This weekend (May 11 and 12), Boston Playwrights’ Theatre presents the 15th annual Boston Theater Marathon and the associated Warm-Up Laps reading series. The Warm-Up Laps, now in their fourth year, present free, public readings of new plays by area playwrights, and the Marathon showcases ten hours of ten-minute plays by local writers, each produced by a different New England theatre company. Actors and directors volunteer their time, and all ticket proceeds go to the Theatre Community Benevolent Fund, a non-profit organization that provides financial relief for theatre artists and organizations who face dire need and require financial assistance.
As you might expect, a huge number of Huntington staff members,
associated artists, and other friends are involved in the fifty plays that comprise the Marathon and the three Warm-Up Labs, both of which will take place at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA (the Huntington donates the venue each year). The Warm-Up Laps are on Saturday at 12pm, 2pm, and 4pm in the Deane Rehearsal Hall. The following day, the Marathon itself runs from 12pm – 10pm in the Wimberly Theatre.
Five ten-minute plays run each hour, followed by a ten-minute break.
Five ten-minute plays run each hour, followed by a ten-minute break.
Amongst the Huntington affiliates whose work will be presented this weekend is 2010-2012 Huntington Playwriting Fellow Miranda Craigwell, whose Shelter will be read on Saturday at 2pm. It is directed by the Huntington’s Associate Producer, M. Bevin O'Gara. Learn more.
The Huntington’s entry in the Marathon, Saturday Matinee by Allan Appel, will perform in the 5pm hour of plays on Sunday. It is directed by yours truly, Sam Lasman (Literary Professional Intern), produced by Ali Leskowitz (Artistic Producing Professional Intern), and features Our Town actors Nicholas Carterand Jay Ben Markson.
Other plays with Huntington staff involvement include:
- Drive by James Wilkinson, produced by the Boston Children’s Theatre in the 2pm group and featuring Robert Orzalli (Calderwood Pavilion Professional Intern)
- Cleavage by Barbara Blumenthal-Ehrlich, produced by The Lyric Stage Company in the 6pm group, directed by Anna Trachtman (General Management Professional Intern) and featuring Paul Melendy from the cast of Ryan Landry’s “M”
- Rocky Road by Elisabeth Burdick, produced by Nora Theatre Company in the 8pm group, directed by Vicki Schairer (Assistant to the Artistic Director).
The work of many Huntington Playwriting Fellows will also appear in the Marathon, including:
- Joyce Van Dyke’s White Hole, produced by the Boston Center for American Performance, in the 12pm group
- John Kuntz’s The Nice Hotel, produced by Happy Medium Theatre Company, in the 1pm group
- Patrick Gabridge’s Curse the Darkness, produced by New Repertory Theatre, in the 3pm group
- Sinan Ünel’s Last Flight Out, produced by Provincetown Counter Productions, in the 4pm group
- Ronan Noone’s Boyfriend, produced by the Salem Theatre Company, in the 6pm group
- Lila Rose Kaplan’s The Chapel Play, produced by the American Repertory Theatre, in the 9pm group
Bad Habit Productions, helmed by Daniel Morris (BU Theatre House Manager) and Meg O’Brien (Manager of Education Operations) is producing Red Drink by Obehi Janice, directed by Jeff Mosser, in the 12pm group.
And, of course, the entire Marathon is organized by HPF Kate Snodgrass, who is now Artistic Director at the Boston Playwrights’ Theatre.
Learn more about the Marathon and get your tickets on BostonTheatreScene.com. We look forward to seeing you there!
