James Ijames News

PlayPenn, Philadelphia's nationally recognized professional new play development organization, enters the second year of its support program offering workshop resources to a new play tied to an upcoming production at a theatre in our region. The fall 2015 partnership with Simpatico Theatre Project will culminate in a reading of R. Eric Thomas' Time Is On Our Side on Monday, December 7.

The awards ceremony for the prestigious Kesselring Prize for Playwriting will be open to the public when the  prize is presented on Sunday, November 22 at 4 pm at the historic National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South) in NYC.  The Prize will be awarded to Lucas Hnath for his play THE CHRISTIANS, and excerpts from the play will be performed by members of the cast from the play's recent critically-acclaimed NYC debut at Playwrights Horizons, along with portions other works by Mr. Hnath. 

This December the playwright producing collective Orbiter 3 will present the world premiere of Emma Goidel's A Knee That Can Bend. Over the past two years Goidel has risen to the forefront of emerging American playwrights, working with and being recognized by organizations such as Ars Nova, the Kilroys, Labyrinth Theater Company and the Playwrights Realm. A Knee That Can Bend will mark her full-length theatre debut.

The Kesselring Prize for playwriting -- given by the National Arts Club in New York since 1980 -- returns this year following a six-year hiatus with the announcement that Lucas Hnath is the recipient of the 2015 Kesselring Prize. Hnath was submitted by The Actors Theatre of Louisville for his new play The Christians, which debuted there at the Humana Festival and is currently playing off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in NYC. The play is directed by Les Waters.

Philadelphia Theatre Company (PTC) is pleased to announce James Ijames as the recipient of the fourth Terrence McNally New Play Award for the development of his play White. The Terrence McNally New Play Award is a $10,000 cash prize given annually to recognize a new play that celebrates the transformative power of art. The Award will also include a year of development support at PTC, including readings as well as administrative support and networking to help manage the future of the play beyond its time at PTC.

Community Matters is a series of free events presented in partnership between People's Light and numerous local organizations to spark dialogue about vital issues in our community. Performed readings of new plays are the centerpiece of each evening. They are followed by a discussion with the artists, community partners, and special guests.

Community Matters is a series of free events presented in partnership between People's Light and numerous local organizations to spark dialogue about vital issues in our community. Performed readings of new plays are the centerpiece of each evening. They are followed by a discussion with the artists, community partners, and special guests.

This month, Orbiter 3 will produce the world premiere of four-time Barrymore Award Winner James Ijames's Moon Man Walk. This production reunites Ijames with renown director Edward Sobel, who collaborated on last summer's smash-hit The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington.

This July Orbiter 3 will produce the world premiere of four-time Barrymore Award Winner James Ijames's Moon Man Walk. This production reunites Ijames with renown director Edward Sobel, who collaborated on last summer's smash-hit The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington.  

This July Orbiter 3 will produce the world premiere of four-time Barrymore Award Winner James Ijames's Moon Man Walk. This production reunites Ijames with renown director Edward Sobel, who collaborated on last summer's smash-hit The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington.

(Philadelphia, PA) PlayPenn, Philadelphia's nationally recognized professional new play development organization, will hold its 11th annual New Play Development Conference from July 7 - July 26, 2015 at Drexel University in Philadelphia. The Conference, including three weeks of intensive work on six works-in-progress, will offer staged readings open to the public. The six selected plays and playwrights are:

Barrymore winner James Ijames directs Rachel Bonds' tale of a boy, a girl, and their bookstore.

Villanova Theatre will present the Philadelphia premiere of Michael & Edie, written by Rachel Bonds, directed by James Ijames, and on stage February 10 - 22.

In the spirit of Anna Deavere Smith and The Laramie Project, several area theatre artists are creating a new work in the wake of the increased allegations against superstar and hometown favorite Bill Cosby. The Bill Cosby Assault is set to debut in the 2015 Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Right now, the producer has gathered some of the city's top theatre artists and they have begun a Kickstarter campaign at www.kickstarter.com/projects/1401536246/the-bill-cosby-assault-a-play. Money raised will fund the completion of the play by a writing team and director, a workshop with the actors, and some of the production costs of the 2015 Fringe Festival debut.

On October 27, 2014, the following nominees and award recipients were honored at the 2014 Barrymore Awards Ceremony at The Merriam Thater, produced by Theatre Philadelphia.

The 2014 Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre, live blogged from the Merriam Theatre!

Arden Theatre Company begins its 27th season of great stories with La Bete by David Hirson, under the direction of Emmanuelle Delpech. The production appears on the Arden's F. Otto Haas Stage from tonight, September 11 through October 12, 2014.

Theatre Philadelphia is thrilled to announce the nominees for the 2014 Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre, including over 140 total nominations spanning 26 categories. The all-new Barrymore Awards Ceremony will be held Monday, October 27 at 7:00 p.m. at The Merriam Theater at 250 S. Broad Street, immediately followed by an After-Party in the Commonwealth Plaza at The Kimmel Center.

Arden Theatre Company begins its 27th season of great stories with La Bete by David Hirson, under the direction of Emmanuelle Delpech. The production appears on the Arden's F. Otto Haas Stage from September 11 through October 12, 2014.

Let your imagination take over in this wonderful comedy by Colman Domingo.