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My short play, EASY AS PRESLEY, was written for the pre-pandemic installment of Queens NY Madness.
Performed at the now closed Secret Theatre
Directed by Michele Travis
Featuring: Samantha Debicki, Chandler Gregoire and Cary Hite
While in Paris on a writers retreat (see this post) I learned that my brand-new play, Dixieland (working title) was a finalist for The International Thomas Wolfe Playwrighting Competition at PlayMakers in Chapel Hill.
This play was written as a response piece to Wolfe’s novel Look Homeward, Angel and I hope to continue to work on it as I have grown very fond of the piece.
Below is the list of the ten finalists. I hope you google these playwrights and discover more about their work. ☺
Missing Celia Rose by Ian August
Through Hike by David L. Caruso
Resubdivided by Mason Cordell
The Family Marcher by Alex Drinnen
Fall with Me by Jared Eberlein
Lineage by Anne Flanagan
Of the Sea by Fiona Gorry-Hines
Against the Flesh by Nick Robideau
Dixieland by Amy E. Witting
Original play, DAY 392 , named Semi-Finalist for the 2020 American Blues Theater Blue Ink Playwriting Award. It was wonderful to dust off my MFA Thesis play and invite it gently back into the world.
The American Blues Theater supports so many beautiful voices in the American Theatre. Check out their website here to learn more about this year’s winner – Yussef El Guindi!
Thanks to New Georges and their lovely space (my last in-person reading) some brilliant folks gathered to read a brand new zero draft of Dixieland (working title)
** While this update should have happened in real time, posting it now (May 2021) has me missing all these talented humans, music stands, pianos, and smooshing around a table while I drink too many seltzers to help me stay open to hearing characters come alive.
JANUARY 2020
I have been gathering threads of my family history through letters with my father. This project which was started a couple years ago continues today. My hope is to continue to collect the threads to create a piece of theatre based on his life.
Commissioned by the Orange Beach New Play Festival
Upcoming production – February 22, 2020
Announcing:
Womyn’s Will
A new play by Amy E. Witting
ANNE PAGE HATES FUN OPENED AT THE AMERICAN SHAKESPEARE CENTER IN FEBRUARY AFTER AN INTENSE AND FRUITFUL REWRITING PROCESS. THIS EXPERIENCE WAS ONE I WILL NEVER FORGET, AND I MARKS A HUGE GROWTH AS A WRITER. BELOW ARE SOME LINKS TO PRESS RELEASES AND A REVIEW OF THE PIECE ALONG WITH PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE PRODUCTION. I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO WATCHING HOW THE SHAKESPEARE’S NEW CONTEMPORARIES PROJECT GROWS, EVOLVES, AND BRINGS TO THE STAGE MANY MORE NEW PLAYS INSPIRED BY WILLIAM S.
I LOVE WORKING WITH ACTOR’S EXPRESS IN ATLANTA AND THIS YEAR WAS NO DIFFERENT. I HAD THE CHANCE TO CREATE AN ORIGINAL PLAY CALLED THE ISLAND OF TABULA RASA FOR THEIR TALENTED CLASS OF INTERNS.
IN NOVEMBER I WENT DOWN TO PHILADELPHIA TO TEACH A CLASS THAT I LOVE TEACHING! SPENDING MANY YEARS BLOCKED BY FEAR IT’S A GIFT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO STUDENTS WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IN THE YEARS ACCEPTING AND PUSHING THROUGH FEAR.
YOU CAN READ THE PRESS RELEASE HERE.
THANKS TO THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE LOVELY LINDSEY FERRENTINO I WORKED WITH THE LEE STRASBERG THEATRE & FILM INSTITUTE TO CREATE A PLAY FOR THE PRACTICUM CLASS THAT WAS PERFORMED THIS PAST DECEMBER BY GRADUATING SENIORS AND DIRECTED BY THE AMAZING ESTEFANÍA FADUL.
THE GENEROUS CREATIVE TEAM AT NEW YORK REP PRODUCED A TOWN HALL READING AND DISCUSSION OF A BAD NIGHT THIS PAST NOVEMBER. A BAD NIGHT CONTINUES TO BE RELEVANT TODAY AND MY HOPE IS THAT IT WiLL CREATE MORE MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS IN THE YEARS TO COME.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE HERE.
BELOW IS A VIDEO CREATED BY NEW YORK REP WITH MY CO-WRITER NICOLE PANDOLFO.
PETER’S IMPRESSIONS, A HAIR SALON IN SUNNYSIDE QUEENS, CELEBRATED FORTY YEARS IN BUSINESS THIS PAST OCTOBER. THANKS TO A GRANT FROM QUEENS COUNCIL ON THE ARTS, SUNNYSIDE IMPRESSIONS WAS PERFORMED IN OCTOBER. THE PLAY WAS CREATED THROUGH INTERVIEWS FROM SUNNYSIDE RESIDENTS AND PERFORMED BY A TALENTED GROUP OF ACTORS. TO TOP IT OFF A DEAR FRIEND MADE THE BELOW VIDEO. THIS PROJECT CONNECTED MY LOVE OF COMMUNITY AND CREATIVITY IN A WAY THAT I HOPE I CAN CONTINUE TO DO MORE OF.
OPENING NIGHT!
CLOSING NIGHT AND STILL SMILING.
I WAS VERY LUCKY TO WORK WITH BEAUTIFUL ARTISTS ON THIS HARD AND IMPORTANT PLAY.
MY HOPE IS THIS PLAY WILL CONTINUE TO REACH MANY.
Grateful to have my play announced along with Mary Elizabeth Hamilton's 16 Winters or the Bears Tale.
Grateful to announce that my play Anne Page Hates Fun has won the inaugural Shakespeare's New Contemporaries prize at the American Shakespeare Center. The World Premiere will take place in February, 2019 in charming Staunton Virginia.
This summer I've been working hard down in West Virginia with a talented team of actors, designers, tech team, and wonderful director Ed Herendeen on my play The House on the Hill The play runs from July 6th - July 29th and it will be worth the trip!
A little backstory on how this play came to light and why it feels so important to share it with audiences now. The House on the Hill is in rep with the wonderful C.A. Johnson's play Thirst. Come down to Shepherdstown and check it out!
I'm over the moon to have my play included in the wonderful Contemporary American Theatre Festival this July! So many people have helped contribute to the growth of this piece and I can't wait to share it with a larger audience. Opening night is JULY 7th in Shepherdstown, WV. If you are up for an adventure this summer and want to see some great theatre you can get tickets HERE!
