Lansbury, Grafton, Ira Levin-Int'l Mystery Writers' Fest!
By: Beau Higgins Nov. 18, 2006
Sue Grafton, James W. Hall, John Jakes, Stuart Kaminsky, Angela Lansbury, super agent Samuel "Biff" Liff, and Ira Levin are faces you might see at the Tonys, Emmys, Oscars or Edgar Allen Poe awards. This coming June they plan to be in Owensboro, Ky., for the newest festival presenting live theater world premieres of 12 original mystery works.
The first International Mystery Writers' Festival, "Discovering New Mysteries," will be held at the RiverPark Center in Owensboro, Ky., from June 12 – 17, 2007.
Producers, directors, agents, publishers and critics representing national and international live theater, television and motion pictures all will be in attendance, along with many guest stars, to view the festival's world premiere of 12 new "live, on stage" works.
"This is the only new works festival in the English-speaking world specializing in fully staging the discovered new mysteries and presenting them to the general public to enjoy and select the winners! " said RiverPark President & CEO Zev Buffman, who produced 40 Broadway shows and 100 national tours. "We also are proud to introduce a new award, 'The Angie,' named after Angela Lansbury, who will be honored as 'The First Lady of Mystery' by Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher at the televised awards gala.
"Major media coverage and recognition will come to The RiverPark Center four stages for the unique blend of this stage, cinema and television event," continued Buffman. "This is the Stratford, Shaw and Sundance of live Mysteries."
The festival also is one of only a handful in the United States dedicated to producing and premiering new works. The Executive Committee, which is being formed now, already includes top names in contemporary literature. Members will help select the finalists, and most will hold master's classes in Owensboro during the festival. Some of the founding members are:
Sue Grafton, a Kentucky native and a prolific writer of chronological series of mystery novels known as "the alphabet novels." Grafton is published in more than 15 languages and 20 countries.
James W. Hall, winner of this year's Edgar for Best Short Story and the 2003 Shamus Award for Best Novel "Blackwater Sounds." Born in Kentucky, living in Key Largo, FL, writes primarily about Florida's exciting locals such as in "Forests of the Night" & "Off the Chart." A university teacher of writing mysteries turned author, Hall prides himself in his students' achievements: Dennis Lehane ("Mystic River"), Barbara Parker (the 'Suspicion' series) and Vicki Hendricks ("Miami Purity & Iguana Love"). Hall will be holding Master Classes at the festival.
John Jakes, who holds the record of the first author to have three books on The New York Times' best-seller list in a single year with "The Kent Family Chronicles." He repeated that pattern with his Civil War trilogy: "North and South," "Heaven and Hell," and "Love and War." All were No. 1 best-sellers made into Emmy-winning network mini-series.
Stuart M. Kaminsky is the current Grand Master of the Mystery Writers of America and a five-time nominee and winner of an Edgar Award for best mystery novel. He is author of more than 60 published mysteries, text books on film and television, as well as biographies of Clint Eastwood, Gary Cooper and John Huston. He has written episodes for television's Nero Wolfe Mysteries. His screenplays include "Once Upon a Time in America," which starred Robert DiNiro, "FM" with Catherine Deneuve, and "Hidden Fears" with Meg Foster and Frederick Forrest. In addition to his other books, Kaminsky writes the "CSI: NY" novels and was the author of two "Rockford Files" books. Kaminsky will co-chair the festival's executive committee with Buffman.
Ira Levin, a two-time winner of the Edgar Award and past Grand Master of Mystery, songwriter and playwright best known for writing "Rosemary's Baby," "A Kiss Before Dying," and "The Stepford Wives." His Tony-winning Broadway/London masterpiece "Deathtrap" holds the record as the longest running comedy-thriller in Broadway's history and was later made into a film starring Christopher Reeve and Michael Caine. Five of Levin's works were made into major films, garnering several Oscar nominations.
Samuel "Biff" Liff has directed and worked on many hits, including "My Fair Lady," "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," "The Matchmaker" and "Call Me Mister." He has worked with stars such as Shirley Booth, Thornton Wilder, David Niven, Carol Channing, Gloria Swanson and Tyrone Guthrie. For the last 25 years, Liff has been heading the Theatre Division of the William Morris Agency, the world's largest and oldest entertainment agency. Liff represents a variety of clients in the theatrical field, including Julie Andrews, Julie Harris, Angela Lansbury, Jane Alexander and Chita Rivera.
The new festival received $555,000 from the state and $50,000 from Daviess County Fiscal Court to help launch this key economic development and cultural venture.
Deadline, Awards and Prize Money "Discovering New Mysteries" is still accepting submissions of original plays, screenplays and teleplays. Deadline for submissions is November 30, 2006. The "Festival Final 12" will be selected and notified February 15, 2007.
The Angie Awards will be presented annually in eight categories, with $10,000 in prize money going for Best New Work, $5,000 to the most Promising New Writer and $2,500 to the Outstanding Screenplay or Teleplay. The awards and cash prizes will be presented at the closing night gala June 17. Submissions should be sent to:
INTERNATIONAL MYSTERY WRITERS' FESTIVAL
PO BOX 548, OWENSBORO, KY 42302
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