Second Playwrights Selected for 7dop
The final selection has been made! We are pleased to introduce the second set of playwrights chosen for the 7 Days of Play Festival.
Brett Hursey the writer of Scrambled, Directed by Nabil Vinas
Brett Hursey’s comedies have appeared in theaters across the country including venues in Chicago, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Hollywood, as well as internationally in England, Australia and Canada. He’s also had twenty-five off/off-off Broadway productions in Manhattan and will have two shows appearing in the “Made in Vancouver” Festival during the 2010 Olympics.
Mike Smith Writer of Not Here, Directed by Alexander Christian Mulzac
Mike Smith is a native of Harlem, New York. He is a graduate of City College Center for Worker Education. Mike’s play, “Not here” has won an award for best play in the Aery Theatre 20/20 Play Festival. He’s been involved in a number of theatrical performances (writing and acting) at City College Center for Worker Education, and has had several poems featured in various publications through the Center. He is currently working for the New York City Department of Education as an Educational Assistant-Crisis Paraprofessional. Mike has a small role in an upcoming independent film Directed by Roderick Baraka entitled, “Infidelity.”
Matriarch By Miriam Tabb, Directed by Jean-Pierre Barthelemy
Miriam Tabb, actress, writer, director, and small business owner of Life Noted, has the amazing ability to get the most personal story out of anyone. Her sensitive awareness and empathy for people, relationships, and the world around her is the reason Miriam became a trained actress to re-enact important moments in life, onstage. Graduating from The City College of New York with a BA in Theatre, Miriam took her love for stories a step further to act, write, and direct moving pieces that honor the human spirit. Portraying, creating, and shaping characters onstage in productions like Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, James Baldwin’sAmen Corner, Trevor Rhone’s Two Can Play, her own Turning Points documentary drama, and much more have refined her love of stories to an art form. Miriam has added spoken word to her repertoire over the last few years, performing in NYC venues. Her most recent work reflects that experience through its poetic language. Matriarch is one woman’s personal journey of her pursuit of motherhood, and Miriam is proud it is debuting at The 7 Collective’s 7 Day Festival.
First Playwrights Selected for 7dop
We thank all the writers who submitted plays for consideration in this festival. With so many promising works it was difficult to narrow it down to two plays. After many hours of reading we found Gluttony by Ed Cardona Jr. and Laugh Riot by Michael Weems. Aligned with our mission to collaborate and engage the community we opened the stage to outside actors. We are pleased to introduce Shyla Idris, Betsy Holt, John Esposito and Damian Desiree. The performances are this weekend and tickets are on sale now. Hope to see you there.
Ed Cardona Jr. Selected as an Artistic Associate for the Working Theater’s 25th Anniversary Season, which will produce his play American Jornalero, a 1st Stage Production, New York City, March 2010 (theworkingtheater.org).His other plays include an adaptation of Pablo's Christmas (commissioned and published by Dramatic Publishing, 2009) from the children's book by Hugo C. Martin; Apricot Sunday, in 2008: The Best 10-Minute Plays for 2 Actors(Contemporary Playwright Series) by Lawrence Harbison, published, 2009;Black & Blue Fruit, New Works Lab '09, Intar Theatre, staged reading, New York City; Piragua Papi (Snow Cone Daddy), Insight 15, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, staged reading, New York City; Up or Down, staged reading, the Welcome Mat Reading Series, Partial Comfort Productions, New York City; PICK UP POTS!, staged reading, the Working Theater, New York City; Bottle Rockets, workshop production, Insight 14, Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, New York City; Blunt-Piercing-Edge, staged reading, the Welcome Mat Reading Series, Partial Comfort Productions and NewWorksLab, Intar Theatre, New York City; and La Perla (The Pearl), Fiesta 2007: Words and Music, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, New York City. Cardona has been a resident with Hispanic Playwrights in Residence Lab at Intar Theatre and Hall Farm Center for the Arts & Education, Townsend, Vt. He is a member of Partial Comfort Productions and the Professional Playwrights Unit at the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre. Cardona received his M.F.A. in playwriting from Columbia University, May 2006, where he received the John Golden Award for his thesis play, PICK UP POTS!
Michael Weems is a NYC based writer, playwright, and actor. Recent playwriting credits include: Bludgeon the Lime and Necessary Adjustments (Phare Play Productions) Fragments, Waiting Life, and Onward, Forward (Little Hibiscus Productions), Subtlety (Algonquin Productions), Burden Me (Strawberry Riant Festival & Awakening Drama); Waiting Life, Ready to Shine, and Subtlety (Brief Acts). Recent fiction/poetry credits: Love Me, As Well (Record Magazine - Winter 08-09) When We Reached the Forest (Indite Circle Literary) and being named the poet of the month for 'O Sweet Flowery Roses Literary Journal (October 2008), as well as recent works being published by 63 Channels Literary, Jump In Magazine, and Oregon Literary Review, amongst others. Thanks to my loves, Christine, Thomas, & Jack. www.michaeltweems.com
A Note of Thanks
To our families, friends & supporters:
The Seven Collective’s infancy started with an idea, a dream and a hope. The idea to affect a radical, positive shift in the way we present theatre, in the way we relate to what has influenced our life experiences. The dream of apprising individual creativity and leadership yet possessing a singular, cohesive vision. The hope that these bonds formed in this collective venture, this Seven Collective, would supercede obstacles we face day by day. Our ideas and dreams are confronted every moment that you become involved in our process because your participation fosters a more intimate relationship with our community, motivating us to deliver high artistic merit and integrity to the stage.
Yes, We need you.
I know it wasn’t easy to lend your financial support to our cause, especially given the current economic “pinch” these times warrant; but it is and will continue to be a necessary component of our progressive development as we strive to employ the artistic quality we envision.
Yes, We are grateful!
In response to your donations for our fund raising efforts within the last few months, my Seven Collective brethren and I extend a warm and deeply heartfelt THANK YOU. THANK YOU. Your participation, generosity and goodwill have been inspiring. I know it sounds cliché, but in the idealistic spirit of the message – We, The Seven Collective, honestly look forward to embarking on this journey together with you.
Only in fellowship can our ideas, dreams and hopes be fully realized.
Sincerely,
Alexander Christian Mulzac
Our First Reading. Reflections
Tonight we conducted an intimate reading of plays that we are considering. The audience was attentive and generous. The raffle winners were also selected and their prizes will be posted shortly. David K signed books of poetry. Roderick Warner made a surprise entrance at the last minute. The night concluded with music and laughter. On behalf of the company I would like to thank everyone who has supported us and look forward to seeing you at our next event.
Jean-Pierre
To NYC Poets, Dancers, Painters, Students, Teachers, Astrologers, Writer/Director/Producers
This is our time, our chance to plant fresh seeds and cultivate artistry in its highest and most diverse form. I am in the mode of learning, whether consciously or subconsciously, from you:
Your methodology, your paths to discovery, your preference between the creative process and the “final” product.
Countless conversations and visitations with many a poet, choreographer, sketch artist, vocalist, juggler, etc. within the New York City artistic community at large have emboldened my creative and social consciousness over the last 3 to 5 years. Since 2008, I've been re-immersed in my dedication to theatre, giving myself to it in different capacities. This came as a sacrifice to poetry, unfortunately, which previously swept me up for a brief and very exciting time.
It has been my pleasure supporting poets like Roger Bonair-Agard, Mahogany Browne, Darian Dauchan, Rico Frederick Steal, Jon Sands and Caitlin Meissner (to name only a few) in their prolific journeys in writing, educating and contributing to community development and poetic evolution. I admire their willingness to elevate their craft and still challenge themselves to experiment with form or technique or presentation. In brief instances, Taylor Mali has been generous with his support, providing forums for expression and ledges on which poets can stand. The brevity of our exchanges has not equated to a lack of inspiration. The same can be said for others like musician, Akie Bermiss or actress/dancer/installation artist, Ximena Garnica.
The point is that being exposed to various genres of art has and continues to satiate my spirit and brighten, rather than just broaden, my perspective. I implore you artists, educators, day laborers, night watchers and respective fans of whomever or whatever to expose yourselves to different things, regardless of the moniker. Life is for the living...and living, however that fulfills you, feels really good. Great art is a wondrous experience, especially when it comes from left field. So as much as I will continue to truly support you on your creative journey when I can, I am seeking your support for the first steps on a long, productive road for The Seven Collective. (Wait! Don’t click X. I’m not asking for your money.)
We want an audience. The Seven Collective is not one entity engaged in one style serving one set of folks. We are an artists’ collective, engaging in various genres and disciplines while serving expansive and closed minds, urban youth and well-traveled elders, our families and ourselves. We respect form and tradition. We appreciate those who’ve sacrificed before us so that we can inhabit the now. We embrace change and include the present when we stretch ourselves towards the beyond. We strive to evolve and advance, which will mean falling down, sometimes hard on our faces, and that’s all right.
This is more than, “Look what I can do.”
More than, “Go see some theatre, film, spoken word, dance pieces, concerts, and comedy sketches.”
This is a call to engage…
To be a part of…
To play…
To learn what you don’t know…
To see the world expand before your eyes and impact it…
To let us know you were here.
I believe my brothers and I are striving to do this with The Seven Collective.
Support the movement and spread the word.
- David King
