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Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Meet the Artist 2018: Dreamcatcher’s New Play Readings

Psychodrama
by Phoeber Farber
Directed by Betsy True

WHEN: Wednesday, May 16, @ 7 pm
WHERE:
Oakes Center, 120 Morris Ave., Summit
TICKETS: General Admission $10.00
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2964539

Welcome to the weekly divorce group, held in the basement of the Unitarian church. The members are suddenly left stranded when Mitchell, their leader leaves halfway through. Luckily, Barb has agreed to be the new group leader. Hold onto your seat.

Cast: Harry Patrick Christian, Laura Ekstrand, Julian Gordon, Anna Marie Sell, Harriett Trangucci

The new play reading series is a chance for the audience to participate in the development of new works, both to hear the play read by professional actors and also to discuss the project with the playwright, director and actors afterward.  Feedback from these evenings helps the playwrights to further refine their scripts and also gives them a first-hand experience of how the audience will respond to the finished work. These evenings provide a fun and lively way to interact with the creative process, and to receive a preview of plays that may be performed on Dreamcatcher's mainstage in the future.

Phoebe Farber's plays have been seen around New York and New Jersey. Her play Scrimmage was seen at The Players Theatre (best play, NYC), The Short Play Lab (best play, NYC) and Strangedog short play festival (NJ). Home Care was seen in the Strawberry One-Act Festival (Finalist, NYC), The Aery Theatre's One-Act Play Festival (NY),Variations Theatre Group (NYC) and at Lab at Luna through Luna Stage (NJ). Jump It was a finalist at The Depot Theater 20/20 festival in Garrison, New York, and appeared at The Everyday Inferno Theater Festival (NYC) and at Lab at Luna (NJ). Class Reunion was seen at The Cell Theater (NYC) and Strangedog short play festival (NJ). Readings have included Jump It and Nina at Fresh Produced Reading Series (NYC) and Dancing in Captivity at Horsetrade Theatre Group (NYC). Her plays have been published in Applause Theatre & Cinema Books and The Best Plays from the Strawberry One-Act Festival. Phoebe lives in Montclair, New Jersey, has a private psychotherapy practice and is a professor at Montclair State University.


Wolf at the Door
by Richard Dresser
Directed by Laura Ekstrand

WHEN: Wednesday, May 23, @ 7 pm
WHERE: Oakes Center, 120 Morris Ave., Summit
TICKETS: General Admission $10.00
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2964539

An upper west side apartment building has a new owner, and the residents are spooked. Why are their neighbors steadily disappearing? Why are the Norwegians being confined to the top floor? And what are the intentions of their landlord, who has yet to keep any of his promises?

Cast: Nicole Callender, Clark Carmichael, Kat Choe, Noreen Farley, Scott McGowan, Jason Szamreta

Richard Dresser's plays have been produced in New York, regional theater, and Europe. They include Rounding Third, which started in Chicago, appeared off-Broadway and has had hundreds of productions.  It was recently made into a film starring John C. McGinley and Garret Dillahunt for release in 2016.  Below the Belt and Gun-Shy, both started at the Humana Festival at Actors Theatre of Louisville before moving off-Broadway.  Below the Belt was made into the film  "Human Error" directed by Robert M. Young which appeared at Sundance.  His trilogy of plays about happiness in America includes Augusta (working class), The Pursuit of Happiness (middle class), and A View of the Harbor (upper class).  Other plays are: The Last Days of Mickey & Jean, Something in the Air, The Downside, Alone at the Beach, Wonderful World, and Better Days, plus many short plays.