Sauk Announces Ninth Annual PLAYS-IN-DEVELOPMENT

The Sauk, Hillsdale County's community theatre, has announced plans for their ninth annual "Plays-in-Development."

Started in 2015, "Plays-in-Development" is a unique project to help playwrights develop their scripts. Actors and directors work one on one with playwrights to learn what works and what does not work about their plays. During rehearsals, the playwrights make changes to their scripts. The project ends with free staged readings for the public. After the readings, the audience gets an opportunity to respond to what they have heard. Therefore, the playwrights end the process with input from directors, actors and audience.

"As this project has grown, we are starting to get submissions from all over the world," said Sauk Executive Director Trinity Bird, who coordinates the program. "Although we continue to make local playwrights a priority, we have received scripts from almost all 50 states and eight foreign countries. Our play selection committee reviewed all of these submissions and ultimately selected the four scripts we will be working on this year."

The 2023 Plays-in-Development will include staged readings of "The House" by Elisa Manzini of Los Angeles, California and "The Lost Recording" by Jo Ann Simon of Danbury, Connecticut and Jennifer Yokell of Hillsdale, Michigan at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 21. On Saturday, April 22, staged readings of "The Lion in the Snow Globe" by Paul Lewis of Bainbridge Island, Washington and "With Regards to Marty McFly" by Linda Howard Cooke of Hastings, Nebraska will be performed at 7:30 p.m. This is a Pay What You Can event. The staged readings will be held at the Sauk Theatre, 240 E. Chicago St., Jonesville. Visit www.thesauk.org for more information.

Auditions for the readings will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21 and at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 25 at the theatre. The production is looking to cast eight adult men, seven adult women, four teen boys, five teen girls and two young girls. No experience is necessary. No memorization is required. Actors will be reading from scripts during the performances. This is a very short rehearsal period (five to seven rehearsals total). Rehearsals will begin immediately.
"Plays-in-Development" is sponsored by Gossage Eye Institute and Optical, Country Carpets, Lisa Monk, Don Toffollo of Edward Jones and Jason Adcock, State Farm Agent. The 2023 season is sponsored by Joyous Journey Photography. The 2023 Media Sponsor is WCSR Radio Hillsdale and 99-5 The Dale. The Sauk is supported by the Michigan Arts and Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. "Plays-in-Development" is supported by a grant from the Walmart Foundation.

About the Plays

· "The House" - ​ Away from home because of work, Sabrina decides to visit the house where she was born. Jane, the young woman who now lives in the house, welcomes her warmly. They chat about relationships, family and blueberry pies. Jane confesses she feels lonely sometimes and can't wait to have a baby. The following day Sabrina goes back to meet Jane's husband, Jerry, and during their conversation she realizes she's stuck in a weird time capsule in 1977, and Jane and Jerry are her parents. After trying to convince the couple about her identity, Sabrina begs them not to have kids, revealing that her mom suffered from severe postpartum depression and ended up killing herself and her father. Will Jane believe her though? Christina Dube will direct.

· "The Lost Recording" - ​ Jo Ann is a mother and a grandmother. She was also a wife. A surprising discovery is made when an old forgotten recording is found on a tape recorder. Jo Ann is transported back in time to a single night through the recording of her and her husband from several years earlier. On that night, Tom and Jo Ann are at a crossroads in their relationship. With the backdrop of 40's music the scenes play out. They work through their differences until a hidden truth is revealed about Tom's health which changes everything. Their vow to love each other through sickness and health, till death do them part will be tested. The question is, whether her past can bring peace to her present. This play is based on a true story. Sarah Gray will direct.

· "The Lion in the Snow Globe" - 17-year-old Veronica is a great admirer of female superheroes. What she loves most about them is that they don't start out wanting to be superheroes, but when there's a life in the balance, they'll leap into the fray in order to set things right. Every Christmas season since she was very young, Veronica has visited the magnificent bronze lion standing watch in front of her great-uncle's department store, sharing confidences as well as the scent of a marzipan cookie. Over time she becomes aware that this bronze statue is a sentient being. Late one Christmas Eve, threatened with exile from the town square he loves, Lion makes one final leap and transforms into a live African lion, prowling the city streets in search of the long-shuttered amusement park that was his first home. It's up to Veronica to find him and keep him safe from police bullets long enough to restore him to his place on the town square. MJ Dulmage will direct.

· "With Regards to Marty McFly" - The plot is set in motion when Sophie turns her teachers into their 1980s teen-aged selves, using the time machine she invented for the science fair. By looking into the teachers' pasts, Sophie and her classmates get a glimpse into their own futures, and they're not sure they like what they see. Trinity Bird will direct.

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