Playwright Jordan Ramirez Puckett to Receive Abingdon's Wolk Award

Abingdon Theatre Company announces that San Francisco-based playwright Jordan Ramirez Puckett will receive its 2015 Christopher Brian Wolk Award for her play RESTORE. A presentation of the award and staged reading of the play is set for Monday, December 14, at 7:00pm in the June Havoc Theatre, 312 West 36th Street, in Manhattan.

In an ongoing effort to recognize excellence in playwriting, Abingdon established the Christopher Brian Wolk Award to be presented annually to a writer of a full-length play not yet produced in New York City. The honor includes a $1,000 cash award and staged reading of the winning script.

In RESTORE, Amy and Kyle are a couple who meet as children, fall in love as teenagers, and seem fated to be together as adults. Their parents couldn't be happier. But eventually their relationship shows signs of reciprocal physical and emotional abuse. One night, the escalating tension causes an unthinkable event. Over the course of the play, each character must find a way to face his or her own culpability.

Abingdon's Artistic Director Tony Speciale, whose credits include The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey and Unnatural Acts, and is set to direct the reading. Casting is to be announced.

RESTORE was nominated along with five other scripts from nearly 350 plays submitted to Abingdon during its 2014-2015 season. A selection committee comprising of actors, directors and playwrights determined the winning script through a blind selection process.

The finalists for this year's award are Michael Aman's Feeding the Birds; James Armstrong's Betty Thorpe; John Morogiello's The Consul, The Tramp and America's Sweetheart; Charlotte Sampler's Darlin'; and Lawrence Thelen's Mamma's Apple Pie.

Since 2001, the Christopher Brian Wolk Award has been given annually to playwrights for full-length scripts. The award is named after Christopher Brian Wolk, a talented and creative actor, musician, singer, writer and composer who died in an accident in National Glacier Park, Montana. To honor his memory, Abingdon and the Wolk family created the award to celebrate excellence in playwriting. Christopher worked extensively with Abingdon including both the workshop and the main stage productions of Zona, The Ghost of Greenbrier.

Now in its 23rd Season, Abingdon develops and produces new American plays by emerging and established playwrights. Under the artistic direction of Tony Speciale, who joined Abingdon in October 2015, the company provides a safe home for playwrights, directors and actors. Abingdon's 2015-2016 Season continues in February 2016 with the world premiere of A Room of My Own, written and directed by Charles Messina.

On December 11, Abingdon launches its master class series with The Solo Story Workshop, taught by actor/writer James Lecesne (Trevor, The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey).

The Christopher Brian Wolk Award ceremony honoring Jordan Ramirez Puckett and reading of RESTORE takes place on Monday, December 14, in the June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues), beginning at 7:00pm. A reception follows the staged reading. The ceremony and reception are open to the public free of charge. To make a reservation, please e-mail literary@abingdontheatre.org.