Spark Showcase Features 5 Of Philly's Theatre Companies On One Night Only 6/19

The Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia proudly announces the fifth annual Spark Showcase featuring five of Philadelphia's freshest and most innovative small theatre companies presenting original world premiere work. The Spark Showcase will have a limited engagement run for One Night Only on June 19th at Plays and Players Theater, 1714 Delancey Street in Center City. Tickets are $20, general admission and can be purchased by contacting the Theatre Alliance directly at (215) 413-7150 or online at theatrealliance.org.

This year's showcase is focused on entirely new work and now includes a cash prize. The Hotel Obligado Audience Choice Award for New Work will be given to the company receiving the most audience votes at the end of the one-night event. Votes will be tallied immediately following the performance, and the awardee will be announced at the post-show reception. The award is a gift of Hotel Obligado, which ceased operations in December of 2008. As part of their dissolution, they decided to grant their remaining funds to the Theatre Alliance to support the work of the Spark program, and to further encourage creation of new work here in Philadelphia. "We're thrilled to donate our surplus to the Theatre Alliance," said Robin Marcotte, the former co-artistic director of Hotel Obligado. "The Theatre Alliance was an invaluable resource to us for eight years and this is a way for us to continue that support for smaller theatre companies in the Philadelphia area, even after Hotel Obligado is gone."

The companies that applied for this year's festival submitted a new piece that they would like to produce, with the hopes of furthering the work on the piece in the coming season. A stipulation of the Hotel Obligado cash prize is that the winning company uses the funds specifically to further develop their showcase piece, whether by hosting a workshop or reading, presenting a full performance, or putting the funds towards marketing of the production. "We are intimately familiar with the struggles of small theatre companies with big visions," says Marcotte. "We hope that this program -- with funding from Hotel Obligado -- will help them fulfill their visions and continue their creation of new works. That was the true spirit of Hotel Obligado." The play submissions were then reviewed by returning Showcase Curator and Co-Artistic Director of Theatre Exile, Deborah Block, who made the final selection of the five pieces that are to be presented.

Founded in 2004, Spark is a key program of the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. With a mission to assist smaller Philadelphia professional theatre companies in all areas of operation, Spark acts as a catalyst for theatre in the trenches, and is representative of the strength of the Philadelphia performing arts community. It has quickly become labeled the Indie theatre scene in Philadelphia. Since its creation, membership in Spark has remained strong, and despite the current economic climate, the program boasts 80 member companies; a fantastic indicator of the breadth and quality of the work happening in Philadelphia.
About the Pieces

Black Starr Collaborative returns to the Spark Showcase this year with Obsession, written by Artistic Director, Bryan S. Clark and directed by Brenna M. Geffers. Taking a different turn from last year's comedy Lunch Break, Obsession is a surrealistic portrait of a woman positioned under perpetual loneliness. An unexpected stranger enters her life, and she is forever changed by the encounter. Black Starr Collaborative's mission is to produce unpublished, modern, and classic works that focus on the dark side of the human condition in humorous and entertaining formats.

Also returning to the Spark Showcase is Madhouse Theater Company, this year presenting a selection from Happy Hour, a full-length play written by co-Artistic Director John Stanton and directed by Allison Heishman. Happy Hour is a hilarious look at the world of the daily workday grind and that "magical hour" after all the hard work is done. Two regular guys and two corporate women cover all the important topics: relationships, sports, politics, sex, not necessarily in that order. Madhouse Theater Company's mission is to challenge the present by producing plays that stimulate the mind and stir the range of human emotions.

Philadelphia Dramatists Center is also a prior Spark Showcase participant and this year brings along their selection, The Journey by Robin Rodriguez and directed by Tina Brock. The Journey follows Alex and Simone, husband and wife, who sit together in a cramped train compartment filled with boxes, which are under their care. The trip has been arranged to an unknown destination by Alex's company. The contents of the boxes are unknown. There is a funny smell and strange leak coming, apparently, from the biggest box. When "the other man," Hal, arrives and Alex is violently evicted from his seat, Simone must continue to find a way to accommodate herself in continuously worsening circumstances. Philadelphia Dramatists Center (PDC) is a community of scriptwriters that provides resources for the artistic and professional development of its members. PDC unites writers and collaborative artists to enhance their craft and enrich the audience experience.

Plays and Players last presented in the Spark Showcase in 2007. This year they bring Zombie: The Musical by Johanna Dunphy, Shoshanna Hill, Joseph Nevin, Ken Sandberg & Owen Timoney and directed by Joseph Nevin. Inspired by classic horror films and cult musicals, Zombie: The Musical follows a mad scientist, a surly sheriff, a pair of young lovers, and a Zombie Hunter, as they try to survive in a world overrun by Zombies...and sing about it. Plays and Players is dedicated to engaging and involving the local community in professional quality theatre and other performing arts. A major part of that mission is to provide local artists with the means to create new opportunities in theater.

Represented Theatre Company presented Bus Stop in the 2007 Showcase, and this year brings us Alabama Alabama written by Daniel Student and directed by Cara Blouin. Alabama, from Alabama but not in Alabama anymore, sits by a fountain during the hottest day of the year, relaxing with his dog, Tulip, the biggest dog you have ever seen. Depressed, lonely, and slowly losing his mind, Alabama finds himself talking to a teenage boy who he is pretty sure is not real. Torn between his desire to return to comforting memories of Alabama or to embrace his complicated and painful reality, he finds momentary solace in the most unlikely of places. Represented Theatre Company's mission is to promote creativity through the creation and exposure of new vessels of artistic expression.

The Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia is a member-based leadership and service organization composed of non-profit professional theatres, individual theatre artists, and affiliated organizations within the Greater Philadelphia region. The Theatre Alliance strengthens and leads the region's richly diverse theatre community by promoting positive awareness and serving as a resource for information, professional development and advocacy. Spark is an auxiliary program of the Theatre Alliance, begun in 2004, that serves to ignite dialogue and opportunities for small and developing theatre companies. The Spark program includes monthly meetings (January-June) on important topics such as marketing, development, and infrastructure, as well as social gatherings to encourage networking among the small theatre community. The Theatre Alliance also produces the annual Spark Showcase, an evening of short plays highlighting the work of Spark companies.

Hotel Obligado Physical Theatre Company existed to develop and present innovative physical theatre that touches the soul. Each piece was developed collaboratively by exploring the artistic possibilities and responding to the social challenges of our time. The organization decided to dissolve in December of 2008.

 

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