SOMERS POINT – SPQR Stage Company will host the fourth-annual “New Works Weekend,” a two-day showcase of new plays written by local and regional playwrights, on Feb. 19 and 20.
Seven 10-minute original plays will be staged, some for the very first time, at Somers Point’s Studio;Space.
SPQR Artistic Director Bill Sterritt developed the idea for the event.
“I learned that there’s a decent amount of south Jersey residents writing plays either as a career or a hobby or just for fun. But their stories only existed on paper,” said Sterritt, of Cape May. “Plays need somewhere to live and breathe and grow. I wanted to help give these talented writers a place to showcase their works.”
The festival is broken up in two parts, “Not Jersey” and “New Jersey,” based on where the playwrights reside. The plays included in New Works Weekend are:
– “Surf’s Up” by Ken Levine;
– “Words to that Effect” by F.J. Hartland;
– “Barren Landscape” by Steve Gold;
– “The Birthday Boat” by Michele Markarian;
– “The Bad Good Old Days” by Tom Chin, Ocean City;
– “Jackie and Marilyn” by Heidi Mae, Ventnor;
– “The Bohemian Vagabond Freeloader’s Guide to Rome” by Susan Tischler, North Cape May.
“This is a great chance for these writers to have their works finally seen by a live audience,” said Sterritt, “and for the audience to perhaps see the next Broadway hit before it moves on the Great White Way.”
Performances are 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 19 and 20, 112 Woodland Ave., Somers Point. Tickets are $10 (cash) and can be purchased at the door. For more information, please call (323) 793-2153 or email spqrstageco@aol.com.
More information on SPQR Stage Company can be found at StudioSpaceSPNJ.com or Facebook.com/spqrstagesco.
