FOR THE FOURTH YEAR IVORYTON PLAYHOUSE SERVES AS INCUBATOR FOR WOMEN’S PLAYWRIGHTING INITIATIVE

Plays for and about women, written by women and starring women, will be celebrated at the Ivoryton Playhouse on Saturday February 22 at 2 p.m. and continuing at 7 p.m. For the fourth year, the Women Playwrights Initiative will serve as an incubator to foster new works that view women in a quartet of unique situations, ones that will engender laughter and tears, and stimulate conversations and networking possibilities.

From 170 submitted works, four will be highlighted.  The four playwrights hail from the state of Washington, California, Indiana and Maryland and will each receive the Ellie Award and a $500 stipend.  Ivoryton Playhouse will serve as a safe and encouraging environment  for the playwright, director and actors to generate ideas and develop this festival of new possibilities.

At 2 p.m., come enter Sharon Goldner’s world of “Savior” directed by Kate Katcher, where a yoga class becomes the unlikely venue where one mom reveals her five year old son has confided to her that he is the messiah.  This refreshingly comic staged reading will be followed by Crystal V. Rhodes’ “1200 Miles From Jerome,”  directed by Kathryn Markey,  a dangerous and serious tale from the 1940s.  The Franklin family is traveling with a fugitive during World WAR II in the Deep South risking their lives at a time when white and black are not allowed the same privileges and every step is a challenge to life and limb.

At 7 p.m., Holly Arsenault will present “Court,” directed by Jacqueline Hubbard, taking a hard and personal look at divorce and custody from the viewpoint of a thirteen year old, one directly influenced and affected by the outcome.  This will be followed by “Deanna and Paul” by Dagney Kerr, directed by Missy Burmeister, where a cup of coffee in a café pits a waitress Deanna with a strict no tipping policy who meets her match in Paul,  an unconventional customer with a mind fixated on his demands.

For tickets ($20 adult, $15 senior, $10 student for one performance or buy both for $30 adult, $25 senior, $10 student), call the Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main Street, Ivoryton at 860-767-7318 or online at www.ivorytonplayhouse.org.

Be at the forefront when these exciting plays - 4 x 4 in 2020 - take center stage for the first time in Ivoryton Playhouse’s Women Playwrights Initiative.

.