The directors and cast have been announced for readings of new plays by five local playwrights to be performed October 27–29, 2023.
ACT Contemporary Theatre released more details of New Works Northwest, the Inaugural Festival, to be presented October 27–29, 2023 in ACT’s Bullitt Theatre. In kicking off this festival, ACT Contemporary Theatre continues as the epicenter of groundbreaking new work that promises to captivate, challenge, and inspire. All tickets are pay-what-you-can and are available now online or by calling the ACT Box Office at (206) 292-7676. Seating is limited and has already sold out for Mrs. Loman is Leaving and VIAL MAN (The Apothecary’s Story).
For this inaugural season, ACT will present five plays written by Seattle playwrights over the course of three evenings. The inaugural playwrights are Andrew Lee Creech (Taproot Theatre: Last Drive to Dodge); Steven Dietz (ACT Contemporary Theatre: Dracula); Katie Forgette (ACT: Assisted Living); Reginald Andrè Jackson (ACT: The History of Theatre, About, By, For, and Near); and Maggie Lee (Macha Theatre Works: Sheathed).
Performed as readings in a small, intimate setting, audiences will get the chance to witness the workshop process of bringing stories from script to stage. New Works Festival features the directing talents of Faith Bennett Russell (Seattle Public Theater: Pipeline); Jeff Steitzer (Seattle Shakespeare Company: Mother Courage and her Children); Valerie Curtis Newton (ACT: History of Theatre, Part 1); ACT Artistic Director John Langs (ACT: Every Brilliant Thing); and ACT Artistic Associate Shana Bestock (Seattle Public Theater: Amadeus).
The New Works Northwest Festival will feature an ensemble of local actors including Rob Burgess, Varinique Davis, Kathy Hsieh, Tracy Michelle Hughes, Reginald Andrè Jackson, Jonelle Jordan, Charles Leggett, Liz McCarthy, Claudine Mboligikpelani Nako, Eva OpongParry, Be Russell, Arlando Smith, Amy Thone, Morgan Gwilym Tso, Kevin Warren, Malcolm West, Bob Williams, Jarron A. Williams, Mike Winters, Dedra Woods, and R. Hamilton Wright.
Maggie Lee’s The Sunless Scar will feature members of ACT’s Young Core Company: Alphie Alloway, Sally Calvo, Vice Curtis, River DeJong, Ravenna Donohue, Emmett Driscoll, Enza Fammartino, Fish Harrison, Sylvie Kelderman, Aly Martin, Lillian Morris, Izaik Neisuler, and Claire Sloss.