American Stage Announces Plays for 21st Century Voices: 2022 New Play Festival

American Stage has announced their sixth annual 21st Century Voices: New Play Festival for 2022. This year's festival will feature inspiring new plays that focus on multicultural storytelling performed live in-person at American Stage for one weekend Jan. 7-9. The festival will feature four play readings, panel discussions with the playwrights, and an opening and closing mixer.

After receiving over 400 submissions from all over the world, a new play committee of over 30 members, read, evaluated and discussed each play. Four of these plays have been selected to receive professional staged readings in the annual festival.

The festival will include readings of:

Saudades by Fernando Segall

Zu's Earth by Sidney Rushing

Go Down Moses by Dana Leslie Goldstein

Brown Girl In The Ring by Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj

Short descriptions of the plays as well as playwright bios and headshots can be found at americanstage.org/new-play-festival/.

American Stage will also present a staged reading of If You're Reading This... by students of Lakewood High School. This play was developed by students as a part of American Stage's educational WRITE ON Playwriting Program in association with Pinellas County Schools.

TIMES & PRICES

All-Access Festival passes are available and include each of the four play readings, post-show discussions and panel discussions. Tickets can be purchased at americanstage.org

$75 | Weekend Pass

$20.22 | Individual Play Readings

Go Down Moses by Dana Leslie Goldstein- Friday, Jan. 7, 2022- 7:00PM

Saudades by Fernando Segall- Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022- 2:00PM

Zu's Earth by Sidney Rushing- Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022- 7:00PM

Brown Girl In The Ring by Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj- Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022- 2:00PM

Health and Safety Protocols

At American Stage, the health and safety of their audiences, staff, volunteers and artists is of the utmost importance. To help ensure a safe environment for all as we return to in-person programming, the following protocols will be implemented until further notice.

All patrons aged 5 and older attending a performance or event indoors must show one of the following three options:

A negative PCR COVID-19 test administered by a medical provider/official testing center no earlier than 72 hours before the time of their performance. OR

A negative rapid antigen COVID-19 test administered by a medical provider/official testing center no earlier than 24 hours prior to the time of their performance. Home testing kit results will not be accepted for entry. OR

If patrons prefer, CDC or other official vaccination record showing the patrons are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (at least 14 days since the final dose) may be voluntarily presented at the door as an acceptable alternative to negative COVID-19 test results.

Both physical and electronic presentation of documents will be accepted. Photo identification must accompany the presentation of all documents.

In accordance to AEA guidelines all patrons over age 5 regardless of vaccination/testing status must wear masks over their nose and mouth at all times. However in the lobby masks can be removed only to eat and drink.

Protocols will be revisited and may be revised based on CDC guidance and the evolving circumstances of the pandemic, including use of additional screening protocols.

ADDITIONAL PROTOCOLS

American Stage has also put into place the following safety measures:

American Stage is home to a fully vaccinated team of staff, volunteers, cast, crew and creatives.

For safety, all staff and volunteers interacting with patrons will be masked.

The theatre and lobby will be sanitized prior to each performance.

All air handlers have been optimized for maximum air circulation and increased filtration.

In order to allow for further distancing between the actors and the audience, the first row of the house will be available only to accommodate ADA accessible seating.

All performances will have a reduced capacity audience.

Concessions will be available before the show and at intermission, but all food and drinks must remain in the lobby.

Social distancing is necessary when in the lobby and other areas.

Hand sanitizer will be available to patrons.

American Stage staff will adhere to all measures in their Safety Plan.