I had a great meeting the other day with the director for the staged reading of “Fifteen Men In A Smoke-Filled Room” (John Williams) and also the Artistic Director of Eventide Arts (Toby Williams). The play is close to being fully cast and will begin rehearsals soon. I very much look forward to seeing John and his cast bring the script to life (again).

The submission process for the Kaplan Competition proved to be very helpful in forming and rearranging “Fifteen Men.” I have been working on the play for many years and I was tinkering with it up to the January 1st, 2014 deadline for the contest. I received especially invaluable advice from former Artistic Director Ellis Baker of Eventide Arts.

I also had the pleasure of speaking via telephone with Shannon Goheen, President of Eventide Arts, to gather material for a press release.  I will post a link to the press release when it goes live – but for now:

“Fifteen Men” will be read at the charming Dennis Union Church in Dennis, MA (along old Route 6). I drove by the church the other day and found it to be an extremely picturesque and beautiful spot:

You can purchase tickets to the March 8 and/or March 9 reading here!

I learned yesterday that my play “Fifteen Men In A Smoke-Filled Room” has won the Kaplan Play Competition sponsored by Eventide Arts of Dennis, MA!

Eventide Arts is an “independent organization that presents plays, concerts, lectures, and mixed media events to promote the understanding of social diversity, music, dance, and the art of playwriting and songwriting.” Eventude was formed in 1998 by Dennis Union Church (DUB) Music Director Noel Tipton and “is committed to producing thought-provoking theatre and entertainment that will stir and engage the community.” The company primarily performs on the Gertrude Lawrence Stage (named after the famous stage actress) located at Dennis Union Church Fellowship Hall.

The Kaplan Competition is sponsored by the Jeremiah Kaplan Foundation and The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod. It is open to new and established playwrights who live on Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard. My play “Harriman-Baines” was a finalist in the contest last year.

“Fifteen Men In A Smoke-Filled Room” will be given a staged reading on March 8 and March 9. A professional director (the veteran John Williams) will lead a cast of professional actors and actresses for the readings. I will be awarded $1,000 after the evening performance of the play.

I am especially pleased to have won the Kaplan Prize both because of the respected position of Eventide Arts but also because the prize is so “close to home” for me. I have had my plays presented in numerous area throughout the United States (and beyond!) but never had the pleasure of having one of my plays presented in my own backyard.

I look forward to working with the director and the actors on this great project!

I was informed the other day that my play “Fifteen Men In A Smoke-Filled Room” was judged to be among the top 20 scripts (among 200+ submitted) for a new play contest sponsored by the American Association of Community Theatre.

“Fifteen Men” is a real “baby” for me, because I have been working on the play since I was about 16. I hope to see it developed and fully produced one day for all the world to see.

For now, I’m grateful for the nod given by AACT and wish their community theaters the best of luck!

Community theater is the heart of theater, after all…