OJAI PLAYWRIGHTS CONFERENCE 2012 to Feature New Works from Terrence McNally, Jennifer Haley and More

THE OJAI PLAYWRIGHTS CONFERENCE (OPC) one of the top play developmental institutions in the country, will celebrate its 15^th Anniversary Season with its very best program of playwrights, readings and special performances yet! This anniversary year will feature nine events over five days including the return of playwrightTerrence McNally with a brand new work! Other established and up-and-coming playwrights attending with new works this anniversary year will include: Luis Alfaro, Liza Powell O'Brien, Robert Askins, Jennifer Haley, Matt Hoverman, withStephen Adly Guirgis & Nikkole Salter attending as "Writers In Residence."

 

There are two 15^th Anniversary spectacular performance events called "Intersections"-- the first, "URBAN THEATRE IN AMERICA." will feature Stephen Adly Guirgis, Father Greg Boyle and gang members from Homeboy Industries who will perform powerful original pieces about the streets of Los Angeles; the second is "MILESTONES– A 15^th Anniversary OPC Celebration!" featuring an evening of women writers, singers and actors creating works around the "milestones" in their lives and will feature Amanda McBroom, Charlayne Woodard and many more. The Conference begins on Wednesday, August 8 and the "Summer New Works Festival" will  continue through August 12. Tickets available online at www.ojaiplays.org.

 

THE OJAI PLAYWRIGHTS CONFERENCE is an annual event fully centered around playwrights and the development of their new plays. The OPC was founded on the belief that gathering a community of world-class theatre artists together in a place of extraordinary beauty can lead to a collaborative process that enables these artists to qualitatively rework and refine their dramatic vision. 

Every summer for the past 14 years, theatre professionals and enthusiastic audiences from Southern California converge in the magical Ojai Valley to participate in the development of new plays for the American theatre. Under the direction of Artistic Director/Producer Robert Egan, carefully selected playwrights from all backgrounds join together for an intensive two-week, in-residence workshop/ This process culminates in OPC's popular public performance series – now known as the OPC Summer New Works Festival.

 

In addition to the presentation of new play workshops, prominent artists from the theatre community appear in engaging public performances for an exchange of ideas on a range of cultural and artistic subjects in the "Intersection Series." The Ojai Playwrights Conference is also committed to nurturing the writing talents of Southern California youth. Through its Youth Workshop, junior high and high school students participate in a mentoring program with visiting theatre professionals and create their own dramatic works, which are performed during the Festival.

 

Many plays developed at OPC have gone on to prominent productions at theatres throughout the United States and the world, from the Mark Taper Forum, Goodman Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Broadway, London's West End and theaters in Asia and Africa.

 

Comments Artistic Director Robert Egan, "We are so thrilled to be celebrating our 15^th Anniversary Sewason in Ojai!  From our early days we have steadily grown to become one of the most prestigious and acclaimed developmental programs in the United States. It is our mission to help nurture playwrights and plays that speak with integrity, intelligence and imagination to the burning social, ethical & political issues of our time."                                                         

Continues Egan, "This season – our 15^th – we will continue that tradition of innovative, daring theatricality by welcoming playwrights Terrence McNally, Nikkole Salter, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Luis Alfaro, Jennifer Haley, Liza Powell O'Brien, Robert Askins and Matt Hoverman to the Ojai Playwrights Conference.  During the conference, our team of theatre professionals, directors and dramaturges – along with the audience - will foster the development of these incredible writers and their excellent plays.  We hope you will come celebrate this milestone season with us in Ojai!"