ALAP Holds Fall Playwrights Conference in October

The Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights (ALAP) hosts its annual Playwrights Conference, cheekily titled Dramatis [in] Personae to mark ALAP's first in-person Playwrights Conference in four years. The conference takes place on Saturday and Sunday, October 7 and 8, 2023, at Plummer Park Community Center, 7377 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046.

The two-day event, free to all ALAP members and their guests, features a number of workshops and panels for local playwright members (some happening concurrently), a Play Reading Festival of winning short plays by ALAP members (selected by independent judges) and a concluding party.

A highlight of the Conference is the appearance of Snehal Desai, the new Artistic Director of Center Theater Group. "We're thrilled to have Snehal Desai as our Keynote Speaker on Saturday, October 7 at noon," notes ALAP President Mona Deutsch Miller. "Snehal will provide a singular perspective on the state of live theater today, and on the challenges and rewards of producing new work. This will be of enormous relevance to our playwrights!"

Schedule of Dramatis [in] Personae, ALAP 2023 Playwrights Conference:

Saturday, October 7, 2023

· The "Play Pen" (Day 1) allows ALAP members who sign up in advance to work their own scenes with experienced actors. Two private sessions starting at 9:10 am. [Fully booked.]

· The Theatre/Dramatist Exchange, at 10:00 am, enables members who sign up in advance to meet personally with decision makers from eightght local theaters.

· Keynote Address by Snehal Desai, Artistic Director, Center Theatre Group at noon.

· Theater Critics' Roundtable, a professional panel hosted by Steven Leigh Morris, Founder and Publisher of Stage Raw, 2:15 pm.

· "What Makes a Scenic Designer Swoon," a professional panel, 4:15 pm.

Sunday, October 8, 2023

· The "Play Pen" (Day 2) allows ALAP members who sign up in advance to work their own scenes with experienced actors. Two private sessions starting at 10:10 am. [Fully booked.]

· Playwright and teacher Erik Patterson will lead the first of two creative workshops: first, an interactive mini-workshop, in which Erik will give prompts and facilitate conversations with writers about their current work, 10:30-11:30 am.

· Erik Patterson will host his weekly online workshop Sunday Sprints live from the Conference. Every 15 minutes, Erik will give two writing prompts, a journaling prompt and a scene-writing prompt, for a focused block of uninterrupted writing time, 12:00-2:00 pm.

· The Annual Play Reading Festival of the winning 10-minute plays by ALAP members, from 2:15 pm, followed by a concluding party that will go to 5:45 pm.

Playwrights' Bake-Off: ALAP members who enjoy baking are invited to participate in a Playwrights' Bake-Off and to share their creations throughout the weekend; contributors receiving the most votes are awarded prizes. Throughout the Conference, there will be rooms where ALAP members may sit and schmooze or relax. Free food and beverages (including the Bake-Off contributions) will be available all day.