The Kennedy Center Sets 2015 Page-to-Stage New Play Festival Lineup

The Kennedy Center hosts its 14th annual Page-to-Stage new play festival from Saturday, September 5 to Monday, September 7, 2015, featuring more than 50 theaters from the D.C. metropolitan area, all with a mission to produce and support new work. The 14th Annual Page-to-Stage event showcases more than 40 new plays by female playwrights and includes nine works that are part of the citywide Women's Voices Theater Festival, which officially begins on September 8.

"The Kennedy Center is proud to host dozens of theater companies from the D.C. and Baltimore Metro communities -- whether they're long-established or fresh-minted -- each sharing one, vital thing in common: a dedication to new plays," stated festival curator Gregg Henry. "Their enthusiasm for the playwrights' voice is contagious and the Page-to-Stage New Play Festival has become a home for sharing these enthusiasms with committed audiences."

The three-day, Center-wide event offers a series of free readings and open rehearsals of plays and musicals being developed by local, regional, and national playwrights, librettists, and composers. A performance schedule and list of participating theaters appear below. For the most recent up-to-date schedule, visit the festival website.

PARTICIPATING THEATERS:

Actors Repertory Theatre

Adventure Theatre MTC

African-American Collective Theater

All of the Above

Alliance for New Music-Theatre

Arcturus Theater Company

Baltimore Playwrights Festival

Blind Pug Arts Collective

Bowie State University

Bridge Club: A Writer's Collective

Bucharest Inside the Beltway

Catholic University of America Benjamin T. Rome School of Music

Compass Rose Theater

Constellation Theatre

Crash of Rhinos

DC Theatre Group

Doorway Arts Theatre Company

The Essential Theatre

Faction of Fools

Factory 449

First Draft

Forum Theater

FRESHH Inc.

Gang of Five

Georgetown University

Guillotine Theatre

The Highwood Theatre

The Indian Ocean Theatre Company

Initiative Student Theatre

The Inkwell

Interrobang Theatre Company and the Strand Theatre Company

The Kennedy Center's VSA and Accessibility

Mosaic Theater Company of DC

Naked Theater Company

Nu Sass Productions

Pallas Theatre Collective

Playwrights Collaborative

Quotidian Theater Company

Rapid Lemon Productions, Inc.

Safe Streets Arts Foundation

Scena Theatre

Seventh Street Playhouse

Synetic Theater Company

Taffety Punk Theatre Company

Theater Alliance

Theater J

Tonic Theater Company

Unexpected Stage Company

Venus Theatre

VSA Playwrights

Washington Improv Theater

The Washington Rogues

Washington Women in Theater

The Welders

PERFORMANCE CALENDAR:

Schedule and artists subject to change. For the most recent up-to-date schedule, visit the festival website. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors open 30 minutes prior to the start of each performance. Seating is limited and subject to availability. "Family friendly" readings are specified in the listings below. All other events are not aimed at children and likely have adult language and themes. Age recommendations have been determined by the company. *Indicates Female Playwright. The 14th Annual Page-to-Stage festival showcases more than 40 female playwrights. **Indicates work entered into the Women's Voices Theater Festival.

Saturday, September 5, 2015

MILLENNIUM STAGE SOUTH

Washington Women in Theater: Just Between Us: A Piano, a Mic, a Memory** by Marilyn Hausfeld*, musical direction by Alex Rybeck, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

An intimate musical conversation with Marilyn Hausfeld, followed by a talkback to discover the nuts and bolts of putting together a cabaret. Her childhood audition for The Sound of Music on Broadway set her on a path of discovery. Followed by post-performance discussion. Musical Theater.

Washington Improv Theater: iMusical, directed by Travis Ploeger, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

iMusical combines long-form improvisation with modern musical theater to craft spontaneous musicals with integrity and fun. Washington Improv Theater's longest-running company ensemble (nine years!), iMusical ranges from the silly to the sublime, with something for hard-core improv and musical theater fans alike. Followed by post-performance discussion. Musical Theater. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

MILLENNIUM STAGE NORTH

Theater J: Falling Out of Time based on the novel by David Grossman, translation by Jessica Cohen, adapted and directed by Derek Goldman, 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

The Walking Man leaves on an expedition to find his lost son in that shadowy and mysterious place where the living and the dead may meet again. As he paces in ever-widening circles, townsfolk fall into step with him and share their grief over their own departed loved ones. A new adaptation of acclaimed Israeli author David Grossman's about enduring loss, this incandescent fable of parental grief powerfully distills the experience of accepting death in a way that is moving, beautiful, and timely in Israeli society and across cultures. Followed by post-performance discussion. Drama. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

Pallas Theater Collective: code name: CYNTHIA by Steven and Karen Multer*, directed by Tracey Elaine Chessum, 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

This new musical opens as Paris falls to the Nazis and master spy Betty Thorpe (code name: Cynthia) barely escapes with her life. When a mysterious mastermind blackmails the stunning beauty back into intelligence for the Allies, Betty seduces the enemy to save civilization from a ruthless dictator and her own delicate world from falling to pieces. Based on the true story of a true American patriot, Washington, D.C. becomes a chessboard where honor, sex, and political ethics are as up for grabs as the fate of the free world. Developed in conjunction with Pallas Theatre Collective, it received readings at three universities and at the International Spy Museum, premiered in Washington, D.C. in the summer of 2015, and will continue to be presented at readings and workshops in both Chicago and D.C. throughout the upcoming season. Followed by post-performance discussion. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

TERRACE THEATER

Adventure Theatre MTC: Lemony Snicket's A Lump of Coal, adapted by Norman Allen from the book by Lemony Snicket, directed by Holly Twyford, 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

It is Christmastime! The hilarious and heartburning, uh, heartwarming holiday adventure of a Lump of Coal who wants to be an artist. Traditionally the dreaded stocking stuffer for children on the Naughty List, this Lump turns one child's worst nightmare into a dream come true. Direct from Lemony Snicket-author of A Series of Unfortunate Events-this stage adaptation will delight audiences young and old with its story of unlikely friendships and holiday miracles. Followed by post-performance discussion. Musical Theater. Family friendly.

African-American Collective Theater (ACT): Missing Pieces, written and directed by

Alan Sharpe, 8:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

The violent murder of a prominent gay activist in Washington, D.C. propels a veteran detective and his rookie partner into a world of sex, lies, and corruption in urgent pursuit of the killer among the victim's friends, co-workers, ex-lovers, drug dealers, strippers, street trade, and random pickups. Followed by post-performance discussion. Drama. Recommended for mature audiences. Explicit language/themes.

FAMILY THEATER

Safe Streets Arts Foundation: From Uncle Tom's Cabin to Uncle Sam's Prisons, directed by Perry Redd, musical direction by Dennis Sobin, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Excerpts from prisoner letters, poems, and other writings read by dramatic actors while the 1927 feature length silent film Uncle Tom's Cabin is shown, with an original score performed by a combo consisting of bass and guitar. Drama. Recommended for mature audiences.

NORTH ATRIUM FOYER

Initiative Student Theater, 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

You Have to Go Back Out There, written and directed by Caitlin Caplinger*

When They imposed Mass Ignorance, the Stock did not notice. It is impossible to conclude that one has been stripped of their right to question if one was not especially manufactured with that ability. Out There, good and right are mutually exclusive. When Serendipity screams for the first time, you have no choice but to play, for you are Prescient. At the end of the game, you wonder: is it imperative that I share this experience? You Have to Go Back Out There is a thought-provoking piece of immersive theater which guarantees a unique experience that toys with the ideas of homo ludens ("the playing man"), intellectual apathy, and questioning your reality for the sake of betterment, in an alternate yet uncomfortably familiar world.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa by Emma Oliver*, directed by Ian Claar

There's a comfort in unloading your problems onto a stranger. And what choice do you really have when you're waiting for a bus to take you anywhere but here? An international crossroads provides Sam and Claudia with the not-so-objective confidante that they both need in their times of romantic crisis. Some may idealize travelling with a companion, but often times the mysteries within are the ones that need the outside perspective.

Followed by post-performance discussion. Drama. Recommended for ages 13 and up. Explicit themes.

Quotidian Theatre Company: Maytag Virgin**, written and directed by Audrey Cefaly*,

2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

A Southern drama in two acts. Followed by post-performance discussion. Recommended for mature audiences.

Taffety Punk Theatre Company: Inheritance Canyon** by Liz Maestri*, directed by

Lise Bruneau, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

In this sneak preview, the enigmatic Shell and two of her friends survive a deadly military experiment to find themselves trapped in a landscape where the rules of time, space, and gravity are changing. Drama. Mild language.

Playwrights Collaborative: Collaborative Shorts, 8:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Program of short plays. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

SOUTH ATRIUM FOYER

The Highwood Theatre, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

The Requiem** by Madison Middleton*

Discouraged by her failure to cement herself within the music industry, Maria, a young violinist, finds herself where she began: her parent's townhouse. When she arrives, however, the house is dim and her parents are not at home. Maria decides to settle in and unpack despite their absence. In that process, she discovers an old man with a passion for Mozart living in the attic. Inspired by The Highwood Theatre's desire to raise awareness about mental health issues, The Requiem is a dramatic story of music and memory loss, a side of mental illness Highwood has yet to explore.

The Long Way Around** by Julia Starr*

When free-spirited Addie makes the radical decision to leave their small town in Illinois to live openly as a lesbian in Chicago, Luce finds herself at a crossroads: does she accept the nostalgic and familiar love she and Addie once shared as teenaged girls, riding around in a Subaru with the windows down, or does she continue on her current trajectory, living in the same zip code as her parents with her fiancé-turned-husband Nathan? Exploring the fuzzy line between friendship and romance in female relationships, The Long Way Around is a pondering on the oft-forgotten "Q" in the "LGBTQ" acronym-questioning.

Followed by post-performance discussion. Drama. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

Interrobang Theatre Company and The Strand Theatre Company: Kerrmoor** by

Susan McCully*, directed by Eve Muson, 3:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

In an isolated Appalachian town, the hard-hewn return to their backwoods rituals to ward off threats from an increasingly hostile modern world. Will Lorna convince her mother to make the necessary sacrifice and prevent social and ecological disaster? Will the chilling Rite at Kerrmoor be repeated? Followed by post-performance discussion. Drama. Recommended for mature audiences.

Indian Ocean Theater Company: Scenes for Sundays by John L. Sowalsky, directed by Harley Venton, 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

A series of short scenes both dramatic and comedic, which address spiritual and ethical issues. Followed by post-performance discussion. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

The Inkwell, 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Pushing Boundaries Writing Workshop, by Anne McCaw*, Rich Espy, Nicole Jost*, and Noelle Vinas*

This two-hour hands-on workshop is led by Artistic Director Anne M. McCaw for local writers who need guidance in how to push themselves and their writing to new levels in form, theatricality, subject matter, and language.

WELLSPRING showcase by Anne McCaw*, Rich Espy, Nicole Jost*, and

Noelle Vinas*

This is an interactive exploration of four entirely new plays by local writers that push boundaries in form, subject matter, and theatricality. The event will include discussion, exercises, presentation of works in progress, and games to invite the audience to engage in the process of exploring and developing these plays.

Followed by post-performance discussion. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

TERRACE GALLERY

Guillotine Theater: Hootenanny** by Monique LaForce*, directed by Catherine Aselford, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Backstage at the new smash hit, Hootenanny-a bluegrass musical version of Macbeth-Samantha and Chip wait for their cues. Bit players who believe they are destined for better things, the greenroom becomes their lair-a place where they wrestle with their desire for each other, refine their career aspirations, and test the limits of their ambition. How far will they go to get what they want? Award-winning bluegrass band Dead Man's Hollow provides original music. Musical.

Kennedy Center's VSA and Accessibility: VSA Playwright Discovery:

Young People Write About Disability and Inclusion, by Leah Davis*, Paige Colvin*,

David Merkle, Bennet Sherr, Catherine Valdez*, Olivia Popp*, Milly Kate Toombs*, Christopher Huntsman, 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Selections from outstanding work written by young people from across the country, featuring an acting company from the Washington, D.C. theater community. Family-Friendly. Mild language.

Crash of Rhinos: The Bison Beat of Dubois, written and directed by Mario Baldessari,

7:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

A small-town prank aimed at kick-starting local tourism reawakens long-simmering prejudices between the town and the neighboring Reservation-as well as something strange from deep in the Wyoming back country. Followed by post-performance discussion. Comedy. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

RUSSIAN LOUNGE, BOX TEIR LEVEL OF OPERA HOUSE

Rapid Lemon Productions Inc.: Variations on Family by various D.C. and Maryland area authors, directed by Rosiland Cauthen, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Reading of selected plays from the 11th annual Variations Project production. Followed by post-performance discussion. Variety. Recommended for ages 13 and up. Explicit themes.

Scena Theater: Thersites, written and directed by Robert McNamara, 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Thersites is a wild ride through Homer's Iliad, as "the smallest and ugliest man in the Greek army" describes the "true" facts of the Trojan War. Drama. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

Compass Rose Theater: If I hold My Tongue**, by Patricia Henley*, directed by

Lucinda Merry-Browne, 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

A two-act play set in Fells Point, Baltimore, If I Hold My Tongue explores the lives of four prostituted women living in a halfway house. An empathetic portrait of their struggles to leave street life, the play is a realistic look at emotionally and physically scarred women who wish to return to a normal life, a job, a family, and safety. Followed by post-performance discussion. Drama. Recommended for mature audiences.

Bucharest Inside the Beltway: Finally Quiet In My Head by Cristina Bejan*, directed by Brittney Sankofa, 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

A play about mental illness, finding your roots, family, friendship, and healing the wounds of sexual violence in the District of Columbia. Proudly promoting NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Finally Quiet in My Head by Cristina Bejan just had a quite successful U.S. premiere at the DC Black Theatre Festival. The show has been invited back for a remount at Anacostia Arts Center August 2-14, 2016. Followed by post-performance discussion. Drama/Comedy. Recommended for ages 13 and up. Mature themes.

ISRAELI LOUNGE, BOX TIER LEVEL OF CONCERT HALL

Seventh Street Playhouse: Paul, written and directed by Anthony E. Gallo,

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

This play examines the complex and contradictory life of Christianity's second-leading theological architect through his Epistles, from the Romans to Titus, and the writings of Josephus. Paul's impact not only on the now 2 billion Christians around the world but tangentially on non-Christians as well is not disputed. The play follows him from being a deeply religious Jewish leader, successful businessman, civic leader, and persecutor of fringe cults to becoming an apostle of the Nazarene following his epiphany on the road to Damascus. The narrative traces his conflicts with members of the new cult, with his fellow disciples, the Romans, Greeks, Jewish leaders, his own family and friends, and the people he tries to convince. It's as if Paul's spiritual conversion also resulted in personal character conversion. Followed by post-performance discussion. Drama.

Tonic Theater Company: Strings, by Carole Bugge*, directed by Stevie Zimmerman,

4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Loosely riffing on a real-life train ride in which American physicists Burt Ovrut and Paul Steinhardt and English physicist Neil Turok tweaked the Big Bang theory, changing it forever. En route from Cambridge to London, the fictional trio discusses science, explores old jealousies, and infidelities and is visited by famous dead scientists Isaac Newton, Marie Curie, and Max Planck. Followed by post-performance discussion. Comedy/Drama. Recommended for ages 15 and up.

Arcturus Theater Company: The Point **by Marilyn Ansevin Austin*, directed by

Ross Heath, 7:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

As a middle-aged physician starts to show signs of dementia, her family and friends aid her to varied levels of success. Followed by post-performance discussion. Drama. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

family theater

The Washington Rogues: The Young Romantics, book and Lyrics by Alexandra Petri*,

music by Sam Linden, directed by Ryan Taylor, 2:30 p.m. - 4:10 p.m.

From Alexandra Petri, writer of last year's hit The Campsite Rule, this sexy rock musical explores the explosive marriage of Mary and Percy Shelly, pioneering proponents of free love and polyamory, and their encounters with the seductive rock star of his time, the legendary Lord Byron. It's weird! It's feminist! It's the Rogues' first musical, and we are ready to rock! Followed by post-performance discussion. Drama. Recommended for mature audiences/Explicit language.

TERRACE THEATER

FRESHH Inc.: Surrender by Goldie Patrick*, 3:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

A new hip-hop theater piece described as a "hip-hop theater bembe," Surrender is a ritual performance of music, dance, and verse, telling the story of a young woman and her rites of passage into womanhood. A biographical piece, this show combines mix-tape performance styles with traditional Yoruba rituals and traditions. In Surrender, we experience how Egbe and Egungun, (spirit guides and ancestors) lead the main character, Goldie, to revisit the past, confronting issues of identity, love, and spirituality in a desperate attempt to find purpose. Followed by post-performance discussion. Recommended for mature audiences. Explicit themes.

Sunday, September 6, 2015

MILLENNIUM STAGE NORTH

VSA Playwrights: Various, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

This performance recognizes the eight Senior Division (grades 10-12) winners of the VSA Playwright Discovery Competition. Excerpts of four scripts will be performed as staged readings. The VSA Playwright Discovery Competition invites middle and high school students with and without disabilities to examine the disability experience and express their views through the art of script writing. A Jean Kennedy Smith Arts and Disability Program.

Monday, September 7, 2015

MILLENNIUM STAGE SOUTH

Actors Repertory Theater: The Story Thief and the Prince of Dreams by Sean Fri, directed by Ray Ficca, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

A group of children at a family reunion gather to hear their venerable great-grandfather spin one of his legendary bedtime stories. When he's unable to tell even one, they begin to worry that something's amiss. Something is also worrying the prince of dreams. From his distant, slumbery realm, he notices that no children in the world are dreaming! He enlists the aid of our group of young heroes to find out where the dreams have gone, and it starts them on a trail that leads to the terrible Dream Thief, who is bent on stealing all the bedtime stories in the world and with them, the contented sleep of millions of children. Will the Prince of Dreams and the children be able to stop the Story-Thief in time for bed? Followed by post-performance discussion.

Family-friendly.

Synetic Theater Company: Alice in Wonderland** by Lloyd Rose*, directed by

Paata Tsikurishvili, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Demonstration of Synetic Technique followed by a few scenes from the upcoming production of Alice in Wonderland. Post-performance Q&A. Followed by post-performance discussion. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

MILLENNIUM STAGE NORTH

Faction of Fools : Classics Made Foolish by William Shakespeare, Edmond Rostand, and Lewis Carrol, adapted and directed by Paul Reisman, 2:30 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.

D.C.'s award-winning Fools are back in the factory exploring a physical take on scenes from several beloved classics (including Richard III, Cyrano, and Alice in Wonderland), replete with their celebrated brand of comedy and high-flying spectacularity. Followed by post-performance discussion. Commedia dell'Arte. Family-Friendly.

First Draft: Iddy & O by Richard C. Washer, directed by Leslie Kobylinski,

8:30 p.m. - 10:20 p.m.

A comedy set in a world where Greek mythology meets burlesque. Followed by post-performance discussion. Comedy. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

FAMILY THEATER

Alliance for New Music-Theatre: R.U.R.: A Retro-Futuristic Musical based on

Karel Capek's Rossum's Universal Robots by Karel ?apek, stage directed by

Susan Galbraith, composed and music directed by Maurice Saylor, 2:30 p.m. - 3:20 p.m.

R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) takes us "back to the future" in a new musical adaptation and unveiling of a play written in 1920 by Czech playwright Karel ?apek, who introduced the word "robot" to the world. The prescience of the work will engage audiences for the play's focus is very much part of today's global conversation: Will the combination of a robotic workforce and artificial intelligence liberate mankind from economic drudgery or will it become a superior force that threatens to overcome the human race? For Alliance for New Music-Theatre, R.U.R. represents an ambitious launch of a boldly scaled work in full partnership with the Czech Embassy as part of its year-long Mutual Inspirations Festival. It will involve more than a dozen local performing artists and include a robotic ballet, an original score by local composer Maurice Saylor, and the invention of a new musical-theatrical language that represents the soundscapes of robots and mankind. It is slated to be produced in DuPont Underground's new cultural space in early 2016. Musical. Followed by post-performance discussion. Family-Friendly.

Naked Theater Company: FOMO by Rachael Murray*, 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

For this group of friends and lovers, relationships get complicated. And no one wants to miss out. Followed by post-performance discussion. Comedy. Recommended for mature audiences. Explicit language/strong themes.

TERRACE GALLERY

Forum Theater: BLISS by Steve Yockey, directed by Michael Dove, 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Scott and Jeremy are a perfect couple. They have great friends, great jobs, and a great new place to live. In fact, things have never been better. Which is usually when the past comes back to crack open the world. And for these two men it arrives in a flood of bad memories, guilt, and an ocean of teddy bears. It's stunning what people will choose to believe in order to be "happy." Followed by post-performance discussion. Recommended for mature audiences.

Georgetown University: Pandemopium by Connor Rohan, directed by Maya E. Roth,

8:00 p.m. - 9:15 p.m.

A small opium poppy farm straddles the base of a mountain in Afghanistan's rural Kandahar Province. Under threat of destruction by a rootin'-tootin' Afghan Lieutenant, landowner Ashraf Amini's poppies can only be saved with the resurrection of a dead Talib and opium trafficker. With the Taliban demanding a harvest, Ashraf has no choice but to transform a seemingly impossible problem. Fast-paced, complex, and thrilling, this startling play dramatizes the impossible situation of an opium farmer squeezed between the Afghan Army and the Taliban. Winner of the Donn B. Murphy One-Acts Award, Pandemopiumfuses drama and comedy, poetry and politics. Developed in Georgetown's Hope Playwriting Seminar taught by Christine Evens. Followed by post-performance discussion. Drama/Comedy. Recommended for mature audiences. Explicit language and strong themes.

ISRAELI LOUNGE, BOX TIER LEVEL OF THE CONCERT HALL

Theater Alliance: Hothouse New Play Development Series by Dane Figueroa Edidi*,

Alan Sharpe, and Chinita L. Anderson*, 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Each of our three D.C.-based playwrights will present his or her brand new piece to an audience for the first time in order to hear first-hand responses and engage in active dialogue around these pieces that are focused on issues relevant to D.C. residents as they move forward in the development process. Followed by post-performance discussion. Recommended for mature audiences. Explicit language/themes.

Nu Sass Productions

Q&A and On Bank Robberies, written and directed by Keegan Cassady,

5:00 p.m. - 5:35 p.m.

Two short plays by a new local playwright, these brilliant new patter plays take turns you would certainly not expect. Followed by post-performance discussion. Comedy. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

The Rosaline Adventures, or Exit Pursued by a Zombie by Pamela Leahigh*, directed by Angela Pirko, 6:30 p.m. - 7:10 p.m.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Shakespeare in a story that follows the lives of those left behind after Romeo and Juliet take the long nap-or so we think they do. Followed by post-performance discussion. Adventure. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

22 Boom by Miranda Rose Hall*, directed by Renana Fox, 8:15 p.m. - 9:15 p.m.

A series of pieces written on demand for patrons when the playwright was in residence at Baltimore's Center Stage. Similar to Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, this collection of plays travels through the gamut of theatrical experiences. Followed by post-performance discussion. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

THEATER LAB

DC Theater Group: Voices Speak to Us, written and directed by David L. McWellan,

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Starting from the turn of the twentieth century until the present, Israelis and Palestinians confront each other with their narratives and poetry-expressions that describe their thoughts and emotions. Personal dialogue, poem, and song are combined into a theatrical format with conflict, a beginning, middle, and end. The drama escalates to a thrilling climax and then to the characters reaching more understanding of the crisis and their lives. Drama.

Mosaic Theater Company of DC: After The War by Motti Lerner, directed by Ari Roth, 5:30 p.m. - 7:10 p.m.

This new play from the author of The Admission tells the story of a middle-aged Israeli ex-patriot returning to Tel Aviv after the 2006 war on Lebanon following an 18-year absence. Trying to make amends for the fallout caused from sharp political differences within the family, the play explores whether healing can be achieved in a wounded family, even as new reports of calamity in Lebanon exacerbate efforts as father, brother and son do battle. Followed by post-performance discussion. Drama.

SOUTH ATRIUM FOYER

Unexpected Stage Company: The Arsonists by Jacqueline Goldfinger*, directed by

Edward Sobel, 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Arson is the family business and the ancestral legacy for a father and his adult daughter. When a fire goes terribly awry, they have to make hard decisions about who they are and who they will be. Set deep in a Florida swamp, The Arsonists is a Southern Gothic tale of grief, loss, and redemption. The Arsonists received a 2015 Honorable Mention from The Kilroys. Followed by post-performance discussion.Recommended for ages 13 and up.

Gang of Five: Five and Dime: A Set of Ten Minute Plays, by Robin C. Baron*, J. T. Caruso, Mark Haag, Domitri Neos, and Michelle Rago*, 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Readings of five 10-minute plays. Followed by post-performance discussion. Recommended for mature audiences.

All of the Above: Bigger Than All of Us, by Ann Timmons*, 6:00 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.

Marguerite is "stuck." She turns to Carmen, a successful "empowerment expert," but comes away from her motivational seminar more disaffected than ever. Meanwhile, Marguerite's niece Jean, a budding reporter, exposes Frances, Marguerite's long-time nemesis, as a corrupt and conniving politician. Throw in Carmen's estranged working-class mother and Frances's clueless assistant, and the result is a seriously funny comic drama that explores life in a fictitious DC suburb. With oversized egos, high stakes, and even more honest revelation, Bigger Than All of Us explores the space where definitions of "success," matters of justice, and finding your place in the world can collide. Followed by post-performance discussion. Comedy. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

NORTH ATRIUM FOYER

Factory 449: The Weight of Water by Allyson Currin*, directed by Elena Day and Tom Story, featuring Rena Cherry Brown, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

How do you hold onto the soul of someone who is slipping away from you? In caring for her last living relative, a young woman is determined to piece together the full picture of her aunt's life and to discover the source of her aunt's mystery and magic. Will the secrets of the past begin to emerge and reveal themselves? Or will they vanish along with her aunt's fading memory and remain forever lost? Followed by a post-performance discussion. Mild language and mild themes.

Catholic University of America Benjamin T. Rome School of Music: Alice Flagg, music and libretto by Joseph R. Kaz, additional text by Henry Timrod, 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Set in Pre-Civil War South Carolina, Alice Flagg is a two-act opera that tells the tale of one of the Low Country's most beloved ghost stories. Alice, a daughter of the southern aristocracy, falls madly in love with a lumberjack, John Braddock, who is far below her station. In retaliation, her family sends her away to boarding school in Charleston, but not before the two lovers secretly get engaged. While in Charleston, Alice falls prey to a fatal illness, causing both her family and John to come to her aid. Opera. Mild language.

BSU Theater (Bowie State University): April 4th, 1986 by Bob Bartlett, directed by Psalmayene 24, 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Hundreds of Bowie State students learn of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. while jailed in Annapolis for peaceful protests against the policies of Maryland Governor Spiro T. Agnew. Drama.

The Welders: The Welders: The Best Of, 8:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Join us for a preview of upcoming Welders Original plays and Greatest Hits from Welders 2.0. Drama. Recommended for ages 16 and up. Explicit language and strong themes.

RUSSIAN LOUNGE, BOX TEIR LEVEL OF THE OPERA HOUSE

Baltimore Playwrights Festival, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Commander by Ann Wixon*, directed by Miriam Bazensky

Is America ready for a gay president? Governor Ned Worley is about to find out. But can the ambitious politician prove the naysayers wrong or will personal demons--and a troubled partner-scuttle his historic candidacy?

Tying the knot by James Beller, directed by Daniel Douek

When Michael announces to his mother, Arlene, that he is getting married, it is the happiest day of her life. But when he tells her he's marrying Pauline and not his ex-boyfriend, David, Arlene is not merely shocked she is outraged.

Saving Myself for Steve Martin, by Mario Correra, directed by Chelsea Dove

Divorced, 45, and facing an uncertain future, Eve attends her first SWASS (single women actively seeking sex) meeting in this hilarious one-woman show.

Recommended for ages 13 and up. Strong Themes.

ABG Playwrights: The Best Worst That Can Happen by Jean Koppen*,

3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Joanna is worried about her mother's failing memory. Margie is concerned about her daughter's career and love life. In truth, both are terrified about how they will handle the worst that can happen-Margie contracting Alzheimer's Disease. When an unlikely new housemate enters their lives and his movie producer brother pays an unexpected visit, both Margie and Joanna discover the best that can happen in the worst situation. Followed by post-performance discussion. Drama. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

Venus Theater Company: Rock the Line by Kathleen Warnock*, directed by

Deborah Randall, 8:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Rock the Line is a character-driven play about a group of friends united by their love of rock 'n' roll legend Patti Roxx. Set in front of the club where she'll be performing, the play shows their interactions, power plays, loves, and losses during the eight hours before Patti's show.

AFRICIAN LOUNGE

Bridge Club: A Writers Collective: Funeral of Casey B. Collins, by Natalie Ann Piegari*, directed by Quill Nebeker, 12:00 p.m. - 1:10 p.m.

A darkly comic exploration of grief, love, and suicide. Drama. Recommended for mature audiences.

Blind Pug Arts Collective: Love Godfrey / Love George by John Stoltenberg, directed by Michael Poandl, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

A love story between two men-Godfrey, who is black, and George, who is white, the play is set in New York City in 1970, a time not yet altered by Stonewall and the liberation movement that followed. It begins in the characters' bedroom as a sexy, playful romantic comedy. Midway through, the story takes a tragic turn-and George and Godfrey's love is tested and challenged beyond their imagining. Followed by post-performance discussion. Recommended for mature audiences. Strong language/themes.

Doorway Arts Theater Company: The Colony by Allyson Currin*, directed by Matt Ripa, 6:00 p.m. - 7:40 p.m.

The writers retreat from HELL #saveyourselves! Comedy. Recommended for ages 13 and up. Explicit language.

Constellation Theatre: Le Rougarou du Bayou, written and directed by

Matthew Aldwin McGee, 9:00 p.m. - 11:15 p.m.

Children are disappearing up and down the bayou. The folks in a small fishing town are on edge. The man who might have answers (or might be the one responsible) is nowhere to be found. His left-behind son, Wiley, is caught in the middle of the chaos and the spreading rumors. Can his father really be the villain? Are our heroes as perfect as we think they are? Or does the legendary shape-shifting swamp creature known as the Hairy Man really exist? Based on the Southern folktale of Wiley and the Hairy Man, this coming-of-age musical looks at our fears of losing loved ones, questions what it means to be a hero, and shines light on how to not become the monsters we dread. It's a foot-stomping romp through the mystical swamp of the bayou! Musical. Recommended for ages 8 and up.

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Page-to-Stage is FREE and open to the public. No tickets required. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Seating is limited and subject to availability. Doors open 30 minutes prior to the start of each performance. There is no free parking for free events.

Need a Lift? The FREE Kennedy Center Shuttle, the Center's link to Metro's Foggy Bottom/George Washington University Metro station (blue/orange/silver lines), departs every 15 minutes from 9:45 a.m. to midnight, Monday - Friday; 10 a.m. to midnight, Saturdays; noon to midnight, Sundays; and 4:00 p.m. to midnight on federal holidays. Free parking is not available when attending free events.

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