Terrific New Theatre To Host DEL SHORES WRITERS FESTIVAL
Presented by the Del Shores Foundation, hosted by Del Shores & Emerson Collins
By: A.A. Cristi Mar. 05, 2025
The Del Shores Foundation will present its third annual Del Shores Foundation Writers Festival March 14-16 at Terrific New Theatre (TNT) in Birmingham. The festival will feature live stage readings of all three winning scripts from the Del Shores Foundation Writers Search along with panels featuring industry experts in theatre and film focused specifically on writing. Admission to all readings and panels is free and open to the public. Registration is required. Produced by Festival Director Emerson Collins.
On March 14 at 8 p.m., the opening night will feature a stage reading of the Best Short Film Script Award winner ”Augusta” by Nathan Blankenship, a screening of last year's winning short film “Smoke Breaks” by William Mettlach, and a “One-on-One with Q. Allan Brocka” featuring an open interview by Del Shores with the celebrated creator of the Eating Out film series. Saturday, March 15, will feature panels with industry professionals from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. At 8 p.m., there will be a stage reading of the Best Play Award winner “Cockroaches” by Emma Schillage. Closing out the festival on Sunday, March 16, at 3 p.m., will be a stage reading of the Best Screenplay Award winner “Woodside” by Gerard Shaka.
All readings are cast with local actors, including Kyle Holman, Kelsey Crawford, Chris Davis, Nick Crawford, Donna Thornton, Holly Dikeman, Meagan Oliver and Mark Raby. The cast of the winning screenplay “Woodside” is comprised of several students from the Jefferson County Academy of Theatre and Dance. Students from the Alabama School of Fine Arts, Samford University, UAB and others also will be featured throughout the weekend.
Experts and panelists for the festival include playwrights Donnetta Lavinia Grays, Leslie Kimbell, Mason McCulley and LaDarrion Williams, along with screenwriters Billy Ray Brewton, Ashley Causey, Mat Hays and Andrea James. TNT Executive Director Tam DeBolt, Marc Raby of Encore Theatre & Gallery, and producer Sara James of Theatre Downtown also will serve on panels.
Del Shores says that Birmingham holds a special place in his heart.
“My producing partner and friend, Louise H. Beard, and her husband John support the arts here,” he says. “My films ‘Blues for Willadean' and ‘Southern Baptist Sissies' both won awards at the SHOUT Film Festival in Birmingham. Terrific New Theatre has done so many of my plays for so many years, it's exciting to come celebrate their brand new theatre and bring all of these Southern writers together.”
Program Director Emerson Collins adds, “It's exciting for us to celebrate these new LGBTQ+ voices and bring them into the community with the Birmingham film, theatre and LGBTQ+ communities.”
Tickets are free and open to the public. Registration is required to attend. Each reading and panel must be registered here.
Writers Festival 2025 | DelShores Foundation
The third Del Shores Foundation Writers Festival with live stage readings and panels
The Writers Festival works to support the Del Shores Foundation's mission to find and facilitate the development of new Southern queer artistic voices through bringing together artists and working professionals, amplifying new work and connecting artists to platforms for the creation of the work. The Del Shores Foundation Writers Search is open to LGBTQ+ writers living in 15 Southern states who have not been professionally produced.
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