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WINTER 2022
We Are Not Alone In-person short play reading series We searched for plays about ISOLATION and CONNECTION, come see what we found! |
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MARCH 5 @ 7PM at Spooky Action Theater
i didn't think it would look like this
By Emma Swain
Directed by Charlotte La Nasa
Synopsis: Near dawn on an old city bus; the sunrise is imminent. Only college students, early-morning commuters, and people without ordinary sleep schedules are awake. Carolyn and Jodie are friends and maybe more. Layla is drunk. Tequila and secrets don't mix well. And growing up is hard.
Directed by Charlotte La Nasa
Synopsis: Near dawn on an old city bus; the sunrise is imminent. Only college students, early-morning commuters, and people without ordinary sleep schedules are awake. Carolyn and Jodie are friends and maybe more. Layla is drunk. Tequila and secrets don't mix well. And growing up is hard.
Yolk
By Alaina Messineo
Directed by Charlotte La Nasa
Synopsis: A young couple and their eggs.
Directed by Charlotte La Nasa
Synopsis: A young couple and their eggs.
Rest
By Jeff Carter
Directed by Robert Bowen Smith
Synopsis: Marilyn returns to visit the house she lived in as a young girl. With Jim and Ethel, who now reside in the house, they share their painful secrets with each other. The two accounts soon merge into a new reality, and the two “pasts” resolve themselves into an unexpected “present.”
Directed by Robert Bowen Smith
Synopsis: Marilyn returns to visit the house she lived in as a young girl. With Jim and Ethel, who now reside in the house, they share their painful secrets with each other. The two accounts soon merge into a new reality, and the two “pasts” resolve themselves into an unexpected “present.”
MARCH 12 @ 7PM at Spooky Action Theater
Elbow
By Sohyun Kim
Directed by Ashley Mapley-Brittle
Synopsis: A high-powered Asian American woman executive has been put in charge of a hiring initiative for an internship experience especially for young people of color. A timely story of the intersection of feminism, racial identity, career, and “diversity.”
Directed by Ashley Mapley-Brittle
Synopsis: A high-powered Asian American woman executive has been put in charge of a hiring initiative for an internship experience especially for young people of color. A timely story of the intersection of feminism, racial identity, career, and “diversity.”
Undiscovered Country
By Dana Leslie Goldstein
Directed by Ashley Mapley-Brittle
Synopsis: Elizabeth's husband Teddy has recently passed away. She takes herself through a series of poignant, magical and tender moments that help her process her past and present with Teddy as she prepares to lay his ashes to rest.
Directed by Ashley Mapley-Brittle
Synopsis: Elizabeth's husband Teddy has recently passed away. She takes herself through a series of poignant, magical and tender moments that help her process her past and present with Teddy as she prepares to lay his ashes to rest.
Things Stalin Never Said
By Maximillian Gill
Directed by Aria Velz
Synopsis: Parker fears a total loss of empathy and goes to a specialist, who has an unusual remedy.
Directed by Aria Velz
Synopsis: Parker fears a total loss of empathy and goes to a specialist, who has an unusual remedy.
137
By Rachael Carnes
Directed by Aria Velz
Synopsis: A meeting of an online Extraterrestrial-Curious Social Club has surprising outcomes.
Directed by Aria Velz
Synopsis: A meeting of an online Extraterrestrial-Curious Social Club has surprising outcomes.
MARCH 19 @ 7PM at Spooky Action Theater
Grief Containers
By Robin Berl
Directed by Shana Laski
Synopsis: Ashley is at a loss and her husband Barrett is struggling to help her find the way home. In a situation when neither of them can be “right,” they struggle to bridge the emotional gap. Caught between grief and celebration, Ashley seeks comfort and answers from a bird nesting in the backyard.
Directed by Shana Laski
Synopsis: Ashley is at a loss and her husband Barrett is struggling to help her find the way home. In a situation when neither of them can be “right,” they struggle to bridge the emotional gap. Caught between grief and celebration, Ashley seeks comfort and answers from a bird nesting in the backyard.
Hold On
By Cary Pepper
Directed by Jen Jacobs
Synopsis: “A” and “B” are in an unspecified place in an unspecified time waiting their turn to be “called in.” Though they have come to this place by different means, they are both in the same scenario, waiting, with so many unknowns — knowledge and power out of their control. All they have is an opportunity to connect with each other.
Directed by Jen Jacobs
Synopsis: “A” and “B” are in an unspecified place in an unspecified time waiting their turn to be “called in.” Though they have come to this place by different means, they are both in the same scenario, waiting, with so many unknowns — knowledge and power out of their control. All they have is an opportunity to connect with each other.
Stef and Arno
By Alina Rios
Directed by Jen Jacobs
Synopsis: Stef, a single woman in her 30s, lives alone with herself and her thoughts -- which can be both helpful and harmful. One late night when she can’t sleep, she tries to return to some of her old ways of coping with the thoughts in her head. She hopes finally to see the brightness of the world on the other side. Is the world really as scary as it seems?
Directed by Jen Jacobs
Synopsis: Stef, a single woman in her 30s, lives alone with herself and her thoughts -- which can be both helpful and harmful. One late night when she can’t sleep, she tries to return to some of her old ways of coping with the thoughts in her head. She hopes finally to see the brightness of the world on the other side. Is the world really as scary as it seems?
Summer 2021
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HAPPY BEYOND ...happy
Short play virtual reading series “Untranslatable words possess power and potential. They introduce us to phenomena previously veiled to us, that we hadn’t suspected could exist. Such words expand our horizons, usher in new worlds.” – adapted from Happiness Found in Translation Our next New Works in Action challenge is to explore the complexity of feelings we cannot quite name. Our fodder for theatrical thinking is a list of “happiness words” in other tongues that do not directly translate into English. |
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SEPTEMBER 21-26
I'VE SEEN IT ALL
by Canadian playwright Olivier Sylvestre
directed by Jeremy Keith Hunter
with Nicole Ruthmarie and Austin Farrow
sound design by David Crandall
videography by Lisa Hodsoll
choreography by Robert Bowen Smith
Happiness Word: Frisson (French) – A spine-tingling shiver. A sensation of thrill, combining fear and excitement. The ambiguous pleasure of the “chills”.
Synopsis: Ten year-olds Suzy and Alex meet that day, while playing in a snowdrift. In a second, Suzy sees it all : what their life will be, over the next century, frightening and filled with promises. A tale of anticipation, led by kids who see what love and life have in hand for them. Will they accept to go on with it?
SEPTEMBER 14-19
CHICKEN IS CONDEMNED TO BE FREE
by Jesse Jae Hoon
directed by Jeremy Keith Hunter animation by Taylor Verrett.
Sound design by David Crandall with the voices of Zoe Walpole and Ryan Sellers
Happiness Word: Charmolypi (Greek) – Sweet, joy-making sorrow. Sad, mourning joy. Happiness & sadness intermingled.
Synopsis: Two recently beheaded chickens, one an optimistic nihilist and the other completely freaking out, have just ten minutes to make and find peace. Hilarious and touching, this flight of visual magic reflects our brief time upon earth.
by Jesse Jae Hoon
directed by Jeremy Keith Hunter animation by Taylor Verrett.
Sound design by David Crandall with the voices of Zoe Walpole and Ryan Sellers
Happiness Word: Charmolypi (Greek) – Sweet, joy-making sorrow. Sad, mourning joy. Happiness & sadness intermingled.
Synopsis: Two recently beheaded chickens, one an optimistic nihilist and the other completely freaking out, have just ten minutes to make and find peace. Hilarious and touching, this flight of visual magic reflects our brief time upon earth.
CINDY THE DREAMER
by Julia Izumi
directed by Gillian Drake, animation by Taylor Verrett.
Sound design by David Crandall with Robert Bowen Smith and voices by Annie Ottati.
Happiness Word: Magari (Italian) – The wistful hope of “if only”. Maybe, possibly. In one’s dreams.
Synopsis: Cindy is a dreamer, with dreams that know no bounds. She is also a potato, but she doesn't know that yet. Discovering what she really is, remaining faithful to her imagination and the power of dreams, Cindy earns a surprising and satisfying fulfillment in this animated odyssey.
by Julia Izumi
directed by Gillian Drake, animation by Taylor Verrett.
Sound design by David Crandall with Robert Bowen Smith and voices by Annie Ottati.
Happiness Word: Magari (Italian) – The wistful hope of “if only”. Maybe, possibly. In one’s dreams.
Synopsis: Cindy is a dreamer, with dreams that know no bounds. She is also a potato, but she doesn't know that yet. Discovering what she really is, remaining faithful to her imagination and the power of dreams, Cindy earns a surprising and satisfying fulfillment in this animated odyssey.
JULY 15-18
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COLLECT CALL
by Marie-Claude St-Laurent and Marie-Ève Milot directed by Jose Zayas with: Jacqueline Guillen and Olivia Jampol. Happiness word: Etterpaklosksap (Norwegian) – After wisdom. The knowledge you gain from making a mistake. Synopsis: Without warning, Jo and her problems once again land in the life of Anne, her sister. Just like the fable of Blue Beard that left its mark on their childhood, there will be blood and images impossible to erase. How do you help someone close to you who is going through a period of deep trouble and dependance? Will Anne finally succeed in freeing herself from her sister’s mistakes? |
ADAM + ROSE
by Emma Gibson directed by Jose Zayas with: Maribel Martinez and Reynaldo Piniella. Happiness word: Charmolypi (Greek) _ Sweet, joy-making sorrow. Sad, mourning joy. Happiness and sadness intermingled. Synopsis: Adam is gone and Rose needs to speak to him. Even if it means lying on the forest floor. Sometimes, we just need to find new ways to communicate. A new play about the pain of separation and the love that will get us through. |
JUNE 24-27
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ARTICHOKE COUNTRY
by Laura Shamas directed by Gregory Keng Strasser with: Raven Lorraine Wilkes and Yesenia Iglesias Happiness word: Kintsugi (Japanese) _ The art of repairing broken pottery using gold lacquer. Rendering an object's fault lines beautiful and strong. Metaphorically, finding value, meaning, and even beauty in our vulnerability and flaws. Synopsis: in the future, an isolated military leader has a therapy session. |
FINAL CONTACT
by Alexandra Lin directed by Jacob Janssen with: Deanna Myers Happiness word: Hugfanginn (Icelandic) _ Mind-captured. To be enchanted and enthralled by someone or something. Become transfixed, possibly involuntarily. Synopsis: Astronaut Penny Leung is tasked with the mission of a lifetime: decommissioning the ISS after decades of groundbreaking service. That would all be hunky-dory if it weren't for the fact that she hasn't heard from Mission Control in over three weeks... And if she weren't all alone. With no one else thousands of miles above the Earth's atmosphere, Leung is left to confront her own worst enemy: herself. The great thing about space is that no one can hear you have an all-consuming nihilistic crisis full of existential dread. |
IN JANUARY, 2021
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THE IMPOSSIBLE PLAY CYCLE
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JANUARY 14-17
Water Doesn't Kill by Alaina Messineo
Directed by Craig Baldwin
With Beth Hylton, KenYatta Rogers, Joe Mucciolo and Ariel Russell
A mother yearns to communicate with her dead daughter through dreams and dives deep -- maybe too deep.
*Warning: This play deals with death and suicide
*Warning: This play deals with death and suicide
JANUARY 21-24
The Devil Exclusive by Jeff Dunne
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Welcome to Hell!: An Orientation by Bridget Grace Sheaff
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JANUARY 28-31
The World Is Sand by Jacob T. Zack
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History of Love by Robert Bowen Smith
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IN NOVEMBER, 2020
NOVEMBER 19-22
By A Lady by Laura Shamas
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The Very Furious Kugel by Clare Bierman
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Jane Austen delivers an oration on the dangers of vampirism, complete with free garlic cloves.
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Your grandfather was visited by a malevolent demon yesterday, and they really did not hit it off. Worst of all, now you don't get to have any leftover kugel.
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NOVEMBER 27-30
Run Out of Sky by Leslie Bramm
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A Dog Is a Creature of a Nose by Emma Gibson
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A poem for theater. Like an air traffic controller, a woman navigates her married love. A jetliner in sudden danger becomes a marriage on course to crash and burn.
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Beth has a dog. A fantastic casserole of a dog. The spaniel makes her loyal. The pit bull makes her fierce, and the bloodhound makes her hunt.
And today she’s onto a passionate scent. |
IN OCTOBER, 2020
Meet our cast: |
October 29 - November 1, 2020
TO THE EARTH by Brett Abelman Director: Kelly Colburn Cast: Kyosin Kang, Lolita Marie, Mary Myers, Tuyet Thi Pham, Alejandro Ruiz, and Jacob Yeh. A large crew drawn from all the peoples of the Earth embarks on a unity mission, reaching far into space. Then, in an instant, one catastrophic encounter sends five survivors reeling, escaping in a desperate struggle together to reach home. Please be advised, this production contains references to self harm. |
IN AUGUST, 2020
August 16-19
ZERO by Ian August
Director: Craig Baldwin
Cast: Em Grosland, Dylan Fleming, Shubhangi Kutchibotia, Alejandro Ruiz, and featuring Rick Hammerly.
Three miscreant students discover a rift in the floor of the forest surrounding their reform school. Beyond the chain link pale, a bottomless pit promises danger and deliverance. Whatever goes in can never come out -- with one possibly impossible exception.
ZERO by Ian August
Director: Craig Baldwin
Cast: Em Grosland, Dylan Fleming, Shubhangi Kutchibotia, Alejandro Ruiz, and featuring Rick Hammerly.
Three miscreant students discover a rift in the floor of the forest surrounding their reform school. Beyond the chain link pale, a bottomless pit promises danger and deliverance. Whatever goes in can never come out -- with one possibly impossible exception.
MAY/JUNE 2020
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MODERATION by Kevin Kautzman
Director: Brandon McCoy Cast: Robert Bowen Smith and Amanda Forstrom A darkly comic drama about social media content moderators losing their minds at work as they deal with the very worst content humanity throws online, while they struggle for advancement within an inscrutable technocratic bureaucracy. May 24 at 3:00 PM |
WE VICTORIANS by Matthew Kelly
Director: Tyler Herman Cast: Octavia Chavez-Richmond, Gwen Grastorf, Jordanna Hernandez, Aidan Hughes, Matt Pauli, Rosemary Regan and Noga Wind. A 21-year-old assistant brings a sexual harassment suit against a respected white-glove attorney. Queer empowerment and old-school privilege collide in this radical interrogation of power in the Me Too Era, blurring distinctions between reality and myth, past and present, victimization and liberation. May 31 at 3:00 PM |
CIRCULAR by Laura Shamas
Director: Kathryn Chase Bryer Cast: Jonathan Holmes and Lisa Hodsoll Circe's island. A strange warrior approaches. Or is it modern day Afghanistan, and an officer approaches? A young army doctor becomes entangled in the world of "The Odyssey" on her first tour in Afghanistan. What is real? What actually happened in combat between a soldier and her commanding officer is gradually revealed, on the road to healing. June 14 at 3:00 PM |
TRANSFERAL by Jack Novak
Director: Bridget Grace Sheaff Cast: Linda Bard, Terrance Fleming, Bob Pike, Toni Rae Salmi, Jon Reynolds and Aron Spellance Kora is a young woman with a strong connection with death. When her partner, Cato, dies in a plane crash, Kora tries to bring him back. While her mother is trying to reconnect with her, Kora's father returns unexpectedly and they have to face their fears about moving on. But is it possible to make the transferal from one phase of our lives to the next? June 21 at 3:00 PM |
2019-2020
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Reading Series Success!
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Nov 12, 2019 We would like to extend a huge thank-you to everyone in our Spooky Family for coming out to support our Staged Reading Series this past month! The New Works in Action program's main mission is to provide playwrights with a testing ground for their works while they're in their final stretch, which would be impossible without your support! Thanks to everyone who submitted a script for Round 12! We are reviewing the scripts for our upcoming stage readings. |
Want to be the first to know when readings and workshops are happening at Spooky Action?
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The Lady from the Village of Falling Flowers
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The Kennedy Center 2019 Page-to-Stage Festival
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Torgus and Snow
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