Verna Safran Prize goes to READY OR NOT
As a lifelong creator of characters and stories, Michael Anthony Mercado embarks on a new adventure as a playwright and is thrilled to be one of the eight finalists to be featured in Theatre Odyssey’s Nineteenth Annual Ten-Minute Play Festival. By day, he holds the esteemed position of Director of Education for Be Aveda Institutes Florida, where his passion for shaping minds extends beyond the world of theater. Onstage, Michael has had the privilege of contributing to productions such as Oliver! (The Artful Dodge), The Wiz (ensemble), and most recently, assuming the role of the Criminologist/Narrator in The Rocky Horror Show at the Manatee Performing Arts Center. When he’s not immersed in the world of storytelling, Michael shares his life with his husband, three kids, and their beloved English bulldog. Balancing the stage with the joys of family life serves as a continual source of inspiration for this multifaceted individual. Grateful for the opportunity to share his work alongside talented fellow playwrights in this festival, Michael hopes that his play resonates with the audience, contributing to the rich tapestry of theatrical experiences on display.
RUNNER-UP: Balloon Release
Keith’s plays have been produced across the country and internationally. In September, his play The Beauty of Numbers (directed by Keith), won Excellence in Playwriting and Excellence in Directing awards from the Theatre Association of NY State, and won Best Short Production in the TANYS festival in November and will go on to compete in the Eastern States Theater Association festival in the spring of 2024. His play White Angel won Best Play in Theatre Odyssey’s Sixteenth Annual Ten-Minute Play Festival, and his play Youth for Dark won Best Play in the Tales from the Brookside Festival, was a semifinalist in the 46th Annual Samuel French Off Off Broadway Short Play Festival, and was a part of Theatre Odyssey’s Seventeenth Annual Ten-Minute Play Festival. His play Exophilia was an Official Selection of the short play division of the 2023 Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival in July, and in October was produced at the Dobbins Conservatory of Theatre at SMSU. Keith is a proud member of The Dramatists Guild.
For details on plays, playwrights, and adjudicators, see the playbill.
