Thanks for an Awesome Reading of Susan Kathryn Hefti's THE POLKA DOT TEA PARTY at the Lark!

Many thanks to the Lark Play Development Center; the Lark's Krista Williams; stage director Reg Douglas - and the amazing cast he assembled - for an awesome Roundtable Reading of THE POLKA DOT TEA PARTY at the Lark last night!

This brand new script tells the story of an awkward teenage Praying Mantis, named Joan, and the stylish clique of Ladybugs she so desperately wants to join. 

As we begin the process of exploring and developing this brand new script, it was a huge help to have the opportunity to hear the myriad residents of the magical world of Wonder Garden - dragonflies, ladybugs, wiggly worms, et al - brought to vivid life by such a wildly talented cast! 

A huge round of APPLAUSE and many THANKS to these amazingly creative actors who so generously donated their time, energy and talent to allow me the rich opportunity to hear this brand script for the very first time: Jeni Putney (Joan/Awkward Teenage Girl); Brenna Palughi (Tina); Chris Coffey (Buzzcut); Emily Zacharias (Bella/Mother); Ed Hyland (Ivan); Chinaza Uche (Gus/Worm #1); Debargo Sanyal (Dopple/Sandeep/Nigel); Matt MacNelly (Ganger/Andy/Worm #4/Horse Fly); Caitlin Cassidy (Darling/Floret #1); Becca Weiss (Dot/Tiffany/Marilyn/Trout Lilies); Tara Novie (Isabelle/Camille); Ashley Samona Baker (Millie/Eileen/Mockingbird); Dave Droxler (Raisin/Trout Lilies/Tina's Growling Belly); Miriam Hyman (Monica/Annie/Worm #2/Floret #2); Beethovan Oden (Worm #3/Cyrus/Alex); Brett Aresco (Rex/Horse Fly #1/Jerry) and Juan Castano (Romeo/Charlie).

Thank you all for so beautifully bringing the Wonder Garden to life!

And thanks again to Reg Douglas and all the wonderful people at the Lark for the opportunity to begin the development process in an environment wholly committed to nurturing artists and their new works!

And, as always, thanks to everybody for your continued interest in the work of Susan Kathryn Hefti and for your very generous & loyal support!  

As we continue the journey that is THE POLKA DOT TEA PARTY, we'll be sure to keep you all posted on its progress!

Thanks again!

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To learn more about Susan Kathryn Hefti's plays, or to make a tax-deductible gift to support the continued development of her work, please visit The Emerging American Artist's Fund by simply clicking on this link provided by her fiscal sponsor, the non-profit arts organization Fractured Atlas. And thanks again for your very generous support!

Susan Kathryn Hefti Talks to The Playwrights' Center (PWC) About Her DIY MFA

The Playwrights' Center (PWC) in Minneapolis asked Susan Kathryn Hefti to talk about her DIY MFA in playwriting for its current Newsletter!

So please take a moment to pour yourself an iced tea (or something stronger, if you prefer) and sink into a comfy chair in a well air-conditioned spot (unless, of course, you're already cool as a cucumber in the mountains of Switzerland, or aboard a sailboat, in which case you should just start reading right now!) and read the piece PWC just posted!

We hope you are all enjoying the summer of 2014!

And we hope to see you all soon for a very happy occasion!

http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=39919c9e8118eca09a6a85e47&id=6ccd961063&e=c4f15b24e4#hefti2

Building a DIY MFA

Playwrights’ Center member Susan Kathryn Hefti was telling us about how she is creating her own playwriting curriculum—a kind of DIY MFA—and we thought others would be interested as well. Here is Susan’s story:

When Playwrights’ Center (PWC) Membership Manager Hannah Joyce-Hoven asked me to talk about my journey as a playwright, I really didn’t think I’d have anything terribly useful to say. You see, I haven’t been writing plays all that long and I’ve had no formal training; Well, that is, until I joined the PWC.

For while I walk fast, talk fast and spin like the Tasmanian devil, my professional epiphany can only be described as glacial: In fact, it wasn't until the very last day of 2010, that I realized the time had come to put various other writing gigs and projects, that had consumed my time and energy for years, in the rearview mirror and finally devote myself to my first love, theater.

I had always loved school, so naturally my first instinct was to investigate the possibility of getting an MFA in playwriting. And I’d still jump at the chance for this opportunity, were it not for the fact that by the time I finally decided to pursue playwriting, I could afford neither a three-year gap in my career, nor the $50,000+ investment I discovered it would take.

But rather than lament reality, I resolved to give myself an MFA in playwriting. Having taught at Yale and Brown, I was not completely unfamiliar with the task of creating a syllabus. So I drew up a reading list and started ordering plays, having read the “classics” in college.

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Playwright Susan Kathryn Hefti Named Writer of the Week!

Emerging Playwright Susan Kathryn Hefti

We are thrilled to announce that Susan Kathryn Hefti has been elected "Writer of the Week" by Kanjy, the online writers community! 

So please take a moment & click on this link to read the "Writer of the Week" interview, posted by Kanjy, with this emerging American playwright!

Thanks again to everyone who made this very awesome thing happen! 

And thanks for your continued interest in Susan Kathryn Hefti's work and for your very generous & loyal support!  

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To learn more about Susan Kathryn Hefti's plays, or to make a tax-deductible gift to support the continued development of her work, please visit The Emerging American Artist's Fund by simply clicking on this link provided by her fiscal sponsor, the non-profit arts organization Fractured Atlas. And thanks again for your very generous support!

Thanks for Making the Premiere NY Reading of Susan Kathryn Hefti's THE POWER PLAY a HUGE SUCCESS!

Major props to the incredibly talented Reg Douglas for his brilliant direction of the premiere NY reading, on February 20, 2014, of Susan Kathryn Hefti's new play THE POWER PLAY, or Smart Bombs & Other Sexy Toys at New York Theatre Workshop! 

Under Reg's insightful direction, the wildly talented cast - Dawn Cantwell (PONG); Rachel Napoleon (EDIE); Matt MacNelly (ABE) & Hubert Point-Du Jour (SAM) - brought to vivid life THE POWER PLAY characters before a packed house @ NYTW!

A BIG thanks to the cast; to our intrepid stage manager, Geoff Boronda, and to our resourceful Assistant Director TJ Weaver for all their hard work, endless talent and boundless energy!

And, as this was the very first time in the play's development process that an audience was invited into "the room," a huge thanks to everybody who came out to see/hear this exciting new play and helped make the evening a huge success! 

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To learn more about Susan Kathryn Hefti's plays, or to make a tax-deductible gift to support the continued development of her work, please visit The Emerging American Artist's Fund by simply clicking on this link provided by her fiscal sponsor, the non-profit arts organization Fractured Atlas. And thanks again for your very generous support!