Magic Theatre Announces 2020 Martha Heasley Cox Virgin Play Festival

Magic Theatre (Sonia Fernandez, Interim Artistic Director and Kevin Nelson, Managing Director) has announced dates for our 2020 Martha Heasley Cox Virgin Play Festival. The public virtual play readings kick off on Thursday, December 17, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. PST with When My Mama was a Hittite, a new play by Melis Aker.

The Festival will continue with weekly readings, including Apologies to Lorraine Hansberry (You Too August Wilson) by Rachel Lynett, in January 2021. New playwrights, plays and dates will be announced on Magic's website.

"While we may be separated physically, we are still thrilled to bring exceptional playwrights from all over to our virtual 'theatre space' to support and celebrate the new play process in this longer format of weekly readings. The online platform allows us the gift of time with writers" says Sonia Fernandez, Interim Artistic Director. "Our Virgin Play festival is our opportunity to empower playwrights-to get to know new writers and deepen our relationships with playwrights we love. It is our sincere pleasure to be able to invite our Magic Family patrons to peek behind the curtain of new-play development and enjoy our extended festival of groundbreaking plays online."

This year, Magic has assembled a group of artists to join our inaugural Virgin Artists Council, which curates the festival as a team. Artist Council members include: Sonia Fernandez, Lisa Marie Rollins, Dawn Monique Williams, Evren Odcikin, Leigh Rondon-Davis, Karina Fox, and Kate Leary.

When my Mama was a Hittite

Written by Melis Aker

Directed by Evren Odcikin

December 17, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. PST

Juggling her dreams of becoming an actress, a strained relationship with her mother, and the never-ending night shift, twenty one-year-old Nur finds herself navigating the complexities of refugee life in London. But when an unwelcome visitor arrives and disrupts the fragile peace of their lives, Nur and her family must stare down the betrayals of their past, the harsh realities of the present, and all there is between them that has been left unsaid.

Apologies to Lorriane Hansberry (You Too August Wilson)

Written by Rachel Lynett

Directed by Dawn Monique Williams

January 14, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. PST

Set in the fictional world of a post-second Civil War, Bronx Bay, an all-black state (and neighborhood) is established in order to protect "blackness." It's a utopia but enforcing utopia proves to be tricky when it comes to defining who is Black and who isn't.

Tickets for the Martha Heasley Cox Virgin Play Festival are free and available to the public through the Virgin Play Festival website or by calling (415) 441-8822, or visiting Magic's website: www.MagicTheatre.org. Tickets are limited for each reading.

Following the Virgin Play Festival, Magic Theatre's 2020-2021 Season continues with the World Premiere of Sam Chanse's MONUMENT, OR FOUR SISTERS (A SLOTH PLAY) in Summer 2021.