29PWC New Works Series Begins With ROUNDED BY A SLEEP

The 29th Street Playwright Collective has announced its NEW WORK SERIES 2025 with staged readings of 3 new plays, beginning May 19, June 2, and June 16 at 7pm at the Attic Studio at The Tank.

ROUNDED BY A SLEEP, a dark comedy about mercy-killing, written by Marthe Rachel Gold and directed by Molly Rose Heller, kicks off the series on Monday, May 19 at 7pm.

In ROUNDED BY A SLEEP, young Freddy throws aside his passion for Shakespeare to follow his dying mother's wish that he become a doctor. Inspired by the noble action of Dr. Martin Hogan, Vera's attentive GP who facilitated her gentle exit from the world, Freddy pursues a career in medicine with a subspecialty in euthanasia. But was Vera's death a mercy-killing or a murder? 

Marthe Rachel Gold is a playwright and a physician. She has worked in primary care, federal health policy, and in academia at the CUNY School of Medicine. Her characters wrestle with decisions of conscience and consequence, both personal and political. Produced plays include MARSH LIGHT at the Ventura Court, LAKE ANNE at Road Theaters in Studio City, CA, and WAR STORIES at the Tank. As a doctor and a playwright, ROUNDED BY A SLEEP is at the intersection of her interest in medicine, art, and well, euthanasia. martherachelgold.com. 

Molly Rose Heller specializes in directing new plays and musicals. She is currently a Maker's Lab Resident Artist at Ars Nova. Her recent directing credits include Where We Meet (Ars Nova), Breaking the Story (Second Stage - Associate Director), and Sabbath's Theater adapted by John Turturro and Ariel Levy (The New Group - Associate Director). mollyroseheller.com

The cast features Ethan Dubin* (Broadway: The Ferryman and Off-Broadway: Bobbie Clearly at the Roundabout; Rancho Viejo at Playwrights Horizons, and California with Clubbed Thumb), Charise Greene* (Dickinson on Apple TV and Younger on Hulu, as well as the star of film festival winners Full Disclosure and Off the Grid.) Brian Keane* (War Horse, Nat. Tour, Orpheus Descending at TFANA, London Assurance at Irish Rep) and Martha Morenstein (Goodnight Irene).

Next in the New Works series will be staged readings of COYOTE by Maxine Kern, directed by Dennis Elkins, on Monday June 2, and IOWA CAUCUS by Catherine Rogers, directed by Kathy Gail MacGowan, on Monday June 16, at 7pm at the Attic Studio at The Tank.

Now in its 9th season, the 29th Street Playwrights Collective develops the voices of emerging, mature playwrights through weekly writing sessions, craft discussions and presentations. Our goal is to foster new work for the stage while supporting the needs of the playwright, committing to gender parity (serving 50% women), and providing opportunities for the public to attend workshop performances and provide feedback through the NEW WORKS SERIES.