Online Theatre Company Raises $16,000 Supporting Color Of Change and YWCA Covid-19 Relief Fund

Playdate Theatre, the first-ever online theatre company, streamed their virtual play festival fundraiser at the end of July. The three-week festival featured Hollywood and Broadway stars including Michaela Watkins, Marcus Scribner, and Caroline Aaron, all taking the virtual stage from their own homes. The virtual play festival, Find A Way Or Make One, served as a fundraiser for Color of Change and YWCA's COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Recent college graduate, Talia Light Rake founded Playdate at the beginning of March. Light Rake serves as Playdate's Artistic Director and the Executive Producer of the festival. She partnered with actor, director, and Festival Producer Mark Feuerstein to bring six new Screen-Plays, a play written to be performed virtually, to life. Each Screen-Play was created in Playdate's New Play Development Conference where over 70 writers wrote a piece that was specifically meant to be performed virtually.

Playdate will continue creating and producing new works. Their next virtual development conference will take place in October.

The virtual play festival, Find A Way Or Make One, is now available On-Demand. By purchasing a ticket you will be able to stream all six plays for three days.

The Six Screen-Plays include:

• YOU AND ME AND THE SPACE BETWEEN is written by Jack Spagnola, directed by Ryan Dobrin, and virtually designed by Cecilia A. Dalceggio. Mark Feuerstein (Royal Pains, The West Wing) and Michaela Watkins (Big Mouth, SNL) take the screen as a couple meeting on a blind date.

• ARE YOU STILL? written by Lauren D'Errico, directed by Britt Berke and Miles Shebar and virtually designed by Miles Shebar. Where Liza Lapira (Unbelievable), Parveen Kaur (NBC's Manifest), Melinda Page Hamilton (Mad Men, How To Get Away With Murder), SHANE JOHNSON (Power), Lily Du (College Humor), and Luca Bella Facinelli (Your Family or Your Life) bring web pages to life in a wild take on quarantine fatigue.

• TODAY I SAW A BIRD AND WATCHED YOU FLY AWAY WITH IT is written by Ben Kaye, directed by Jenna Rossman, and virtually designed by Elizabeth Iduma. Owen Thiele (86'ed) and Wonza Johnson (HAMILTON national tour) explore the trials and tribulations of a relationship sentenced to work from home.

• WAZE is written by Lizz Bogaard, directed by Coleman Ray Clark, and virtually designed by Jacob Gusentine. Caroline Aaron (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) plays Jay Jay Warren's (The Shed) grandmother who causes a ruckus as he is trying to interview for a job with Ed Weeks (The Mindy Project).

• HANGUPS is written by Sarah Groustra, directed by Mark Feuerstein, and virtually designed by Jacob Guestine. Marcus Scribner (Blackish) and Hayley Orrantia (The Goldbergs) have to figure out what their undefined relationship means now that they are apart.

• AUT VIAM INVENIAM AUT FACIAM is written by Roseanna Zerambo, directed by Kathleen Capdesuñer, and virtually designed by Ashley Martens Montgomery. Meg DeLacy (Stargirl) plays Rebecca Creskoff's (Single Parents) student who is struggling to balance schoolwork and finances in quarantine.

Playdate Theatre's mission to connect artists expands to emerging high school students through their National High School Drama Club program. Drama Club meets every Thursday from September 24th to November 19th. Each week is led by a different Guest Artist and students will take a deep dive into the magic of theater-making. Focusing on group involvement and collaboration, the Drama Club provides a space for creativity and discovery.

The Playdate Theatre's team includes Samara Handelsman as Director of Artistic Operations, Solia Cates as Artistic Producer, Carina Goebelbecker as Educational Director, and Miles Shebar as the festival's Technical Director.

More information can be found at PlaydateTheatre.com. Follow Playdate on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on their conferences, festivals, and educational programs.