Philly Theatre Workshop Announces 2nd Annual PlayShop Lineup

Philadelphia Theatre Workshop is nurturing four rising playwrights with ties to the region as their works are presented at the Second Annual PlayShop Festival. This festival, which opens March 7, will present these works in repertory over several weekend performances, while the playwrights, directors, and cast have opportunities to develop the work during the week. This festival ends March 22 and will be held at the Shubin Theatre, 407 Bainbridge Street. Tickets are available online at www.philadelphiatheatreworkshop.org and cost $8-$10.

Nearly 40 artists, including actors, directors, and designers have joined forces to present these four developing plays. Premiering at the festival are: Catherine Rush's The Loudest Man on Earth; Joe Byers' Noori and the Infidels; L.E. Colston, II's Solitary; and Lindsay Harris Friel's Traveling Light. After each performance, audiences can offer feedback to the playwright and director. Following the performance, the director, playwright, and company head back into a week of rehearsals to work on any changes to the play and perform it again the following week.

"We are excited to present the Second Annual PlayShop Festival to put the focus on new works by playwrights in the Philadelphia region," said PTW Artistic Director Bill Felty. "This is a unique developmental opportunity, where the playwrights can watch their play "on its feet" over a five-week period. They get the opportunity to continually experiment and re-work the piece using feedback from both rehearsals and performances. We feel we are giving a unique gift to the playwrights, to the artists and to the audiences who get to be a part of this process."

Jay Wahl is directing The Loudest Man on Earth. MeghAnn Williams directs Noori and the Infidels. Traveling Light has Rebecca Wright at the helm and Jane Stojak is directing Solitary. Adrian Blue is designing the set for all four plays, with Stephen Dombkowski handling lighting design. Jamie Grace-Duff is creating costumes.

About The Plays
The Loudest Man on Earth
by Catherine Rush

Haylee Masters and Jordan Weiss prove that opposites attract: she's concerned with everyone's opinion and he couldn't care less; and she loves music and he's been deaf since birth. Jay Wahl directs this thought-provoking romantic comedy about navigating the terrain of opposites and oppositions on the road of love. The cast includes: Jake Blouch, Adrian Blue, Kate Brennan, and Bi Jean Ngo.

Noori and the Infidels
by Joe Byers
Uptight graduate student Alex Swank goes to visit his parents in their new home on a private island off the coast of Florida. Along with the new home, Alex's parents have also acquired Noori, a live-in servant, who performs all sorts of outrageous tasks for his new owners. Alex discovers that Noori is part of the solution to the overcrowding at Guantanamo Bay - the government has secretly lobotomized inmates and recycled them as house-slaves for prominent Republicans. Jean Brooks, Tim Chambers, Robert Heath, and Jerry Rudasill are cast in this charged look at international relations.

Solitary
by Lee Colston, II

Jamal awakens to find himself in solitary confinement with no memories of how he got there. He searches the limits of his confines only to get his many questions met with silence. Solitary is a dark and visceral drama that closely examines the fibers of a man's being. Brian Cowden, Gerard Joseph, Aimee Kelly, Jennifer Nehila, Kevin Savage, Wendy Staton, and Johnny Walker are performing this gripping piece.

Traveling Light
by Lindsay Harris Friel

In 1967 London's not so swinging when you're Brian Epstein and trying to kill yourself. He can't evade Joe Orton and his script for the Beatles and together, they can't evade the police. Will they have the time of their lives before they end up dead? The cast of this dark comedy includes: Alex Bechtel, Sarah Milici, Ed Renninger, Matt Rohner, and Bob Stineman.

Performance Schedule
At the Shubin Theatre, 407 Bainbridge Street
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Solitary, 2 p.m.
The Loudest Man on Earth, 7 p.m.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Noori and the Infidels, 2 p.m.
Traveling Light, 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Traveling Light, 2 p.m.
Solitary, 7 p.m.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
The Loudest Man on Earth, 2 p.m.
Noori and the Infidels, 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Noori and the Infidels, 2 p.m.
Traveling Light, 7 p.m.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Solitary, 2 p.m.
The Loudest Man on Earth, 7 p.m.

Philadelphia Theatre Workshop strives to nurture bright and emerging artists at various stages of their careers. They will ignite Philadelphia by spotlighting communities of varying orientations, ethnicities, and age often underrepresented in the broader theatrical world. The company is dedicated to reflecting diverse audiences through original, evocative programming. Philadelphia Theatre Workshop educates, invigorates, and entertains!