The From-Home Fest Returns For A Third Year

Seeing opportunities for virtual theatre vanish almost as quickly as they had appeared, actor/creator Tia Shearer Bassett founded The From-Home Fest. The Fest is a curated festival dedicated to the work that kept her feeling connected and inspired as she underwent rigorous chemotherapy in 2020: online, telephone, and by-mail theatre.

After the inaugural Fest drew audiences from all over the country and even overseas - and earned award recognition for multiple shows and artists - the Fest is back for a 3rd year. Now a full two weeks long and in a new winter slot, The Fest will run from January 23rd through February 8th.

The Fest welcomes artists and audiences who may be unable to physically go to a theater, and champions works that surprise us with an experience of real human connection.

This year's lineup includes artists from the last two Fests alongside newcomers, and expands into theatre-adjacent territory such as gaming, group creation and literature. The featured work includes:

• King of the Neuro Verse - a live online event with writer/storyteller Idris Goodwin. Hear excerpts from his "powerful, joyful novel in verse about a Black teen with ADHD who finds self-expression and first love" and be part of some Fest-exclusive interaction with this break beat poet. Presented by The Fest.

• Retro Retrocheiromancy - a live one-on-one show over the phone about friendships, not futures. For all the former summer camp kids who wondered why everyone stopped writing them back. Created and presented by Parker Sela (CA).

• You Have Already Won - a live online show. It's the end of the world and you feel fine because you are one of the world's last surviving billionaires! Sure, there are rules to this game, but they don't apply to you! Created and presented by cirqueSaw (MA).

• Riot: The Beat of Freddie Gray - a recorded performance of a powerful and engaging solo show taking the audience on a journey through the life and memories of Freddie Gray. Created and presented by Young Playwrights' Theater (DC).

• Cloud Nine Caretaker - a downloadable solo journaling game where you play a groundskeeper of Cloud Nine, tasked with caring for a place that elicits elation and well-being in its people and visitors. Created and presented by Tristan B Willis (DC).

• Witch Online - award-winning storyteller Megan Markham brings stories from her show Witch with Her Skirt on Fire online. Expect feminist queer pagan stories, interactive tarot readings and other magical surprises. Created and presented by Megan Markham (FL).

• From-Home Quest - four live, unique, remote table-top roleplaying games helmed by four different DMs. 4-6 player places are available for each game, and games are open to observers. Includes an all-ages game. Presented by Phoenix Tears Productions (FL).

• The Kingdom of Cade - a script-by-mail. "If you can read this - YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN!" So begins this mission for the whole family. Make choices together and venture around your home or neighborhood. Created and presented by Tia Shearer Bassett of Flapjack Theatrics (MD).

• Actually Well: A podcast for living well, actually - a live Zoom absurdist advice podcast parody. "Join us for the anniversary live interactive episode of Actually Well, our three-time award-submitted advice podcast!" Created and presented by V. Brancazio, Arshan Gailus, and Joe Juknievich (MA).

• Craft Circle With Ricky - a live online event. Grab two good sticks, scissors, and a bunch of plastic bags and join Ricky as she shows you a way to spin your own yarn with ancient technology! An old timey yarn spinning party for a new age! A Work Of Love Project/Ricky Young-Howze (NJ).

• Miah in Love - a live Zoom cabaret featuring Miah and their trusty ukulele, frolicking through love, laughter, and heartache. It's hard to miss just how in love they are because they're blushing right across the bridge of their nose, tee hee! For, as we all know, love is queer. Created and Presented by JG Productions (FL).

• Equity - a live Zoom show. Here in end stage capitalism, it can sometimes feel like we're going in circles. The people with all the money are ruining everything, and they're all starting to look like the same two people. Created and Presented by Stephen Fruchtman/Ongoing Pandemic Theater (MA).

There will also be two shows back for brief special engagements after premiering in the 2nd From-Home Fest:

• labRats - a live interactive performance online where audiences play as lab rats who have to work together to take control of their lives. Created and presented by cirqueSaw in honor of their IndieCade nomination.

• Glitter Vikings of a Wolfish God - a live theatrical adventure/memoir on Zoom, based on Tia's cancer treatment (but...fun). Created and presented by Flapjack Theatrics, performing on World Cancer Day.