The Del Shores Foundation Presents First Del Shores Foundation Writers Festival Next Month

The Del Shores Foundation presents its first weekend-long Del Shores Foundation Writers Festival September 9-11, 2022 at the Trinity River Arts Center in Dallas. The festival will feature live stage readings of all three winning scripts from the first Del Shores Foundation Writers Search along with panels featuring industry experts in theatre and film focused specifically on writing. Admission to all readings and panels is free and open to the public. Registration is required.

Opening night, Friday, September 9, 8 p.m., will feature a stage reading of the Best Short Film Script Award Winner Shelter In Place by VANDY BETH GLENN with a screening of the award-winning short film Cognitive by MAT HAYES that inspired the creation of the Del Shores Foundation. It will be followed by "In Conversation with Del Shores" featuring Sordid Lives stars Newell Alexander, Rosemary Alexander and Ann Walker moderated by Emerson Collins. Saturday afternoon will feature a special event "One-On-One with Jaston Williams" featuring an open interview by Del Shores with the celebrated co-author and co-actor of the Greater Tuna quartet of plays. Saturday night, September 10, 8 p.m., will be a stage reading of the Best Play Award Winner The Red Suitcase by JIGGS BURGESS. Closing out the festival on Sunday, September 11 at 2 p.m. will be a stage reading of the Best Screenplay Award Winner Knead by SERAYAH SILVER and MONET NOELLE MARSHALL. All of the writers will be in attendance for their readings. Local actors will be featured in all three readings.

The Writers Festival marks the next evolution in programming for the Del Shores Foundation in support of its mission to find and facilitate the development of new southern queer artistic voices through bringing together artists and working professionals, amplifying new work and connecting artists to platforms for the creation of the work.

Del Shores said, "I am so proud of the work of The Del Shores Foundation and of all our winners. Their work is just beautifully drawn. And finally - we get to have our first writers festival! As a storyteller, the most exciting moment in giving birth to a new work is hearing your creation read by actors for the first time. I'm not sure if I'll be watching the actors or our winning writers' faces."

The Del Shores Foundation Writers Search is open to LGBTQ+ writers living in 15 Southern states who have not been professionally produced. All of the finalists in all three categories, short film, play and screenplay from the 2021 Writers Search are invited to attend the Festival with travel, meals and accommodations covered by the Del Shores Foundation. Experts and panelists for the Saturday, September 10 panels include playwright LESLIE KIMBELL, screenwriter CHAD DARNELL and screenwriter DATHAN SMITH with more to be announced.