Playfest 2020 Goes Virtual, Plus Finalists Announced

The Basel-Kiene Family joins City Beverages in presenting PlayFest. Orlando Shakes in partnership with UCF's PlayFest 2020 features six readings of new plays in development. For the first time, the annual new play festival will be a completely virtual event. Through the virtual readings, patrons will experience groundbreaking new works while participating in the creative process by sharing their reactions directly with the playwright and creative team at a post-show talkback.

By moving to a virtual platform, PlayFest has the ability to draw playwrights, directors, actors, and audiences from across the nation to join in a shared artistic experience. This year's PlayFest finalists will have the opportunity to share their work on a much larger scale.

Dates for the virtual PlayFest readings are set for:

• Saturday, October 3 at 7:30 p.m.

• Saturday, October 10 at 7:30 p.m.

• Saturday, October 17 at 7:30 p.m.

• Saturday, October 24 at 7:30 p.m.

• Friday, October 30 at 7:30 p.m.

• Saturday, November 7 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets to individual PlayFest readings ($10) may be purchased online at orlandoshakes.org or by phone at (407) 447-1700 ext. 1 starting September 1, 2020. See all six readings and save $12 with a PlayFest Pass ($48). PlayFest Passes are available now.

Become a PlayFest Patron and earn behind-the-scenes access to the playwrights! For a donation of $125, PlayFest Patrons support the event and gain benefits including: tickets to all the readings, donor recognition, and an exclusive invitation to a virtual event with the playwrights, plus pizza and champagne delivered to the Patron's home! Email development@orlandoshakes.org to learn about all the benefits.

This season's PlayFest lineup features six groundbreaking new works:

• Apologies to Lorraine Hansberry (You Too August Wilson) by Rachel Lynett

• Take My Hand And Wave Goodbye by Tammy Ryan

• The Wheel Woman by Vincent Delaney

• Polar Bears, Black Boys, and Prairie Fringed Orchids by Vincent Terrell Durham

• Welcome to Matteson! by Inda Craig-Galván

• Flashes and Floaters by Deneen Reynolds-Knott

"For PlayFest 2020, we've selected six scripts that explore topical political and social issues, as well as celebrate human connection and personal identity," said Cynthia White, Director of New Play Development at Orlando Shakes. "After each reading, the audience has the opportunity to participate in a virtual dialogue with the playwrights and provide feedback to contribute to the growth of these new works."

PlayFest is made possible through the generous support of the Basel-Kiene Family and City Beverages with additional support from Frank Santos & Dan Dantin. This project is funded in part by the Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program.

PlayFest is a nationally recognized program, representing one of the strongest commitments to new plays in the United States. Since its inception in 2003, PlayFest has helped nurture and develop over 100 new plays-many of which have received subsequent productions in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Washington, D.C., and across the country. Audience favorites from PlayFest are handpicked and developed into full productions in the theater's Signature Series. Orlando Shakes' 2019 - 2020 Season features the PlayFest alumnus My Lord, What a Night by Deborah Brevoort. Brevoort's script was a PlayFest 2018 finalist and is now a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. Through NNPN's support, three theaters will mount My Lord, What a Night within a two-year period, allowing the playwright to develop the work with multiple creative teams in multiple communities. The playwright is part of the process, working on the script and making adjustments based on what is learned from each production. My Lord, What a Night appeared at Contemporary American Theatre Festival in July, 2019, and will appear at Orlando Shakes and Florida Studio Theatre in the upcoming season. My Lord, What a Night was initially scheduled to appear in the 2019-2020 Season but was delayed due to COVID-19.