Ten Minute Playground Goes Live Sunday & Monday

Twelve brand new plays by Middle Tennessee playwrights will be presented as staged readings as the newly minted Ten Minute Playground goes live in Nashville Sunday and Monday for a one-of-a-kind two-night event at Darkhorse Theater.

The plays are paired with some of Nashville's finest actors and directors, all volunteering their time to present these exciting new scripts. With only an hour of rehearsal, these plays take on a life of their own in front of a live audience.

"I am so seriously thrilled to see Nashville creating and supporting all kinds of new works. I think writing a play is like building your own house. It's exciting, but incredibly stressful and at some point you're going to be in the fetal position and fighting with your spouse," says Rachel Agee, one of the curators of the event. "But in the end you're really proud of it. This feels like two evenings of a barn raising, with the theater community and supporters coming together to help the playwrights raise the walls."

Dozens of submissions are accepted from playwrights across the region and narrowed down by Playground curators to the final twelve that will be presented in staged readings. Six plays by a combination of experienced and emerging Middle Tennessee playwrights will be presented each night.

"The TMPG isn't only a place for playwrights to hear their words aloud, it's also a chance for actors and directors from the Nashville theatre community to collaborate with each other in ways they may not have had the opportunity to on full length plays," says lead curator Rebekah Durham. "It's fun and energizing to bring something new to life, not just for the audience but for all of the artists involved."

The Playground offers Nashville audiences another opportunity to connect with artists creating exciting and vital art right here in their hometown, says playwright Nate Eppler, one of the co-curators of Ten Minute Playground.

"The Playground is proud to be part of the surging wave of new play projects in Nashville, including the Nashville Rep Ingram New Works Festival and the Women's Work Festival presented by Tennessee Women's Theatre Project," he says. "I've said it before and I'll say it again: Nashville loves new plays."

Garret Schneider is the fourth co-curator of Ten Minute Playground.

Playwrights with new work to be featured include Keri & Joe Pagetta, Laura Crockarell, Tom Angland, Kenley Smith, Erica Elam, Garret Schneider, Rachel Agee, Carson McCain, Amanda Hendricks, Michelle Benson, Jenny Noel, and Nate Eppler.

Performances of The Ten Minute Playground are Sunday and Monday, June 21 and 22, at Darkhorse Theater, located at 4610 Charlotte Avenue. All shows start at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $5 cash at the door.

For more information, visit www.TenMinutePlayGround.com; you may also follow them on twitter @tenminplay or on Facebook at Ten Minute PlayGround.

To post a comment, you must register and login.