PlayPenn to Present First Reading of New Series at The Drake, 1/25

PlayPenn, Philadelphia's nationally recognized professional new play development organization, presents the first event in a new play reading series to be held at The Drake. Located at 1512 Spruce Street, the newly renovated Drake houses two theatres and will be home to PlayPenn alongside resident partners Azuka Theatre, InterAct Theatre Company, Inis Nua Theatre Company, and Simpatico Theatre Project. The reading series Philly Plays @ The Drake, will involve fourteen local playwrights, fourteen local directors, and over 80 local actors in a communal celebration of the vibrant new play scene from January through June, 2016.

Forgive Us Our Trespasses by Jeffrey Stingerstein is presented by PlayPenn as the first reading in the Philly Plays @ The Drake series. PlayPenn opened submissions to these readings to participants in the company's education offerings, which now serves over 100 artists annually. The reading of Forgive Us Our Trespasses, held on Monday, January 25 at 7pm, is free and open to the public.

Free Reading of Forgive Us Our Trespasses
By Jeffrey Stingerstein
Monday, January 25, at 7pm
The Proscenium Theatre at The Drake, 1512 Spruce Street, Philadelphia
Tickets: Free and Open to the Public. Reserve online at PlayPenn.org.

About the Forgive Us Our Trespasses
In April 1989, Claire Stukel was brutally raped and beaten while jogging in the park. When she wrongly identified the attacker, an innocent man, Gene Shephard, spent 12 years in prison, only to be released on DNA evidence in 2002. His release forces Claire to reconsider all that she believes, including how to raise her son, Justin. But as Claire struggles to make things right with Gene, the past comes back to victimize her anew, and Gene's innocence isn't as clear as it was the day he was released.

About Jeffrey Stingerstein, Playwright
Jeffrey Stingerstein's full-length plays include Forgive Us Our Trespasses; Mercy, Mercy, Me; Where the Body Is Not; Angel; Martha Martinez Washington; Hear Me Pray; and others. Where the Body Is Not was nominated for the Cherry Lane Mentor Project 2013, and was also a semifinalist for the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's 2012 National Playwrights Conference. Hear Me Pray was a semifinalist for the 2013 National Playwrights Conference. Martha Martinez Washington was a semifinalist for the 2014 National Playwrights Conference. Jeff received his BFA in Dramatic Writing from Purchase College and his MFA in Playwriting from Smith College.

Creative Team for Forgive Us Our Trespasses
Michelle Pauls as Claire

Joe Guzman as Gene

Cathy Simpson as Pauline

Anita Holland as Dinah

Johnny Smith as Justin

Jack Tamburri, Director
Sarah Galante, Assistant, Stage Directions

More information PlayPenn's full offerings for playwrights and theatre artists, including a calendar of upcoming events and classes, visit www.playpenn.org.