PlayGround Company in the News Aug-16

Read on to learn more about PlayGround Company Member and Alumni recent news, current happenings, and upcoming events.

Stephanie Prentice is a board member and new casting director at TheatreFirst, led by new Artistic Director Jon Tracy. She is currently co-writing music with Reggie D. White for TheatreFirst's new show, VS., written by Cleavon Smith, opening in November. Also featured in TheatreFirst’s 2016-17 season is BENEATH THE TALL TREE, co-written by Adrienne Walters and Jeffrey Lo, coming in February 2017. http://theatrefirst.com

Stephanie Prentice and Michael Barrett Austin will be appearing in Baker Street, the Sherlock Holmes musical, at 42nd Street Moon Nov. 2-20 2016. www.42ndstmoon.org.

Graham Smith opened his show DEAL WITH THE DRAGON at Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival which runs through August 27. He’s at OSF rehearsing the new Dorothy for THE WIZ, who begins wearing the silver slippers starting August 17. Then he’s back in SF workshopping a new musical about the AIDS Quilt which has free public showing at Custom Made Theatre on August 26. Please come!

Robert Sicular begins rehearsals this month for Marin Theater Company's production of Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Prize winning play, August: Osage County. Previews begin September 8th.

Daniel Heath's first full-length play, the choose-your-own-adventure comedy FORKING, is being remounted by Pianofight with an all-new cast and revised script (it's now set in the 1990's because Barack Obama's health-care law broke the plot). Remaining shows Saturday, August 13th, Weds August 17th, and Friday August 19th.

In August, Patricia Cotter’s June Anne Baker Prize commission 1980 (Or Why I'm Voting For John Anderson) just finished a week long workshop which ended in three public readings at The Cape Cod Theatre Project in Falmouth, Mass. So basically...she just wants to give the biggest shout out to PlayGround, and to the June Anne Baker Prize. Thank you PlayGround for the support of the play and of the playwright!

Davern Wright is performing in San Francisco Shakespeare Festival's free touring production of THE WINTER'S TALE, now until Oct. 2.  Visit sfshakes.org for tour schedule.

Nancy Fishman spent a week at the Wellstone Center in the Redwoods, http://www.wellstoneredwoods.org, a writer's retreat in Soquel, CA and she highly recommends it to others.

Douglas Giorgis will be playing Edward Rutledge in 1776 from October 7 to November 5 with CCMT at the Dean Lescher Center in Walnut Creek.

L. Zephyr's play, LET THE GAMES BEGIN, will be performed on Aug 26th as part of the 3Girls Theatre LezWrites! showcase.

Roberta D’Alois, Artistic Director of Jump! Theatre has received word that Jump! has been chosen as one of A.C.T.’s Community Partners for 2016-17. Jump! will present a series of new works at A.C.T.’s Costume Shop in March 2017.

Mary Baird is currently playing Maria at Marin Shakes closes Aug 21.

Teddy Spencer is currently performing in the UK Premiere of WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S LONG LOST FIRST PLAY (ABRIDGED) with the Reduced Shakespeare Company at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. After Edinburgh, Teddy returns to the Bay to perform the title role in MACBETH with the Arabian Shakespeare Festival.

Cindy Goldfield is in rehearsal for It Shoulda Been You at Center Rep in Walnut Creek.

Tracy Ward directed The Thrush and the Woodpecker for Custom Made, featuring Stacy Ross and running through August 27 at 533 Sutter.

http://m.sfgate.com/performance/article/Repartee-fantasy-and-horror-at-Custom-Made-9129130.php

On August 18, Ex Nihilo Theater presented TERRA INCOGNITA Episode Five: Unfinished Business, written by Jennifer Lynne Roberts, at Octopus Literary Salon in Oakland. http://exnihilotheater.weebly.com/

Tanya Grove's short play Where There's a Will is part of SF Theatre Pub's Pint-sized Play Festival. That's in the bar at PianoFight (144 Taylor, S.F.). Performances are free, the food is good, and they have a full bar! August 15, 22, 23, 29, and 30. Shows start at 8, but come early if you want a table.

PlayGround's first commissioned play, Garret Jon Groenveld's MISSIVES, was recently released as a podcast recording by the Parsnip Ship.  Give it a listen! iTunes, Soundcloud, The Parsnip Ship

Madeleine Butler's 10-minute play A DOG'S LIFE was produced as a script-in-hand staged reading as part of the PCSF Playoffs Round 3 at the Shelton Theatre on July 31. The play was originally developed as a 5-minute piece for a PlayGround class taught by Daniel Heath.

Ken Sonkin is currently directing WILD BOY by Oliver Goldstick at Dragon Theatre in Redwood City, July 29 - August 21, 2016. (www.dragonproductions.net). He is also directing Michael Patrick Gaffney in his original one-man show, THE OLDEST LIVING CATER WAITER. SF Fringe Festival — Piano Fight: Main Stage.  September 9 - 24, 2016. www.sffringe.org/oldest/

Rachel Bublitz attended the Wyoming Theater Festival last month where her play Ripped was read and she taught an introductory class on playwriting. Ripped will receive a local staged reading with San Francisco Playhouse on October 24th, directed by Claire Rice.

Rosie Hallett is playing Perdita in the SF Shakes production of THE WINTER'S TALE. She'll be living in Paris from October through December, working with an English language theater -- if you're coming through, let her know, and she'll take you out to the best bar in town!

Mark Routhier has moved to New Orleans where he will be the Literary Director for The NOLA Project.  He is presently directing the world premiere of Gabrielle Reisman's FLOOD CITY which will open September 1st.  Upcoming projects include directing Eugene O'Neill's Beyond the Horizon at Loyola University and Taylor Mac's Hir at the Phoenix Theatre in Indianapolis.