Interact Theatre Company to Present Free Staged Readings of Pulitzer & Tony Award-Winning Plays

Interact Theatre Company will partner with the Los Angeles Public Library to present its fourth season of The Prize Winners — a series of free staged readings featuring Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning plays. Produced by Barry Heins and Kristen Egermeier, this acclaimed program is a highlight of the LA MADE cultural enrichment initiative, generously supported by Friends of the Studio City Library, and made possible in part by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. Building on last season’s standout performances by celebrated actors like Frankie Faison and Joshua Malina, this series offers theatre enthusiasts a rare opportunity to experience top-tier dramatic works performed by some of the finest actors in Los Angeles — all at no cost. Each performance will include a post-show talk-back.

Performances will take place monthly, from January 2025 through May 2025, on the second Saturday of each month at 2 p.m. at the Studio City Branch Library, located at 12511 Moorpark Street, Studio City, CA. Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis, and to secure seating at this popular event, audiences are encouraged to arrive early. Doors open at 1:30 p.m.

THE SCHEDULE OF READINGS: 

January 11, 2025 at 2pm – WIT by Margaret Edson, directed by Rob Adler.

February 8, 2025 at 2pm – TRUE WEST by Sam Shepard, directed by Rob Brownstein.

March 8, 2025 at 2pm – GOD OF CARNAGE by Yasmina Reza and translated by Christopher Hampton, directed by Christina Carlisi.

April 12, 2025 at 2pm – RABBIT HOLE by David Lindsay-Abaire, directed by Cate Caplin.

May 10, 2025 at 2pm ­–August Wilson’s FENCES, directed by Michael A. Shepperd.   
                                                                                                     

ABOUT THE PRODUCERS 

Barry Heins, Artistic Director of Interact Theatre Company (ITC), produced and directed the critically acclaimed Los Angeles premiere production of Aaron Posner’s Life Sucks, which was honored by the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle for Best Ensemble and Best Adaptation, and named by L.A. Times’ theatre reviewer Charles McNulty as one of the “Top Nine” productions of 2023. A graduate of The Juilliard School and alumnus of The Acting Company, Heins has appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, at leading regional theaters across America, and in film and TV. Los Angeles stage credits include Much Ado About Nothing at the Ford Theater and the critically acclaimed ITC productions of Counsellor-At-Law (Ovation Award, Best Ensemble), Other People's Money, and Nice Fish.  He has worked extensively as a voice-over artist, lending his talents to everything from film trailers to political ads, and has been a dialect consultant on Broadway and for PBS. Heins has served on the faculties of several professional actor training conservatories, including NYU Tisch School of the Arts/Playwright's Horizons Theater School and SUNY Purchase College.  His producing credits include the three  previous Prize Winners programs for the Los Angeles Public Library's LA Made cultural enrichment initiative (dir: You Can't Take It With You, The Great White Hope, and Driving Miss Daisy). Heins produced and directed two impactful short films for ITC, Faultless and Just Another Birthday in Bedlam, which garnered international recognition and received multiple honors at prestigious film festivals, including two Telly Awards. Both films can be seen on ITC's official YouTube channel, @InteractTheatreCompanyLosAngeles.

KRISTEN EGEMEIER, Managing Director of Interact Theatre Company, recently produced the Los Angeles premiere production of “LIFE SUCKS.” by Aaron Posner at The Broadwater Main Stage. Kristen has served as operational support for theatres across the county for the past 15 years, producing, writing, and managing multiple productions on stage and film. As a graduate of Cal State University, Northridge, with a BA in Theatre Arts and a minor in Chemistry, her well-rounded education has combined her love of theatre with her organizational business skills. After working and studying with multiple theatre companies back east, she returned to Los Angeles to dive further into her roles as an actor and operational consultant, with an emphasis on nonprofit organizations. Kristen has aided in administratively supporting and developing multiple theatre and community programs. Her 20 years of experience in management and hands-on roles in accounting, data analytics, editorial writing, and operations management have created her specialty in working with small businesses and nonprofit organizations to develop business practices and streamline financials. A background in industries outside of the theatre world includes environmental research and services, federal and state government services, manufacturing, and GIS data services.

Interact Theatre Company is dedicated to bringing bold and captivating ensemble works to the Los Angeles stage, crafting compelling performances encompassing revered world classics and groundbreaking new American plays. By fostering partnerships with esteemed institutions such as the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Performing Arts Division, the Los Angeles Public Library, and the UCLA School of Law, ITC delivers a diverse range of multi-faceted programming, including producing arts education initiatives that foster creativity and empower the futures of underserved youth. To ensure accessibility, most of the company’s programs are either low-cost or free of charge, made possible through the generous support of the public, corporations, and government entities. Since 1992, the company has presented over forty full-scale productions of plays and musicals, resulting in an impressive record of 95 performance and production awards and 168 nominations, including prestigious honors from Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, Ovation, Stage Raw, Garland, LA Weekly, Telly, and NAACP Awards.

Los Angeles Public Library, a recipient of the National Medal from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, serves the largest and most diverse urban population of any library in the nation. Its Central Library, 72 branch libraries, collection of more than 6 million books and state-of-the-art technology accessible at lapl.org provide everyone with free and easy access to information and the opportunity for lifelong learning. Los Angeles Public Library’s LA MADE cultural enrichment program provides enriching experiences that unite communities and showcase the best in music, dance, theatre, and thought-provoking conversations. 2025 marks season nine of the program and its fourth season of hosting curated staged readings of award-winning plays by L.A.’s renowned Interact Theatre Company.

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