Gulfshore Playhouse Announces The Sixth Annual New Works Festival

Gulfshore Playhouse, Naples' premiere professional theatre, has announced the finalists for its Sixth Annual New Works Festival, which brings together playwrights, actors and directors from across the country for a weeklong workshop culminating in a series of staged readings.

The New Works Festival will take place Oct. 4 to 7 and invites participants to join an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into the process of creating a new play by attending staged readings and a post-show talkback with the playwright.

"The New Works Festival is one of the most important ways we can contribute to the national landscape of theatre by fostering the birth of new plays, and encouraging emerging playwrights," said Gulfshore Playhouse Founder and Producing Artistic Director, Kristen Coury.

Playwright finalists were selected by a corps of volunteer readers from a pool of 150 blind submissions. The event allows playwrights to transition from writing to adding actors and an audience, which helps them understand how the play works in a performance setting. Each staged reading will conclude with a live Q&A session with the playwright.

This year's finalists are:

• "Teach" by Donna Hoke: Five actors, three characters, one story: Ten years ago, Ken and Chris were teacher and student. Now, they are principal and teacher, and Emerson's suspiciously high grade gives Ken license to grill Chris until the young teacher is forced to confront both past and present. "Teach" will be presented Friday, Oct. 5 at 8 p.m.

• "Last Night in Inwood" by Alix Sobler: A major disaster in Manhattan has everyone on the island looking for high ground. For Danny's family and friends, that higher ground happens to be her one-bedroom apartment in Inwood. As the world outside goes to pieces, Danny tries to keep the peace among the assorted characters gathered in her space. "Last Night in Inwood" will be presented Saturday, Oct. 6 at 8 p.m.

• "Eight Nights" by Jennifer Maisel: A young refugee woman finally free to start anew in the United States tries to vanquish the past that haunts her, alongside her father, husband, friends, daughter and granddaughter. "Eight Nights" will be presented Sunday, Oct. 7 at 3 p.m.

Christian Parker will direct "Eight Nights" and "Last Night in Inwood." Parker has worked with Merrimack Repertory, The Atlantic Theatre Company and Manhattan Theatre Club. Currently, Parker is a professor at Columbia University. Kristen Coury will direct "Teach."

Readings are $17 each, with discounts for multiple shows. To purchase tickets, visit www.gulfshoreplayhouse.org or call the box office at 866-811-4111.

Gulfshore Playhouse is passionately committed to enriching the cultural landscape of our region by producing professional theatre to the highest artistic standards and providing unique educational opportunities to diverse groups of people in a spirit of service, adventure and excitement. The Playhouse's work is inspired by a belief in the magic of theatre to expand the imagination, challenge the senses, provoke discussion, and revitalize in our audience an understanding of our common humanity. This belief drives the care with which we treat our artists, audiences, students, staff, and members of the greater community.

This focus is also at the core of its newest endeavor - the creation of a cultural landmark facility in downtown Naples. Plans are currently underway for Gulfshore Playhouse's new Theatre and Education Center at Goodlette-Frank Road and First Avenue South that will include two theaters and an education wing to support programming for children, adults and families.

For more information about Gulfshore Playhouse, visit www.gulfshoreplayhouse.org or call 239-261-PLAY (7529).