Z Space Presents Its Inaugural Problematic Play Festival

Z Space is pleased to present the inaugural Problematic Play Festival, a new staged reading series, October 12-14. This festival is the brainchild of Z Space's new Associate Artistic Director Rose Oser.

The festival presents three ambitious and provocative plays that have been deemed "problematic" by theater producers and artistic directors around the country. Most often the content of the plays was deemed to be too offensive or controversial to produce.

Each staged reading will include facilitated discussions before, during, and after the reading with the playwrights, actors, and audience. Audiences will be invited to respond to the plays as they see fit (with positive reinforcement or by throwing tomatoes against a wall).

Throughout the process, Z Space is asking what it means for a work to be deemed problematic. Are these scripts "problematic" because they break some kind of universal rule, or have we personally deemed them problematic due to our own explicit or implicit biases around certain cultural, social, or political issues? Are there certain lines that playwrights simply cannot cross? Is there some work that simply should not be done? These are some of the questions Z Space is interested in exploring.

Through an open submission process, Z Space received 175 problematic submissions (all accompanied by numerous rejection letters) from playwrights all over the country. A selection committee evaluated the plays and selected three to stage (and six other finalists to be recognized).

The selected plays contain such "problematic" challenges as presenting graphic violence and nudity on stage, telling a story about the gray areas around rape, and confronting transphobia and polyphobia within the queer community.

"Literary managers, dramaturgs, and artistic directors have always carried the responsibility of deciding which stories are worth telling," said Oser. "We are the content gatekeepers, and we must open those gates if we want to delve into tougher conversations. Rather than dismiss work that scares, offends, confuses, or dismays us, can we provide space for playwrights and audiences to honestly communicate about the intention and impact of the work?"

The three plays selected are:

Phosphorescence by Cory Hinkle

Friday, October 12, 8pm

This play is a hallucinatory journey through a soldier's decaying mind in an American military prison in the deserts of Iraq. Loosely based on the Abu Ghraib scandal, Phosphorescence explores cycles of violence that spread through our bodies, minds, and media. It moves from terrifying violence to poetic beauty.

Ripped by Rachel Bublitz

Saturday, October 13, 8pm

Lucy, a freshman in college, is torn between her excitement about the new people in her life and having to leave her old life and loves behind. As she struggles to find a balance between the new and the old, a sexual encounter leaves her confused and concerned that she may have been a victim of rape. The play moves back and forth through time and space as Lucy tries to piece together the unraveling interactions between herself and the two young men she's torn between, illuminating the events behind her uncertainty and sparking questions regarding consent.

Refuge by Rachel Lynett

Sunday, October 14, 5pm

After Derek's transition, Julia is unsure how to be a good partner. She suggests a triad. But as the play progresses, Julia has to face whether or not she actually wants to fix her marriage or if she's looking for someone to be her replacement.

The Problematic Play Festival is supported by a LMDA Bly Creative Capacity Grant and the Venturous Theater Fund.

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