8 Tens @ 8 Short Play Festival Opens 23rd Season With 16 Awarding Winning Plays

Santa Cruz County Actors' Theatre is proud to present the 23rd Annual 8 Tens @ Eight Short Play Festival, January 5 through February 4, at the Center Stage Theater in downtown Santa Cruz.

The annual ten-minute play festival is one of the most anticipated and popular events of the theatre season in Santa Cruz. Continuing their new format, Actors' Theatre is offering twice the fun again this season, with sixteen award-winning plays from their international play-writing contest, showing in repertoire over the five-week festival.

Every summer Actors' Theatre holds an international playwriting contest, judged by a select group of local writers and directors. The winning plays are then produced into full productions for the January Festival. The contest has become nationally renowned, with over 200 entrees this year.

"Over the years we have received plays from writers all over the world," says Artistic Director and Festival founder Wilma Marcus Chandler. "The 8 Tens @ Eight has become known as the premiere ten-minute play festival on the West Coast. We have proudly kept in touch with many of our winning playwrights and have seen them go on to have plays produced in larger venues, knowing it all started for them here in Santa Cruz."

This year's sixteen award-winning plays will be presented as an "A" and "B" night, eight ten-minute plays on each night, in rotation. A special $45 two-night package is available to see any "A" and "B" night showing throughout the run of the Festival. "Our 23rd season," adds Chandler, "offers a wide variety of comedy and drama. They are plays with heart, conscience, and humor."

The 2018 Festival roster includes:
"A" Night
Esther Williams EXPLAINED by Eileen Valentino Flaxman. Directed by Peter Gelblum
HOMECOMING by Jeffrey Strausser. Directed by Gail Borkowski
AFTER THE DARKNESS by Joe Starzyk. Directed by Suzanne Schrag & Noel Warwick
M AND THE WATER MAN by Hannah Vaughn. Directed by Gerry Gerringer
WHILE WAITING FOR THE PLANE by Steve Capasso. Directed by Davis Banta
THE EXCHANGE by Greg Aktins. Directed by Don Williams
ANONYMOUS DONOR by Mark Nutter. Directed by Helene Jara
LOST & FOUND by Dennis Porter. Directed by Anita Natale

"B" Night
THE NEW CLIENT by Paul Donnelly. Directed by April Bennet
DRIVING LESSON by Steve "Spike" Wong. Directed by Nat Robinson
PINK ROSES AND APPLE PIE by Lindsey Esplin. Directed by Sarah Albertson
PHONE SETS by Karen Schamberg & Wilma Chandler. Directed by Andrew Stewart
HIGH GRASS by Irene Ziegler. Directed by Daria Troxell
DRAGON SKIN by Steve "Spike" Wong. Directed by Don Grube
SKY TRAIL, WILDER by Allston James. Directed by Bill Peters
MICHELANGELO'S JESUS by Paola Bruni. Directed by Jim Schultz

Following the 8 Tens Festival, Actors' Theatre is excited to be expanding their offerings with a full
season of thought-provoking drama and comedy as they present the award-winning Broadway plays The Realistic Joneses and Red.

The 2018 season offers two subscription options and individual ticket rates, a 2-night package for the 8 Tens Festival, and post-show discussions with actors and directors.

Tickets: $26 General | $23 Senior/Student | $45 Two-Night Package for the 8 Tens
Season subscriptions available as well
www.brownpapertickets.com or 800-838-3006 or visit www.sccat.org

Info: www.sccat.org

ABOUT ACTORS' THEATRE
Since 1985, Actors' Theatre has been bringing contemporary, cutting edge theatre to Santa Cruz County, with the famed 8 Tens @ 8 Short Play Festival, showcasing the best short plays chosen from their annual international short playwriting contest, as well as critically acclaimed full productions of The Mountaintop, God of Carnage, and Laughter on the 23rd Floor. Highlighting some of the best local actors, directors, and theatre artisans, Actors' Theatre believes in offering an outlet to nurture and develop their skills. With a 33-year history of sold-out performances and rave reviews, the critics continue to hail Actors' Theatre as one of the "best" of the local performing arts companies, right in the heart of downtown Santa Cruz.
Producer/President: Bonnie Ronzio. Artistic Director: Wilma Marcus Chandler. www.sccat.org.

Photo Credit: Jana Marcus

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