DATE: May 15, 2008

CONTACT: Mark Charney, (864) 656-5415
cmark@clemson.edu

CONTACT: David White
dave@wordbridge.org

WRITER: Glenn Hare, (864) 656-1478
ghare@clemson.edu

Playwriting laboratory offers playwrights the opportunity to refine their work

CLEMSON — Daniel Stein, an internationally recognized mime artist, and Anne Garcia-Romero, a nationally recognized playwright, are among the artists-in-residence at the 2008 WordBRIDGE Playwrights Laboratory June 7-22 at Clemson University.

A collaboration between the Clemson’s Department of Performing Arts and the Generous Company, a non-profit theater based in New York and Connecticut, WordBRIDGE is a playwriting laboratory that provides a bridge for gifted emerging playwrights between the theoretical and academic sides of playwriting and the real world of theatre.

Playwrights chosen from undergraduate and graduate programs from around the country have the opportunity to work with professional artists, including directors, actors, designers and dramaturges. They can work with invited resource artists —psychologists, storytellers, choreographers, improvisation specialists and others — to bring their expertise and experience to the writing process. 

WordBRIDGE offers playwrights an environment in which to experiment with their ideas, said Mark Charney, Clemson’s director of theater and co-artistic director of WordBRIDGE.

“Playwrights can experiment with scripts in a safe and supportive environment," he said. "They are invited to participate on the basis of a script that exhibits great promise. We hope that they will feel free to ‘play’ with their works as much as they want with the understanding that their original scripts still exist.” 

This summer’s selected writers and scripts include Mary Hamilton’s “Um…Like America," David Jacobi’s “Self Destruction Opera” and Ben Viccellio’s “No More.” George Brant, winner of the David Mark Cohen National Playwriting Award, returns to WordBRIDGE to develop “Any Other Name,” and Nathan Warren Lane, the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival’s playwright-in-residence, will work on his new script, “Demon Holler.” Clemson University graduate student Nick Mazzuca rounds out the six invited writers with his play “Through the Blue Door.”

The Boomerang Artist Fund is supporting a WordBRIDGE alumnus to return to develop a new play. Megan Gogerty was selected to work on her new play “Pandas.”

Anne Garcia-Romero’s plays include Earthquake Chica, Mary Peabody in Cuba, Desert Longing and Juanita’s Statue. As the professional playwright-in-residence, Garcia-Romero will work alongside seven artists, sharing her expertise as a widely produced playwright and originating a new work at the same time.

“Working in a collaborative environment is vitally important,” said Kendall Sherwood, a playwright who attended last summer’s workshop. “WordBRIDGE was, by far, one of the most phenomenal experiences I’ve had in the theater community. It completely changed the way I look at my writing and the way I look at theater in general.”

“No other play development center that I’m aware of assembles a group of resource professionals from such diverse backgrounds.  The playwright is center of what we are about and the laboratory exists to best serve his or her ideas," said David White, co-artistic director of WordBRIDGE.

The process begins with a reading of the plays for the assembled company of professionals. The writers then spend the rest of the time in rehearsals, revising their scripts and meeting with artists before having a second reading.

The Saturday, June 14, performance features the Tribute to Playwrights and a reception where WordBRIDGE will honor the participating playwrights from around the country and introduce them to the Clemson Community.  Participating in the event are Anne Garcia-Romero, a widely produced playwright, J. Ranelli, a founding member of the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, and Richard Rice, the founder of WordBRIDGE, along with a host of other artists-in-residents.

For 12 years, WordBRIDGE has developed plays by more than 70 writers from all over the United States. Started at Eckerd College by Richard Rice, the playwriting laboratory moved to Clemson University in 2007.

END

Schedule:

Monday, June 10, 4:30 p.m.
Master class: Feldenkrais Workshop with Mimi Rice

Tuesday, June 11, 4:30 p.m.
Panel discussion: “New Play Development: Past, Present and Future in the United States” with David Kranes, J. Ranelli, Richard Rice, and David White.  Moderated by Mark Charney.

Thursday, June 12, 4:30 p.m.
Workshop: Daniel Stein, WordBRIDGE resource artist and performer

Friday, June 13, 8 p.m.
Performance: “Timepiece” featuring Daniel Stein

Saturday, June 14, 8 p.m.
Performance: “Timepiece” featuring Daniel Stein
Reception: Tribute to Playwrights

Wednesday, June 16, 4:30 p.m.
Workshop/Lecture: Crosby Hunt, WordBRIDGE storytelling resource artist

Wednesday, June 17, 4:30 p.m.
Writing Workshop with Anne Garcia-Romero

Wednesday, June 18, 4:30 p.m.
Workshop: Daniel Stein, WordBRIDGE resource artist and performer

Thursday, June 19, 4:30 p.m.
Panel discussion: “The International Possibilities and Trends for New Work” presented by Philip Arnoult.