Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning to Present New Season of Free Theatre Series

Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning will present the 2024/2025 season of its Theater series "Meet the Playwright". The free series will span four months - November to February - starting with a November 21st season premiere at JCAL's Studio Theater.

Meet the Playwright features semi-staged readings of new works by BIIPOC playwrights, plus Q&As with creative teams, presented from November to February. The series is curated by Brenda Jones, editor-in-chief at Three-Legged Elephant Publishing, an independent book publisher. Jones also works with theater and television actors on the intricacies of script studies and character development.

This season's lineup begins with "A House Full of Flies" by WillieAnn Gissendanner. Set in 1990s Georgia, the play focuses on a "50-something year old African-American widow", trying to balance the toxic relationship between herself and her two adult children. In December, JCAL will present "Pansy Craze" by Nick Luis. The period piece follows a love story during the 1920's NYC ballroom scene.

January 2025's Meet the Playwright presentation is "A Step - By - Step Guide On How To Succeed In the Myth Making Business" by Amalia Oliva Rojas. The play chronicles a struggling playwright, who commits suicide and proceeds to a liminal space where history and values will demand that she choose how she wishes to be remembered. The February finale of the series will bring "Venus Rising" by Frank E. Robinson to the stage. The play is about a family whose only child unexpectedly returns home with a surprise after having been abducted by aliens.

Now in its fifth season, Meet the Playwright has grown each year since its inception. Last season, plays like "Widows and Warriors" and "Oud Player on the Tel" entertained audiences and sparked important discussions. The JCAL team is hopeful that season five will keep that momentum going.

"I wanted to see, hear and feel, live raucous intimate theater in Jamaica Queens," says JCAL Artistic Director Courtney Ffrench. "The dream was to find playwrights that use their talents to explore the visceral intersection of life and art. Human relationships are about unique connections in unique moments. Meet The Playwright sets the stage for discovery. I am bursting with anticipation to see what glorious gems we uncover during the season."

Meet the Playwright is made possible through principal support from New York City Council Member Nantasha Williams. Additional support is provided by the Mellon Foundation, the Howard Gilman Foundation, the NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs, the Office of Mayor Eric L. Adams, NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, NYC Council Whip Selvena Brooks-Powers, and private supporters.

Season Lineup

• November 21st - "A House Full of Flies" by WillieAnn Gissendanner
• December 19th - "Pansy Craze" by Nick Luis
• January 30th - "A Step - By - Step Guide On How To Succeed In the Myth Making Business" by Amalia Oliva Rojas
• February 22nd - "Venus Rising" by Frank E. Robinson

About curator Brenda Jones

Brenda's background includes the U.S. International University's School of Performing Arts, and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts here in New York City. As with many student actors, she stepped away from the stage entirely after deciding that 'eating' was better than 'applause.' After a full career in media advertising and marketing sales for media companies from WPIX-TV to BET.com, Brenda has returned to the boards - to direct.

She has directed new and small productions at the [Queens] Secret Theater, and within the New York Theater Festival's Winterfest Competition. Currently, Ms. Jones is an acting coach for actors in various TV and film productions - and is the curator for JCAL's aforementioned 'Meet The Playwright' series, entering its 5th season in October 2024.

About WillieAnn Gissendanner

WillieAnn first appeared on a New York stage in an American Academy of Dramatic Arts' production of The Balcony by Jean Genet. WillieAnn was invited back for the final year and was awarded a full scholarship and a matching grant for the final second year by The American Theatre Wing. She received critical acclaim for her performances at The WorkShop Theater Company as MEDEA by Euripides, BO by Gregory Sullivan , NOT I by Samuel Becket , WOMAN by Lawrence Holder. Her film credits include: ROADS AND BRIDGES/ Abe Lim, OUT FOR JUSTICE/ Steven Segal, Q&A/ Sidney Lamet and KING /Abby Mann.

About Nick Luis

Born & raised in NYC, Nick is a queer, husky, gay Latinx individual who graduated from CUNY Baruch College with a master's in arts administration. As a producer, actor, and creator, he seeks to bring people together through art and storytelling in order to foster cultural exchanges and promote a more progressive and connected society. His recent producer credits include POKENO written by Nick Luis and directed by Ashley L. Canfield and co-producing the hit Broadway musical " Come From Away. " As a performer, he led the cast of Information for Foreigners as "Guide" written by Griselda Gambaro, directed by Maru Garcia at Jersey City Theater Center. Nick had his directorial debut in the Summer of 2024 at the NY Theater Festival directing the play Trauma, Bonding written by Josh Brady. Lastly, he is also a published poet in the LGBTQ+ Anthology series " Out Loud " (Read Or Green Books, 2022).

About Amalia Oliva Rojas

Amalia Oliva Rojas is a Mexican poet, performer, and theatre artivist raised in Nueva York . Her work centers and archives the stories, myths, and legends told by her family and the New York immigrant community. Her plays include Tonantzin On the 7 Train (Pen America), A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Succeed in the Myth - Making Business (Lehman College), How to Melt ICE (or How the Coyote fell in love with the Lizard Who Was Really a Butterfly) (New York Women ' s Fund Grant, New Perspectives Theatre Company and Boundless Theater Company, Latin American Theater Award for Outstanding Playwriting), and In The Bronx Brown Girls Can See Stars Too. She was recently named one of six Culture and Narrative Fellows for The Opportunity Agenda, where she will be working on her new solo show DREAMing and The City. Additionally, Amalia is proud to be an Inaugural The Lily's Lorraine Hansberry Fellow and CUNY Mexican Studies Institute Lydia Mendoza Fellow. She is a third-year MFA Playwriting candidate at Columbia University.

About Frank Robinson

Frank Robinson is a writer, poet, singer/songwriter, playwright, author of the children 's book series, "Tales of the DreamStea ler ", and the producer/ director of QPTV 's "Around the Fire ". His plays have been developed and produced at such venues as JCAL 's Meet the Playwright series, Conch Shell Productions New Works Festival, and QPTV 's Around the Fire. As a teaching artist, he wrote plays, monologues, and vignettes for the drama workshops he facilitated at JCAL, Queens Community House, and in the New York City public school system. His goals for writing are to write stories that entertain, inspire, and enliven critical thought.