Florida Rep to Produce World Premiere of DOUBLEWIDE

Florida Repertory Theatre is pleased to announce the world premiere production of "Doublewide" by Stephen Spotswood, slated to close the 2016-2017 Season in the Artstage Studio Theatre in the spring of 2017. Chosen from the 2016 PlayLab Festival of new plays, the world premiere of "Doublewide" continues Florida Rep's commitment to nurture new works and emerging playwrights.

"Doublewide" is a heartfelt and often funny drama that explores how far one family will go to hold onto their American Dream. Playing in the ArtStage Studio Theatre Apr. 14-May 14 with four nearly sold-out previews Apr. 11-13.

"In 2013 Florida Rep made a commitment to develop new plays and to nurture playwrights, and
in 2014, we chose Daryl Lisa Fazio's powerful and timely play, 'Split in Three' to be our first world premiere on the Mainstage," said Producing Artistic Director, Robert Cacioppo. "'Doublewide' was read as part of Florida Rep's third annual PlayLab Festival last spring, and will continue to develop the play in the months leading up to its April 2017 opening."

In "Doublewide", Jim Starkey's version of the American Dream is a modest one: to build a home on his one-acre plot of land and replace his doublewide trailer with something his daughter, Lorelai, can inherit. When a highway expansion project and a freak hunting accident shatter their dreams, Jim must decide how far he can be pushed and Lorelai is left to build her own future.

"Florida Rep's PlayLab was not only a great opportunity to have the play worked on by a group of incredibly talented artists, but to test-drive it in front of an audience invested in the creation of new work," says Playwright Stephen Spotswood. "I'm especially excited that 'Doublewide' is premiering at Florida Rep. The questions the play asks about the erosion of opportunity and the redefining of the American Dream seem to have registerEd Strongly with Florida Rep's audience and are only growing more pressing as time goes on."

Playwright Stephen Spotswood is a DC-based playwright, educator, and journalist. He is a company member of DC's Forum Theatre and a member of the independent playwriting collective The Welders. Spotswood's produced works includes: "The Last Burlesque (Pinky Swear Productions)"; "Walking The City of Silence and Stone" (Forum Theatre); "In The Forest, She Grew Fangs" (Washington Rogues); "We Tiresias" (Best Drama, Capital Fringe Festival 2012); "Sisters of Ellery Hollow; Off A Broken Road" (Imagination Stage); and "A Creation Story for Naomi" (Bright Alchemy).

Florida Repertory Theatre is a proud Associate Member of the National New Play Network (NNPN) in Washington, D.C., the country's alliance of nonprofit theaters that champions the development, production, and continued life of new plays. Plays submitted to the 2016 PlayLab Festival, including "Doublewide", were chosen from on open call for submissions from NNPN member and alumni playwrights.

"Doublewide" was read as part of the third annual PlayLab Festival and will have its world Premiere in the Spring of 2017. The production marks Florida Rep's second world premiere in its mainstage season, and comes after acclaimed productions of "Split in Three" by Daryl Lisa Fazio in 2015 and the regional premiere of "The Dingdong" by Mark Shanahan earlier this year. Both plays were chosen for fully realized production after public readings as part of Florida Rep's PlayLab Festival in 2013 and 2014 before finally being chosen for full productions. In addition to nurturing new works on its mainstage, Florida Rep has commissioned multiple works in its Theatre for Young Audiences series, most recently "Journey to Oz" by Christopher T. Parks in 2014, as well as "Zap" by Eric Coble, and "Thomas Edison Fire of Genius" by Kathryn Schultz Miller.

"Doublewide" plays in the Artstage Studio TheatreApril 14 through May 14 with four nearly sold-out previews April 11 at 8pm, April 12 at 8pm, and April 13 at 2pm and 8pm. Regular performances Tuesday-Saturday at 8pm and matinees on Thursday, Sunday, and selected Saturdays. This play contains strong adult situations and language.

Priced at $52 and $45 for regular performances, single tickets are now on sale through the box office at 239-332-4488 and online at www.floridarep.org.

Florida Repertory Theatre performs in the Historic Arcade Theatre and the ArtStage Studio Theatre on Bay St. between Jackson & Hendry with limited free parking in the Fort Myers River District. Visit Florida Rep online at FloridaRep.org, and by following the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube.

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