Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Plano Artistic Team heads to Kentucky for Humana Festival of New American Plays

By Pegasus News wire

Carol M. Rice (far left), Lisa Devine (far right)

Humana Festival of New American Plays hosted each year by Actor’s Theatre of Louisville is arguably the best place in the country to find new plays. Laying claim to over 350 productions in its 33 year history, it is a Mecca for the Artistic Directors of regional theatres nationwide. In addition to nearly nonstop premiere productions, multiple events ranging from conversations with artists to parties and discussions make it the de facto “Place to be” this time of year for artists running theatres.

This year, Plano’s Rover Dramawerks, whose mission is to do work “off the beaten path,” is sending their Artistic Director, Carol M. Rice, and her Second in Command Lisa Devine scouting for possible treasures. “We still have a slot in our Tenth Anniversary Season and what better place to go looking” said Rice. “Year in and year out, we find ourselves competing with area companies for wonderful new scripts and this year we decided to get a jump on it. Go to the source.”

In a year where arts organizations are cutting back, if surviving at all, a boondoggle to Kentucky might sound like an indulgence that a smaller company like Dramawerks could forego. “Rover is ready. Actor’s Theatre of Louisville is right up our alley if we are going to dream,” says Devine. “We are at that point and we have to take that step.” Rice interjects, “And if we didn’t have the money, we wouldn’t do this. Our board of directors agrees that it’s where we have to be to keep growing like we have been. We have an awesome board.” Devine jumps in “This is where theatres like us, doing lesser known works, are all going to be, discussing and sharing how to grow, especially in this economy.”

“There are workshops and parties and networking and even a series of their famous ten minute plays concurrently in the lobby” says Devine “And we’ve been invited to the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas Luncheon. Heck I’ve been dying to go to one of these festivals for years!” “Best of all,” smiles Rice, “If we see something we really like, we don’t have to wait and tussle over it with the publishers - we can walk right up to the playwright and her agent and make a deal. On the spot.”

Rice and Devine, and as they see it, their board as well, see this not as fluff but as the meat of their ambition, a way to grow in the face of adversity. With a history of premieres that includes the Pulitzer Prize winners Donald Margulies' Dinner with Friends, Beth Henley's Crimes of the Heart and D.L. Coburn's The Gin Game, now mainstays in the American Canon, Rice is quick to add “While Crimes of the Heart is one of my favorites, they were a risk at one time and Humana Festival was the first to have the courage. That’s worth seeing and being a part of.”

The Humana Festival runs through Aprill 11. More information at their official website.

Posted by Shawn

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