box 1
4pm: Box 2
5pm: Box 4
7pm: Cocktail hour
8pm: Box 1
9pm: Box 5
10pm: Box 3

Friday, August 26:
7pm: Cocktail hour
8pm: Box 5
9pm: Box 3

Saturday, August 27:
3pm: Box 5
4pm: Box 2
5pm: Box 1
7pm: Cocktail hour
8pm: Box 4
9pm: Box 2
10pm: Awards Ceremony