Where’s Andrew

Posted by Jonathan Wemette, Artistic Associate

I know you’ve all been enjoying Andrew’s Thursday posts about the development of his “Water Play,” but I’m afraid he won’t be able to join us today. He’s got a good excuse, though: for the next couple days, as part of his research for the “Water Play”, he’s taking (attending, visiting – I don’t know the proper verb here) the “Florida Earth Ag Module.”  You can find the complete schedule of the event at that link, but it looks like a fantastic opportunity for anyone who wants to learn about Florida’s connection to its land and water. Today, for instance, starts with an overview of agriculture in South Florida, then moves on to presentations about the sugar cane industry, the citrus industry and the Florida cattle industry.

Since Andrew’s gone, I’ll take this opportunity to give you a rundown of how Andrew, Nan (our Managing Director), and I spent last weekend. We flew up to Atlanta for the National New Play Network’s National Showcase of New Plays, hosted by member theatres Actor’s Express and Horizon Theatre Company. It’s a great weekend, one of the highlights of my Florida Stage year. Over three days, representatives from the 26+ NNPN theatres and many other new play organizations gather to watch readings of six new plays, plus a full performance at the host theatre. It’s a chance to see a lot of good friends, including our fellow Florida NNPN theatres, Florida Studio Theatre, Orlando Shakespeare Theater and New Theatre, and to spend time with professionals as passionate about new works as we are here. (My only complaint this year? The 30-degree weather. Yikes.)

All six readings had something great to offer, and I know we’ll be hearing more from them as they start to get productions around the country, but one reading had a special significance for us: Andrew’s latest non-water-themed play, currently titled Brilliant Corners, selected for the showcase from a pool of more than 20 submissions. I got to see Brilliant Corners develop page by page while Andrew wrote it in residence with us last year, and to hear it read by top-notch actors in a room full of the savviest theatergoers imaginable was immensely satisfying, and it made me proud of Andrew and of Florida Stage’s support for his writing. It’s a beautiful family drama that feels both classical and new, but you don’t have to take my word for it: we’ll be including Brilliant Corners in our 1st Stage New Works Festival this coming March.

But you don’t have to wait until then to hear from Andrew: he’ll be right here, at 1st Draft, next Thursday. (Oh! And I hope you’re enjoying his Wee Plays on Twitter.)

---