Gerry O'Brien

AboutFACE Ireland have announced the final selections for the 2019 NEWvember New Plays Festival Dublin – a showcase of original plays to be held cross-city at two venues, Smock Alley in the city centre and the Civic in Tallaght, November 1-3 2019. The announcement was made by AboutFACE Co-Artistic Directors Anna Nugent and Paul Nugent. NEWvember Dublin will feature these works over a three-day weekend, presented via rehearsed readings. After 5 years of NEWvember Festivals in New York, this is the 3rd year the event will be held in Dublin. The spirit of NEWvember is to provide a dynamic, interactive and welcoming place where writers can hear their plays read by seasoned actors, and discuss their work and creative process. It was also announced that many of this year's playwrights will be in attendance, and will take part in post show Q&As, including writers travelling from the US. Additionally, this year's festival will feature for the first time a playwrights roundtable discussion, mixing emerging writers with established playwrights.

Bruce Arakelian and Tom Bodkin have been in a relationship for thirty years. Same Sex marriage is not legal in their home state of North Carolina so Arakelian decided to surprise Bodkin with a flash mob proposal in Times Square on Friday morning, and Bodkin said, 'yes!' A November wedding is planned at the Manhattan Penthouse of Broadway producers, Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley. Carole will be the officiant and Leah Lane is the couple's Best Person. Scroll down for photos of the flash mob proposal!