Hot off the Press

Plays About Obstacles

Our regular column on plays that have recently become available for licensing focuses in this issue on works about characters working their way through an unanticipated turn of events.

by Zackary Ross

Life is full of curveballs and unexpected twists, yet we venture forward, learning more about ourselves and the people we surround ourselves with through the process of the journey. The plays featured in this column present their protagonists with unusual circumstances and dramatize the resulting emotional and psychological journey they experience. To develop the following list of suggested titles, we surveyed major play publishers’ offerings during the last few years. Following each description, you’ll find information about the cast breakdown and a referral to the publisher who holds the rights.

Glory, by Tracey Power

In the middle of the Great Depression, four Canadian women set out to form an all-female hockey team. This heartfelt play explores each character’s personal narrative and captures the social and political climate of the times in an imaginative piece of staging that incorporates Jazz Age music and dance. The play is based on the real-life Preston Rivulettes, which formed in the 1930s. Cast breakdown: 4 women (any ethnicity); 1 man (any ethnicity) Publisher: Concord Theatricals www.concordtheatricals.com

Horseshoes, by Mike Sockol

It’s time for the Schuster family’s annual horseshoe tournament, but host Adam is unprepared to deal with the drama that ensues as he is confronted with his father’s declining health, a feud with his younger brother, and problems in his marriage, all of which complicate the fun summer outing. Secrets emerge, family bonds are tested, and the family’s path forward is uncertain in this dark comedy. Cast breakdown: 3 women (any ethnicity); 4 men (any ethnicity) Publisher: Dramatists Play Service www.dramatists.com

Paris, by Eboni Booth

Few Black people live in Paris, VT, a fact that is keenly felt by young Emmie, who lies to get a job at a local superstore called Berry’s. As is the case with the rest of the employees, desperation for a paycheck has led Emmie to work for a corporation that regularly promotes the underpaid poor to slightly less-underpaid middlemanagement positions and asks them to help subjugate those under them to protect profits. This poignant drama explores the side hustles, unrealistic dreams and resignation felt by members of the working class. Cast breakdown: 3 women (1 Black/ African descent, 2 white/European descent); 4 men (1 Black/African descent, 3 white/European descent) Publisher: Concord Theatricals www.concordtheatricals.com

Superhero, book by John Logan, music and lyrics by Tom Kitt

Fifteen-year-old Simon sits on his fire escape, dreaming up a superhero who will rescue him from the life of a teenager. Simon’s father passed away and, rather than deal with his grief, Simon loses himself in his superhero fantasies, further distancing himself from his mother Charlotte. As Simon’s landlord and other tenants in the building enter the story, Simon begins to comprehend the complexity of the world’s true superheroes in this charming musical. Cast breakdown: 3 women (any ethnicity); 5 men (any ethnicity) Publisher: Concord Theatricals www.concordtheatricals.com

The Bookstore, by Adam Symkowicz

When Rachel inherits her Great Aunt Ida’s beloved New England bookstore, she can’t fathom taking ownership of the business and managing it, so when the offer to buy it and turn it into an apartment complex comes around, Rachel is tempted to sell. However, the more time she spends in the shop with its unusual employees and charming clientele, the more her resolve begins to waver. Cast breakdown: 3 women (any ethnicity); 3 men (any ethnicity), expandable to 28 total actors Publisher: Playscripts, Inc. www.playscripts.com n

Zackary Ross (he/him) is an associate professor of theatre and arts administration program director at Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY. He is a member of the Southern Theatre Editorial Board.

Theatre

EDITOR Deanna Thompson

SETC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Susie Prueter

SETC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EMERITUS Betsey Horth

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PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE

Laura King, Chair, Independent Theatre Artist (GA) Becky Becker, Clemson University (SC) Jennifer Goff, Centre College (KY) Gaye Jeffers, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Ricky Ramón, Howard University (DC) Chalethia Williams, Miles College (AL)

EDITORIAL BOARD

Tom Alsip, University of New Hampshire Keith Arthur Bolden, Spelman College (GA) Amy Cuomo, University of West Georgia F. Randy deCelle, University of Alabama Kristopher Geddie, Venice Theatre (FL) David Glenn, Samford University (AL) Scott Hayes, Liberty University (VA) Edward Journey, Independent Artist/Consultant (AL) Stefanie Maiya Lehmann, Lincoln Center (NY) Sarah McCarroll, Georgia Southern University Tiffany Dupont Novak, Actors Theatre of Louisville (KY) Thomas Rodman, Alabama State University Zackary Ross, Bellarmine University (KY) Jonathon Taylor, East Tennessee State University Chalethia Williams, Miles College (AL) Student Member: Chris Cates, Wake Forest University (NC)

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Southern Theatre welcomes submissions of articles pertaining to all aspects of theatre. Preference will be given to subject matter linked to theatre activity in the Southeastern United States. Articles are evaluated by the editor and members of the Editorial Board. Criteria for evaluation include: suitability, clarity, significance, depth of treatment and accuracy. Please query the editor via email before sending articles. Stories should not exceed 3,000 words. Color photos (300 dpi in .jpeg or .tiff format) and a brief identification of the author should accompany all articles. Send queries and stories to: deanna@setc.org. Southern Theatre (ISSNL: 0584-4738) is published three times a year by the Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc., a nonprofit organization, for its membership and others interested in theatre. Copyright © 2022 by Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc., 5710 W. Gate City Blvd., Suite K, Box 186, Greensboro, NC 27407. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. Subscription rates: $24.50 per year, U.S.; $30.50 per year, Canada; $188 per year, International. Single copies: $8, plus shipping.

From the SETC President

TThe desire to create theatre only feels more present with every step we take out of the lingering pandemic. As many of the stories in this Southern Theatre tell it, those makers who have decided that everything has changed are the ones who are making bold moves toward equity, justice, and accessibility in the theatre. When COVID-19 shut down live theatre, playwrights wondered when their work might once again be seen on stage. More than two years after the pandemic began, writers continue to struggle, but many have carved new paths, creating online works and monologues, and some are seeing a return to onstage productions of their work. Laura King details the playwrights’ pandemic story. One of the playwrights who saw doors open in 2022 was John Mabey, who won SETC’s Charles M. Getchell New Play Award with their new play A

Complicated Hope. By August, Mabey’s play had not only had a reading at the

SETC Convention, but also two productions onstage. Mabey discusses their work in an interview with Laura King, and we share an excerpt from the winning play. The ongoing pandemic and calls for social justice have impacted theatres’ fundraising efforts, with many looking for new ways of approaching philanthropy that address systemic racism and inequity. Tiffany Dupont Novak interviews six rising leaders in the field who share insights on how arts leaders can redefine philanthropy in their organizations. The impact of the pandemic is also the jumping-off point for the book featured in our “Words, Words, Words…” column. Joseph R. D’Ambrosi reviews Toward a

Future Theatre: Conversations During a Pandemic, by Caridad Svich, which includes interviews with more than 50 theatre makers and performance artists about their pandemic lives and the future they see for theatre. Every college or university does it, but there’s no set way they all do it. “It” is the annual season selection process. Using information gleaned from a survey of school representatives, Tom Alsip looks at how different schools build their seasons, what their key considerations are, and who typically is involved in the process. In our regular “Hot off the Press” column, Zackary Ross shares some recently published plays that feature characters overcoming the unexpected obstacles that life has thrown in their path. Finally, in our “Outside the Box” column, which features innovative design/tech solutions, David Glenn details how to create a low-cost braking solution for use on rolling scenery wagons. Embracing big change, relishing small miracles, and growing through reflection are key components to the forward progress of our industry. Let these stories inspire you to carry out change in your own ways, while caring for the community that is nearest to you.