BWW Blog: Dalton Allison - A Stepping Stone for Playwrights Globally 

In Netcong, New Jersey, the Growing Stage Theater is known for producing high quality productions such as Peter and The Starcatcher and A Christmas Carol. One of the more unique aspects of the Growing Stage though is an annual New Play Reading Festival. Each year, the theater selects four unpublished plays from authors all around the globe. These plays are read in front of a live audience, and are recorded to see how the audience reacts to their piece. The authors then have an interim period of editing before the second round of readings, which happen in the spring. The winning piece of the festival gets the most rewarding prize imaginable, as their piece becomes a full, main stage production at The Growing Stage the following season.

After reading through over 100 submissions, the staff at the theater has chosen the four finalists. First, from Canada, is Boy Sees Flying Saucer, by Mike Czuba. "The play takes place in the 60's when flying saucers were being spotted regularly; Dell Flying Saucer Magazine was a big seller, and kids in the neighborhood met once a week to discuss the latest sightings." This will be read on Friday, November 4th at 7:30 P.M.

The second finalist is Jungle Explorers, by Brooklyn resident Josh Carpenter. "Eight-year-old Charlie's family is going through a challenging time: in the last year his parents have separated, his grandfather has passed, and his grandma has moved into assisted living. Is it any wonder that he's trying to escape all of this by playing video games each day? Jungle Explorers is the story of a family trying to find a way to move forward together, even though life is tearing them apart." Jungle Explorers will be read on Saturday, November 5th at 4:00 P.M.

Next we have Ali's Bees by Olav Solheim, of California. "Ali, a young Iraqi Boy, loses his parents in the Iraq War and comes to live with his beekeeper grandfather in America. Ali must learn to make new friends, deal with conflict and bullying, heal from his wartime trauma, and learn to play the strange American game of baseball. Most importantly, he inherits his love of honey bees from his grandfather and takes on the mission of trying to help save them." Ali's Bees will be read on Saturday, November 5th at 7:00 P.M.

The fourth and final reading comes all the way from South Africa, The Underground Library by John Keevy. "Khanya wants more out of the world than distractions and boredom. She wants freedom, whatever that is. When Khanya and her best side-kick cross the paths of actual criminals she suddenly gets a lesson in what freedom really means. Featuring hackers, police, a Soweto samurai and her crazy family, Khanya's story is short on answers and long on questions." The Underground Library will be read on Sunday, November 6th at 2:00 P.M.

Speaking from an actor's perspective, there is no better feeling than being able to work with a brand new piece. Not only are you able to mark your own individual stamp on the piece, but you also set the standard for any other rendition of the play. I can't wait to participate in Boy Sees Flying Saucer and Ali's Bees, because they are two new, great ideas that are being brought into the theater world and I am working with very talented actors besides me. The challenge of having not having a point of reference regarding character decisions is refreshing to any actor, and that is exactly what the actor receives by participating in the festival. Regarding the playwright, it gives them a much coveted opportunity to be able to hear their product read aloud by real actors. They also receive audience feedback, which is invaluable to the editing process prior to the second round of readings. As an audience member, you get to listen to a brand new, never heard play; which is a unique experience in its own right. The best part for the audience though is that they get to experience this festival at absolutely no cost, as it is FREE admission. So, if you are looking for something new, exciting, and that gives you a different type of theater experience this weekend, I highly recommend The New Play Reading Festival at The Growing Stage Theater.

Note: All play descriptions were provided by the website of The Growing Stage, growingstage.com.