A.C.T. Announces Lineup for Fourth Annual New Strands Festival

Today, American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.)'s Director of Dramaturgy and New Works Joy Meads announced the lineup for A.C.T.'s fourth annual New Strands Festival, taking place at A.C.T.'sStrand Theater (1127 Market Street, San Francisco) May 16-19, 2019. The New Strands Festival is a free festival featuring new theatrical pieces, works-in-progress, and readings, as well as a master class series and special happy hours to celebrate and share the artistry and expertise from the local and national theater scene.

Says Meads: "I've always been proud to be from the Bay Area because this is a place of innovation, experimentation and audacious vision. In my first year back home, it brings me true joy to be a part of a team that presents a festival that represents the best parts of that spirit. We are bringing together a group of the most audacious and inspired artists working today to the Strand to make the place electric with creativity and possibility. I can't wait to share these incredible new works with the Bay Area."

In conjunction with the New Strands Festival, A.C.T. also announced that Page 73, a nonprofit playwriting organization based in Brooklyn, New York, has been named as this year's New Strands Residency partner theater company. Now in its third year, A.C.T.'s New Strands Residency gives emerging and established American Playwrights-through a partnership with a nationally recognized new-work incubator-the opportunity to create and develop new works in residence at A.C.T.'s state-of-the-art Strand Theater. Over the course of the residency, the playwrights will develop their works-in-progress with directors and an ensemble of actors culminating in staged readings of their work.

Says Michael Walkup, Page 73 Producing Artistic Director: "Page 73 is honored to be invited to New Strands as company-in-residence and to have the chance to devote time to new works by Page 73 playwrights Emily Feldman and Jiehae Park. Emily and Jiehae both developed pieces with Page 73 through our Interstate 73 writers' group. A week-long workshop opportunity at A.C.T. is a fantastic next step for both these projects. It's rare for a New York City-based company to have the chance to share work outside of the city and we look forward to working with A.C.T. and the other artists in the festival on establishing a strong pipeline for sharing new works from coast to coast."

This year's New Strands Festival lineup features: The Code, a new rock musical by The Kilbanes (Weightless) commissioned for A.C.T.'s Young Conservatory; Our Father's House, Luis Alfaro's cutting-edge reimagining of Federico García Lorca's play, The House of Bernarda Alba; The Best We Could (a family tragedy), a funny, wise, and heartbreaking tale by Emily Feldman (New Strands/ Page 73 playwright-in-residence); Spaceship, an out-of-this-world satire written and directed by Robert O'Hara; Untitled Storytelling Project by Jiehae Park (New Strands/ Page 73 playwright-in-residence); and Mind Reader, a new evening of mind-bending entertainment with critically-renowned mentalist Vinny DePonto.

Public presentations of all projects at the New Strands Festival are free and open to the public. Reservations are strongly encouraged. For more information or to RSVP, visit www.act-sf.org/newstrands.

New Strands is A.C.T.'s newly expanded commissioning and development program, devoted to supporting artists in the creation and completion of original theater for A.C.T.'s multiple performance venues. Year-round, A.C.T. offers commissioned artists and companies mentorship, feedback, acting talent, time, and space to work in ways that suit each project specifically, with the goal of seeing their creations on one of A.C.T.'s stages and beyond. From translations and adaptations to original work, A.C.T.'s commissions include interdisciplinary projects, San Francisco-inspired stories, and pieces that have an international scope. For more information, visit www.act-sf.org/newstrands.