NEW WORKS IN ACTION Play Reading Series
Dates and titles for upcoming readings in spring 2024
will be announced soon.
Admission for New Works reading is FREE.
Dates and titles for upcoming readings in spring 2024
will be announced soon.
Admission for New Works reading is FREE.
February 2024 Workshop
CRACKING ZEUS
By Christopher Hampton
Directed by Reginald L. Douglas (Artistic Director, Mosaic Theater)
Featuring Tamieka Chavis*, DeJeanette Horne, Jamil Joseph, Karen Vincent*, and students from Howard University - Dupre Carter, Christina Daniels, Destiny Jennings, & James McClam
with dramaturgy by Divinia Shorter
* member, Actors' Equity Association
Synopsis: Hera, a goddess with a grudge to settle, has found her husband Zeus’s newest illegitimate child. On the outside, Baniaha is a pillar of his community: he helps his mother run her church while mentoring orphaned youth. On the inside, he is lost: the mystery of his paternity leaves him yearning for answers. When Hera arrives to exact her revenge with the help of Rufus, a homeless crack addict she thinks she can exploit, relationships are strained and faith is put to the test. This wildly inventive dark comedy is a present-day myth about religion, dependency, and redemption.
From the Artistic Director:
Have you ever considered what crack cocaine might do to the powers of a Greek god? And what would happen if Zeus’s newest illegitimate child was the son of a pastor? This outrageous provocation takes center stage in Christopher Hampton’s ingenious contemporary epic Cracking Zeus. When we select plays for development in our New Works in Action program, we look for three things: emotional resonance, urgent conversation, and theatrical innovation. And that extra special something that makes a play so unique and unusual that you could only see it at Spooky.
We’re thrilled to be developing this reality-bending, genre-defying new work in collaboration with the Kennedy Center’s Local Theatre Residency and Howard University’s Acting Program.
Christopher Hampton (Playwright) is an Atlanta based writer, performer, director, educator, and arts advocate. Cracking Zeus is his first full length play. His work has been presented nationally in theatres such as The Alliance Theatre, 7 Stages (Atlanta), The Red Cat, Company of Angels, Imagine us Free (L.A.). Chirstopher holds a BFA from the California Institute of the Arts and is an active board Member of Working Title Playwrights. When not in the theatre Christopher owns and manages The Point of Health Wellness Center (www.Healthatthepoint.com) with his wife who he loves dearly.
Reginald L. Douglas (Director) is dedicated to creating new work and supporting new voices and currently serves as the Artistic Director of Mosaic Theater Company of DC. He has directed at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, TheaterWorks Hartford, Contemporary American Theater Festival, Everyman Theatre, Weston Theater Company, La Jolla Playhouse, Audible, Bard at the Gate, Profile Theatre, Playwrights Realm, The Kennedy Center, Pittsburgh CLO, Arizona Theatre Company, Barrington Stage, Cape Cod Theatre Project, Negro Ensemble Company, TheatreSquared, Playwrights’ Center, McCarter Theatre Center, Florida Rep, The Lark, New York Theatre Workshop, City Theatre (where he served as Artistic Producer), Studio Theatre (where he served as Associate Artistic Director), and many other national companies. Reginald has developed and directed work by nationally recognized writers including Dominique Morisseau, Lynn Nottage, Suzan-Lori Parks, Psalmayene 24, Idris Goodwin, Cori Thomas, Angelica Chéri, Nikkole Salter, Dael Orlandersmith, Kemp Powers, Jen Silverman, Ngozi Anyanwu, R. Eric Thomas, Brian Quijada, Matt Schatz, Amy Evans, Zakiyyah Alexander, Imani Uzuri, Dave Harris, Francisca Da Silveira, Khalil Kain, Chisa Hutchinson, Tearrance Chisholm, Josh Wilder, Larry Powell, Kareem Fahmy, Harrison David Rivers, and Donja R. Love. A proud graduate of Georgetown University, Reginald is member of the Board of Directors of Theatre Washington and of the National New Play Network. He received the National Theatre Conference’s Emerging Professional Award in 2020 and the Georgetown University Legacy of a Dream Award in 2024.
CRACKING ZEUS
By Christopher Hampton
Directed by Reginald L. Douglas (Artistic Director, Mosaic Theater)
Featuring Tamieka Chavis*, DeJeanette Horne, Jamil Joseph, Karen Vincent*, and students from Howard University - Dupre Carter, Christina Daniels, Destiny Jennings, & James McClam
with dramaturgy by Divinia Shorter
* member, Actors' Equity Association
Synopsis: Hera, a goddess with a grudge to settle, has found her husband Zeus’s newest illegitimate child. On the outside, Baniaha is a pillar of his community: he helps his mother run her church while mentoring orphaned youth. On the inside, he is lost: the mystery of his paternity leaves him yearning for answers. When Hera arrives to exact her revenge with the help of Rufus, a homeless crack addict she thinks she can exploit, relationships are strained and faith is put to the test. This wildly inventive dark comedy is a present-day myth about religion, dependency, and redemption.
From the Artistic Director:
Have you ever considered what crack cocaine might do to the powers of a Greek god? And what would happen if Zeus’s newest illegitimate child was the son of a pastor? This outrageous provocation takes center stage in Christopher Hampton’s ingenious contemporary epic Cracking Zeus. When we select plays for development in our New Works in Action program, we look for three things: emotional resonance, urgent conversation, and theatrical innovation. And that extra special something that makes a play so unique and unusual that you could only see it at Spooky.
We’re thrilled to be developing this reality-bending, genre-defying new work in collaboration with the Kennedy Center’s Local Theatre Residency and Howard University’s Acting Program.
Christopher Hampton (Playwright) is an Atlanta based writer, performer, director, educator, and arts advocate. Cracking Zeus is his first full length play. His work has been presented nationally in theatres such as The Alliance Theatre, 7 Stages (Atlanta), The Red Cat, Company of Angels, Imagine us Free (L.A.). Chirstopher holds a BFA from the California Institute of the Arts and is an active board Member of Working Title Playwrights. When not in the theatre Christopher owns and manages The Point of Health Wellness Center (www.Healthatthepoint.com) with his wife who he loves dearly.
Reginald L. Douglas (Director) is dedicated to creating new work and supporting new voices and currently serves as the Artistic Director of Mosaic Theater Company of DC. He has directed at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, TheaterWorks Hartford, Contemporary American Theater Festival, Everyman Theatre, Weston Theater Company, La Jolla Playhouse, Audible, Bard at the Gate, Profile Theatre, Playwrights Realm, The Kennedy Center, Pittsburgh CLO, Arizona Theatre Company, Barrington Stage, Cape Cod Theatre Project, Negro Ensemble Company, TheatreSquared, Playwrights’ Center, McCarter Theatre Center, Florida Rep, The Lark, New York Theatre Workshop, City Theatre (where he served as Artistic Producer), Studio Theatre (where he served as Associate Artistic Director), and many other national companies. Reginald has developed and directed work by nationally recognized writers including Dominique Morisseau, Lynn Nottage, Suzan-Lori Parks, Psalmayene 24, Idris Goodwin, Cori Thomas, Angelica Chéri, Nikkole Salter, Dael Orlandersmith, Kemp Powers, Jen Silverman, Ngozi Anyanwu, R. Eric Thomas, Brian Quijada, Matt Schatz, Amy Evans, Zakiyyah Alexander, Imani Uzuri, Dave Harris, Francisca Da Silveira, Khalil Kain, Chisa Hutchinson, Tearrance Chisholm, Josh Wilder, Larry Powell, Kareem Fahmy, Harrison David Rivers, and Donja R. Love. A proud graduate of Georgetown University, Reginald is member of the Board of Directors of Theatre Washington and of the National New Play Network. He received the National Theatre Conference’s Emerging Professional Award in 2020 and the Georgetown University Legacy of a Dream Award in 2024.
The New Works in Action Program provides you the chance to see fresh new full-length plays that push the boundaries of reality and tell human stories in a magical way. Stories too big for the small screen, too lively for a living room, and too urgent to stay on the page. Bring your imaginations and enjoy some of Washington’s best artistic talent and freshest new voices!
New Works in Action is made possible in part through support from the DC Commission on the
Arts and Humanities, the Share Fund, the Dimick Foundation, the Dupont Circle Citizens Association, The Kennedy Center's Local Theatre Residency, and individual donors.
THANK YOU!
Admission is FREE.
New Works in Action is made possible in part through support from the DC Commission on the
Arts and Humanities, the Share Fund, the Dimick Foundation, the Dupont Circle Citizens Association, The Kennedy Center's Local Theatre Residency, and individual donors.
THANK YOU!
Admission is FREE.