Custom Made Play Project Presents BALLARD HOUSE DUET at Washington Ensemble Theatre, Now thru 12/17

The Custom Made Play Project, brainchild of Seattle actress Rebecca Olson, now enters the third phase of development for its inaugural script, Ballard House Duet. Conceived in to the context of Seattle's "locally grown theatre" movement, the Custom Made Play Project matches Pacific Northwest playwrights with local actors to develop and produce new plays of regional significance.

Unlike other script development processes that start with a playwright and an idea (or even a completed draft,) the Custom Made Play Project begins with a playwright, actors, and a blank page. The actors themselves are the basis for the play, and the actors stay attached to the script from conception through performance. The process engaged by the Custom Made Play Project encompasses development, workshops and full production of the finished scripts, unlike other programs which discontinue playwright support after the workshop phase.

"Theater is by nature a collaborative art form. However, the current model practiced at most theaters has moved away from collaboration to assembly line production in a predetermined, truncated time-frame. The Custom Made Play Project draws from earlier, company-based theatrical models, which offer artists, including playwrights, the time to develop a deep connection to each other and the material throughout development and production. The resulting scripts are more relevant, and have a much greater impact on both artists and audiences. Ultimately, these qualities make for plays that have more resilience in the canon. "
- Rebecca Olson

The first project, Ballard House Duet was developed with playwright and Stranger "Genius Award" Winner, Paul Mullin, actors Hana Lass and Rebecca Olson, and director Erin Kraft. Ballard House Duet is a time-bending tour of the lives of two estranged sisters, who reconnect at a house in Ballard to rescue their Great Aunt from a premature death at the hands of her own compulsive hoarding. As they wade through a lifetime of accumulated possessions - and personal grudges - they must decide: What has value and what are they better off just throwing away? The first phase (development) took place in Fall/Winter of 2011, and the second phase (workshopping) was completed in Spring 2012. Ballard House Duet is now entering the third phase of the project (production) and will receive its world premiere at Washington Ensemble Theatre as part of their "Ensemble Presents" series, tonight, December 7th-17th 2012.

For more information about the Custom Made Play Project or Ballard House Duet, contact Rebecca Olson at custommadeplays@gmail.com, or visit the website or Facebook page.

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