Birmingham Village Players to Present the One Act Festival in July

Playwrights@Work just cast the characters in this summer's One Act Festival...and they do mean characters!

This summer the four plays by local authors include a snarky older woman, a teen-age Goth with a heart of gold, a techno-challenged older man on the verge of an unintentional breakup, two warring politicians whose feud spills over into the lives of their children, and a man dreaming of a second chance.

Playwrights@Work (P@W) is the writers' group affiliated with Birmingham Village Players. Each summer four original one-act plays are presented. The 2024 Playwrights@Work One Act Festival is slated to hit the boards on the Village Players stage this July 26-28, 2024. This summer's four brand-new productions include:

How To Unsend An Email by Rick Johnson tells the story of a man fumbling with his new iPhone who accidentally voice records his plan to break up with his girlfriend - along with the snarky reasons why -- and sends it! Can it be "unsent" before their upcoming date on Saturday night? Directed by Colleen Gentry and Rick Johnson. Joe Worthington, Lisa Rich, Sylvester Nadar, and Al Bartlett star in this production.

In Second Chances, a man wanders into a mysterious bar and unexpectedly finds himself with a chance to atone for a past regret. Second Chances is written and directed by Udi Kapen. Diane D'Agostino is the Co-Director. The cast includes Steve Larson, Kris Wright, Andrea McDonald, and Sylvester Nadar.

Tara Makar's Spite Campaign shows what happens when city council rivals let a bitter feud spill into their children's middle school student body election, using less than ethical campaign tactics to best each other. It's the over-achiever versus the popular athlete, as the kids get pulled into their parents' grudge match, until we see who's really pulling the strings in this heartfelt comedy. Makar will also direct this production. The cast includes Denise Kallas, Tom Regan, Julie Fuller, Moxie DuBuc, and Charlie Godau.

Almost Midnight written and directed by Jeff Shuster is about an unusual friendship. After a rocky start, Midnight, a nearly seventeen-year-old self-professed Goth, and Florence, an elderly shut-in, develop a tenuous bond that leads to an unlikely friendship in this dramedy. Marie Burchi-Skipinski will play Midnight and Eileen White is Florence.

Audience members will receive comment sheets and are invited to provide their feedback on the productions to help the authors improve their works. After the show, the audience is encouraged to stay and chat with the authors and cast members.

Tickets are general admission seating and cost only $15 ($13 plus $2 service charge). They are available by calling the box office, 248-644-2075, or by clicking on the ticket page of the website. The plays can be seen Friday and Saturday (July 26-27) at 8pm and Sunday (July 28) at 2pm.

Get ready for some summer fun when the Playwrights@Work One Act Festival opens for one weekend only, July 26-27 at 8:00 pm and July 28 at 2:00 pm.

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