NOMAD MOTEL Continues Rolling World Premiere in Atlanta

National New Play Network, the country's alliance of nonprofit theaters that champions the development, production, and continued life of new plays, celebrates the opening of its 81st Rolling World Premiere (RWP): Nomad Motel by Carla Ching. The Roll kicked off at City Theatre Company (May 18-June 3 in Pittsburgh), is now playing at Horizon Theatre Company (September 28-October 21 in Atlanta), and will head to Unicorn Theatre early next year (January 23-February 27, 2019 in Kansas City, MO). Nomad Motel was presented at NNPN's 2016 National Showcase of New Plays, hosted by the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Texas at Austin.

In an NNPN Rolling World Premiere, the Network provides production support to the playwright and the partnering theaters, including assistance with the creation and the contracting of the premiere agreement, collaborative interactions between the theaters, and travel and housing funds for the playwright to further develop the play in each city.

Alix lives in a tiny motel room with her mother and two brothers, scrabbling to make weekly rent. Mason lives comfortably in a grand, empty house while his father runs jobs for the Hong Kong Triad. Until the day his father disappears and Mason has to figure out how to come up with grocery money and dodge Child Services and the INS. Mason and Alex develop an unlikely friendship, struggling to survive, and trying to outrun the mistakes of their parents. Will they make it out or fall through the cracks? A play about Motel Kids and Parachute Kids raising themselves and living at the poverty line in a land of plenty.

Nomad Motel, originally commissioned and developed by South Coast Repertory with support from the Time Warner Foundation, was developed during a residency at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's National Playwrights Conference in 2015. Preston Whiteway, Executive Director; Wendy C. Goldberg, Artistic Director.

ABOUT CARLA CHING
An LA native, Carla stumbled upon NY-based pan-Asian performance collective Peeling at the Asian American Writers Workshop and wrote and performed with them for three years, which she still considers her first theater training. Her plays include Nomad Motel (NNPN Rolling World Premiere at City Theatre, Horizon Theatre, Unicorn Theatre; forthcoming at The Atlantic Theatre Company), Fast Company (South Coast Rep, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Lyric Stage and Pork Filled Productions; winner of the Edgerton New American Play Award), The Two Kids That Blow Shit Up (Artists at Play, Mu Performing Arts. Aurora Theatre Company and Midnight Rice with Theater Off Jackson), TBA (2g) and The Sugar House at the Edge of the Wilderness (Ma-Yi Theater Company). Her work has been developed at the O'Neill Playwright Conference, Berkeley Rep's Ground Floor, the NNPN Showcase of New Plays, The Women's Project Lab, The Lark Play Development Center's Writers Workshop and Meeting of the Minds, the CTG Writers' Workshop and the Ma-Yi Writers Lab. Former Artistic Director of Asian American Theater Company, 2g. TBA is published in Out of Time and Place. Fast Company is published by Samuel French. Toulmin Commission from The Atlantic Theater Company. BA, Vassar College. MFA, New School for Drama. Proud member of New Dramatists and The Kilroys. On television, Carla has written on Graceland, Fear the Walking Dead, I Love Dick, The First and Preacher. www.carlaching.com

Horizon Theatre Company has been a leader in the production and development of professional contemporary theatre in Atlanta since 1983. Our mission is to connect people, inspire hope, and promote positive change through the stories of our times. We strive to empower and unite audiences with works that celebrate who we are, build bridges between our diverse audiences and offer new perspectives on our ever-changing world - stories that are entertaining, thought-provoking, relevant, accessible, and fresh to Atlantans. Under the leadership of founding Producing Artistic Director Lisa Adler, we seek out today's playwrights and new plays that have received critical acclaim across the country and abroad, while also nurturing talented regional and early career writers whose work matches our mission, particularly women, African-Americans, Southerners and those who bring the diversity of our country to the stage. In our New South Play Festival program, we annually commission, develop and produce new plays connected to our region and/or by writers who align with our mission. This year-round program features mainstage productions, commissions, and readings/workshops of new plays (New South PlayWorks), and the New South Young Playwrights Festival. Horizon serves over 40,000+ people with over 250 performances annually in our intimate 172-seat theatre and other venues in Atlanta and creates partnerships for positive change in our community. horizontheatre.com

Photos Credit: Lisa Adler

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