Theatre Odyssey

Bringing plays to life

2023 Ten-Minute Play Festival

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IN REMEMBRANCE judged Best Play

Donna DeFant, Lee Gundersheimer, and Stephen-Paul Dieter in IN REMEMBRANCE.
TO-Playbill-Cover-2023
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Memory is important, especially as we mature, and the production of In Remembrance by Michelle Pascua with Lee Gundersheimer, Donna DeFant, and Stephen-Paul Dieter directed by Katherine Michelle Tanner delivered the message touchingly. It was judged Best Play and won the Verna Safran Prize of $500.

BEST PLAY: IN REMEMBRANCE — Lee Gundersheimer, Donna DeFant, playwright Michelle Pascua, and Stephen-Paul Dieter.
BEST PLAY: IN REMEMBRANCE — Lee Gundersheimer, Donna DeFant, playwright Michelle Pascua, and Stephen-Paul Dieter. Not pictured: director Katherine Michelle Tanner.

Runner-up: 15 SECONDS

2023 Runner-up: 15 SECONDS
RUNNER-UP: 15 SECONDS — Joseph Klens, director Lee Gundersheimer, playwright Bruce Karp, Ciana Noelle-Bostock, Jill Schroeder, Aaron Schroeder
RUNNER-UP: 15 SECONDS — Joseph Klens, director Lee Gundersheimer, playwright Bruce Karp, Ciana Noelle-Bostock, Jill Schroeder, Aaron Schroeder

Bruce Karp’s 15 Seconds poignantly speaks of a mom coming to terms with the death of her son as a result of a tragic shooting—and his secret. Jill Schroeder, Ciana Nelle-Bostock, Joseph Klens, and Aaron Schroeder played the characters with Lee Gundersheimer’s direction. As the Runner-up play, the playwright receives $300.

Workshop and Q&A with Gary Garrison

Gary Garrison speaking at workshop for playwrights

More than thirty area playwrights and theatre artists attended Gary Garrison’s Saturday workshop on creating strong and memorable characters in their plays. Garrison not only provided creative ideas for developing those characters but engaged the group in several writing exercises to help them put those ideas into their work.

Lee Gundersheimer and Gary Garrison at post-show Q&A session

Nearly fifty audience members remained in the theater after Saturday night’s Festival performance for a question and answer session with Gary Garrison and Festival Production Manager Lee Gundersheimer. Questions ranged from key trends in the theater world today to the future of the ten-minute play format (very strong according to Garrison!).

For details on plays, playwrights, and adjudicators, see the playbill.

PARADISE BREAKUP: Director Ken Basque, playwright Risa Lewak, Joseph Klens, Tahlia Chinault.
PARADISE BREAKUP: Director Ken Basque, playwright Risa Lewak, Joseph Klens, Tahlia Chinault.
BACK TO ONE: Director Ken Basque, Eric Henry, Susan Bachman, playwright Keith Whalen. (Not pictured: Rik Robertson.)
BACK TO ONE: Director Ken Basque, Eric Henry, Susan Bachman, playwright Keith Whalen. (Not pictured: Rik Robertson.)
PITY MOURNER: Steve Black, playwright Paul Donnelly, Annette Brezeale. Not pictured; director Katherine Michelle Tanner.
PITY MOURNER: Steve Black, playwright Paul Donnelly, Annette Brezeale. Not pictured; director Katherine Michelle Tanner.
A SQUAD OF OUR OWN: Victoria Flounders, Lindsey Nickel, director Lee Gundersheimer, Julee Breehne, Jill Schroeder. Not pictured: playwright Bethany Dickens Assaf.
A SQUAD OF OUR OWN: Victoria Flounders, Lindsey Nickel, director Lee Gundersheimer, Julee Breehne, Jill Schroeder. Not pictured: playwright Bethany Dickens Assaf.
ETERNITY: Preston Boyd, director Travis Ray, playwright Elan Garonzik, Lynda StJames, Michael Kinsey.
ETERNITY: Preston Boyd, director Travis Ray, playwright Elan Garonzik, Lynda StJames, Michael Kinsey.
STEAM FOG: Director Travis Ray, Amber Myers, Michael Kinsey. Not pictured: playwright John J, Kelly.
STEAM FOG: Director Travis Ray, Amber Myers, Michael Kinsey. Not pictured: playwright John J, Kelly.