Ilana Lydia And B3 Productions Named As Associate Artistic Director And Company-in-Residence For Aside Theatre

Aside Theatre welcomes playwright Ilana Lydia as she joins Nathaniel J. Burns and Aside Theatre to co-produce the mid town Phoenix based film and theatre company's 2019 season.

Lydia is a playwright and director, as well as an actor and sound designer. Additionally, she has co-founded five theater collectives, published two novels and has taught theater at the university level.

Lydia was the 2017 recipient of the New England Theatre Conference's Aurand Harris Memorial Playwriting Award for her children's play The Mulligrubs. She is Artistic Director of B3 Productions and has recently worked with Now & Then Creative Company, Brelby, Space 55, and Mesa Encore Theatre. Lydia is currently directing her self-authored play, The Play of Endings. This story about a man who takes score of life on how all of his relationships end is slated to run January 4-12 at Aside Theatre.

B3 Artistic Director Ilana Lydia is eager to embrace the new arrangement. "Nathaniel (Burns, Artistic Director of Aside Theatre) is on fire creatively, and his enthusiasm and drive are hard to resist." She said, "I know that we'll both benefit from coming together, as we have complimentary visions for the space and a love of innovative theater."

For Burns, the feeling is mutual, He said , "I'm excited to officially collaborate with Ilana and B3, we've been having so much fun writing and conspiring to design unique and remarkable experiences for cast, crew and of course our audience members these past few months. I like to be around people smarter than myself. Ilana has great taste in performance art. We got to talking once and her perspective has inspired me a great deal since. I was impressed with her ability to write genuinely, funny, thought-provoking, poignant plays with no lack of surprises. When I took on a role in a staged reading for her "Play of Endings" at Space 55, I had the honor of experiencing her quiet and confident leadership and direction. Ilana's a well-respected member of our community, leading the monthly playwrights group held at Urban Beans and inspires so many budding writers to create and share. I just knew I needed to work with her." Burns said along with this offer to host B3, he has asked Lydia to be the Associate Artistic Director of Aside Theatre. This appointment will allow her to be more actively involved in programming and giving opportunities to local playwrights.

B3/Aside Theatre will stage their first co-production in March when they present Matt & Ben . This show features female actors in a satirical retelling of how Matt Damon and Ben Affleck "created" Good Will Hunting.

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