Ucross and The Blank are partnering to showcase the importance of emerging artists across the country.
Ucross, a prestigious artist residency program and creative laboratory for the arts in Wyoming, and The Blank Theatre, a Los Angeles institution celebrating 30 years of imaginative theatre, today announced the semi-finalists for the newly created Ucross + The Blank Theatre - Future of Playwriting Prize, a one-of-a-kind award for young playwrights nationwide. Ucross and The Blank are partnering to showcase the importance of emerging artists across the country and to celebrate the innovative work that is asking questions and evolving theater as we know it.
In alphabetical order, the semi-finalists are Kori Alston, Calley Anderson, Carissa Atallah, Rae Binstock, Zachariah Ezer, Lily Gonzales, Franky Gonzalez, Katherine Gwynn, Cassandra Hsiao, India Kotis, Joey Massa, Kyle J. McCloskey, Tristen Moseley, Haley Nelson, Charlie Oh, Alicia Margarita Olivo, Dave Osmundsen, Becca Padrick, A.K. Payne, Phanésia Pharel, Aurora Real de Asua, Isaiah Reaves, Jaymes Sanchez, Jasmine Sharma, Alexander Utz, Caity-Shea Violette, Ashley Rose Wellman, Pravin Wilkins, and LaDarrion Williams. The grant jury, in alphabetical order, is Ryan Bergmann (director specializing in new play development, Mixed eMotion Theatrix Executive Director); Beth Bigler (playwright/teacher, director of Blank Theatre Youth Academy, Blank Theatre board member); Shelli Boone (actor/director, artistic director of Willie Agee Playhouse); Melissa Coleman-Reed (director at Inkwell Theater); Lisa Sanaye Dring (actor/playwright/director, associate artistic director of Circle X Theatre Company); Josh Gershick (playwright); Fay Hauser-Price (actor/director/writer/producer); Kate Jopson (director, voiceover artist, co-founder of Aliso Experiential Company); Levi Jelks (playwright); Kila Kitu (actor/director, Black Women State of the Union); Jully Lee (actor/director, artistic director of Cold Tofu); Jer Adrianne Lelliott (actor/director, founder of Coeurage Theatre Company); Amir Levi (actor/director/producer); Annie McGrath (producer/creative executive); Bree Pavey (actor/director/producer, producing director of The Blank Theatre, managing director of Loft Ensemble); Michael A. Shepperd (actor/director/producer, artistic director of Celebration Theatre); Cece Tio (producer at Moving Arts and Playwrights Union); Joseph Valdez (actor/playwright); Jennie Webb (playwright/dramaturg, LAFPI co-founder); Carolina Xique (actor/writer/director); Daniel Henning (actor/director/voiceover artist, Founding Artistic Director of The Blank Theatre); and Angela Oh (actor/director, Blank Theatre board member).Videos