Three Premieres, Three Cities! NNPN Opens Rolling World Premieres This Weekend In Williamston, Portland, And Chicago

National New Play Network, the country's alliance of nonprofit theaters that champions the development, production, and continued life of new plays, celebrates the opening of three Rolling World Premieres: Doublewide by Stephen Spotswood, The Mermaid Hour by David Valdes Greenwood, and The Luckiest People by Meridith Friedman.

The Rolling World Premiere (RWP) program is shifting the new play paradigm of the one-and-done premiere to a diversified, traveling, multi-production premiere. The RWP Program models a process for developing and producing new plays -- one that results in stronger work overall and the momentum needed for a play to join the repertoire of frequently produced New American works.

Doublewide by Stephen Spotswood will run at Williamston Theatre from March 22-April 22, after productions at Florida Repertory Theatre (Fort Myers), Florida Studio Theatre (Sarasota), and Vermont Stage (Burlington). Doublewide is NNPN's 66th Rolling World Premiere.

The Mermaid Hour by David Valdes Greenwood runs at Milagro (Portland) from March 22 -April 14, the second production of a RWP that started at Borderlands Theater (Tucson), where it runs through April 1. The Roll will continue at Mixed Blood Theatre (Minneapolis, April 6-29) and Actor's Theatre of Charlotte(May 2-19). The Mermaid Hour is NNPN's 75th Rolling World Premiere.

The Luckiest People by Meridith Friedman will receive its final RWP production at Stage Left Theatre(Chicago, March 26-April 29), after runs at Curious Theatre Company (Denver), which commissioned the piece in partnership with NNPN, and Actor's Theatre of Charlotte. The Luckiest People is NNPN's 69th Rolling World Premiere.

In an NNPN Rolling World Premiere, the Network provides production support to the playwright and the partnering theaters, including assistance with the creation and the contracting of the premiere agreement, collaborative interactions between the theaters, and travel and housing funds for the playwright to further develop the play in each city.

For more information, visit the National New Play Network website here.

Photo by: Lindsay Raymondjack Photography