Orlando Shakespeare Theater Hosts Development Workshop of New Play ALBUMEN

Orlando Shakespeare Theater (Orlando Shakes) in Partnership with UCF hosted a week-long development workshop in collaboration with the National New Play Network (NNPN) of Mishka Lavigne's new play Albumen from February 28 to March 5, 2017. Nan Barnett, Executive Director of NNPN, observed the workshop.

Albumen is the story of Jessa, an artist turned model, who has become addicted to blood donation. Danielle, Jessa's teacher at art school, now uses Jessa as her muse while Jessa's art languishes. Lucas, Jessa's lover and nurse at the donor clinic, completes the triangle that creates the evolving push and pull between life and art.

"The themes in Mishka's latest work are more important than ever," said Cynthia White, Director of New Play Development at Orlando Shakespeare Theater. "Albumen is about the impact of creating art. It's about how much of an artist's soul is put into their work when they create something new and what is taken from them when they share their creation with the world."

Albumen is Lavigne's first English-language play with the Playwrights' Network at the Great Canadian Theatre Company. Before its workshop at Orlando Shakes, it was featured in the 2016 Banff Playwrights' Colony under the direction of Brian Quirt.

Lavigne is a playwright and theatre translator based in Ottawa/Gatineau. She wrote Cinéma, produced in April 2015 by the Théâtre la Catapulte and Théâtre Belvédère as part of Ontario Scene with the National Arts Centre. Cinéma was published in April 2016 by the Ottawa-based Éditions Interligne. She was also playwright-in-residence at Théâtre la Catapulte for their 2015-2016 Season where she worked on Havre, a new play for adult audiences.

For more information on Orlando Shakespeare Theater's commitment to new plays or their annual new play festival, PlayFest 2017 presented by Harriett's Charitable Trust, call (407) 447-1700 ext. 1, visit www.orlandoshakes.org, or stop by in person at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 E. Rollins St.).

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