Every Tuesday in June, The Vagrancy announces BLOSSOMING 2020: the virtual edition. The Vagrancy annually selects five playwrights with diverse perspectives to join their playwrights' group. Beginning each fall, the writers meet regularly as they craft their plays. The Vagrancy hosts two development workshops wherein the plays are explored with the playwright, actors, and a director in a rehearsal setting. This year's theme is "When the Political Becomes Personal."
BLOSSOMING 2020: The virtual edition is the first public reading of these five original plays which have been rehearsed, recorded, edited, and illustrated. Be inspired, have a glass (or bottle!) of wine, and help the plays' development along with post-reading audience talkbacks via Zoom.
After reserving a ticket, you will receive a link to the pre-recorded play 15 minutes before the performance time as well as a link to the live Zoom talkback with the playwright and director. The link to the play will expire after 48 hours.
by MERCEDES SEGESVARY
Directed by Carly Weckstein
Tuesday, June 2nd 2020 5PM PST; 7:30PM Talkback
THE LAST ONE is the story of Kranbary, a woman who was once a National Dart Throwing Champion, but now, in her 30s, struggles to find purpose in her day to day world. Her best friend, Bucket, is in a similar state and one day decides to become a Life Coach/Motivator. As Bucket learns new techniques to face his life's challenges, Kranbary notices that Bucket has forgotten a portion of his negative memories. She's turned off by Bucket's sudden intense positivity and begins to pull away from their friendship. But she can't get far from this Goop-y positivity, for everyone around her is rapidly going through a similar change. This sudden mass human consciousness shift leads Kranbary down a rabbit hole to discover the source of the Shift.
with Sheila Guerrero-Edmiston, Celia Mandela,
Lorinda Hawkins Smith, and Alfredo Trueba
Directed by Hannah Wolf
Tuesday, June 9th 2020 5PM PST; 7:30PM Talkback
Naomi and Kiran have a nice life together. They work from home. They get their groceries delivered. They binge-watch streaming TV shows. But the earthquakes just won't stop. And when Naomi's destitute cousin unexpectedly appears on their doorstep, he brings the reality of the outside world--decimated by the effects of climate change--in with him, and their lives are shaken up even more. What are our obligations to family? How different are they from our obligations to strangers? Our obligations to our partners? Ourselves? SLOWLY AND THEN ALL AT ONCE examines the ways that our health, our safety, and our futures are inextricably intertwined with the well-being of our planet.
with Maggie Dorfman, Schuyler Girion, Edward Chin-Lyn, and Rosie Narasaki
by JAISEY BATES
Directed by June Carryl
Tuesday, June 16th 2020 5PM PST; 7:30PM Talkback
Two twins. Half-siblings. Strangers. Their authoress, four days gone. A sheep that speaks, recently deceased. A coyote. Possibly supernatural. A stormy night. Probably supernatural. A history-haunted mine-contaminated sacred storied thirsty imagined land. A play that asks: Who are we? Who will be the 'we' we write?
with Danielle Gonzalez, Katie May Porter, Cathy Tomlin, and Inger Tudor
by TAMADHUR AL-AQEEL
Directed by Rachel Park
Tuesday, June 23rd 2020 5PM PST; 7:30PM Talkback
In an LA of the near future where water and food shortages are the norm, performance artist Miriam Louisa is hiding from the government in her parents' garage. After the suspicious death of her father, and witnessing two strangers in the neighborhood stealing garbage, Miriam kidnaps both thieves only to discover they are part of a government program to steal DNA to plant at crime scenes. What follows between the prisoners and their captor becomes an argument over the role of the individual during a time of repression.
Stage Manager - Amanda Enzo
with Ani Kazandjian, Danesh Naghibzad, James Sayess & Alison Stolpa
Tuesday, June 30th 2020 5PM PST; 7:30PM Talkback
At a Historically Black University in 2004, 6 fraternity brothers rehearse for the annual Homecoming Step Show. As they rehearse, issues such as mental illness, toxic masculinity, and war bring all of the young men into battle with each other. Is their brotherhood strong enough to keep them united?
with Michael Braugher, Jalen Coleman, Darryl Gene Daughtry Jr, Brandon Michael Hall, Julian Robertson, and Jacob Daniel Smith
TICKETS: PAY WHAT YOU WANT. All funds contribute to payment for the artists. Reserve your virtual seat via Brown Paper Tickets; suggested ticket price is $10.00.
blossoming2020.brownpapertickets.com
WHERE: The comfort of your own home
WHEN: Every Tuesday in June at 5PM PST with a live talkback via Zoom at 7:30PM PST
NOTE: Please double check that you are purchasing tickets to the correct date. Each play is only available one day.
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