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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT THURSDAY, JUNE 30 , 2016
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The Players’ New Play Festival offers local playwrights the most valuable tool of their craft — feedback.
First Draft
Hail The Heat Cool down — or embrace the burn — at Calusa’s summer concert. PAGE 4
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Courtesy photo
NICK FRIEDMAN A+E MANAGING EDITOR
L
‘Patriotic Spectacular’
lywelyn Jones has an interesting rela-
Gloria Musicae taps into the American songbook with classics, as well as spirituals. PAGE 8
tionship with the phrase “the end.” For many, the words mean just that — the
story is over. But, like any good writer, Jones
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knows that’s when the real work begins: during the editing process. “Every time I write those words,” he says, “it’s not even close to the end. It’s the beginning of a whole new process. It takes countless revisions to get something to its true potential. That’s the hardest part.” The local playwright has won the Players Centre for the Performing Arts’ New Play Festival three times. The annual competition returns this week, and he’ll once again participate, presenting a reading of his play, “Anatomically Speaking.” But for him, it’s not about winning. In this festival, he says, simply participating is its own prize. Having your winning play produced on the theater’s main stage is a great opportunity, but more than that, participants get something invaluable to the writing process: feedback. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Festival Finale Photo by Nick Friedman
Top: Playwrights work with actors to bring their scripts to life. Middle: One winning play is produced the following year. Bottom: Llywelyn Jones says the feedback offered is priceless.
The Sarasota Music Festival wraps up with a tribute to two influential musicians. PAGE 11