2020 ArkType New Play Festival Continues to Support Playwrights Despite Cancellation

Despite the cancellation of the ArkType New Play Festival due to the current health crisis, the playwrights involved are still working to develop their plays.

"We are proceeding with development of all the pieces [planned]," said John Walch, head of the playwriting program at the University of Arkansas. "Guest resource artists (directors/dramaturgs/composers) had been identified for each project, and the Department of Theatre is committing to continuing to support their work with each playwright over the next month so the playwrights can at least move the play forward with their principle collaborators."

"We're hoping to help them find ways to finish the renovation with their collaborators (remotely), even if we were unable to throw the public party (the new play festival) in their newly rearranged worlds."

The plays are as follows:

Underneath (Working Title), by Adrienne Dawes

Dairy Queen, by Sarah Loucks

Wild Eden, by Lauren Ferebee (workshop production)

Thrift Store Junkie, by Brendan Beseth (workshop production)