SCR/Party Play with Ann Conway

Playwrights Donald Margulies, Kenneth Lin, David Wiener

Second row, left and right: PPF Co-Directors John Glore and Megan Monaghan; first row, L to R: playwrights José Rivera, Donald Margulies, Kenneth Lin, John Strand; back row, L to R: playwrights Richard Greenberg, David Wiener and Julie Marie Myatt; artistic directors David Emmes and Martin Benson, composer Dennis McCarthy

Casting Director Joanne DeNaut, actor Daniel Blinkoff

10TH ANNUAL PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL A FEAST FOR THEATER-GOERS, PRODUCERS, DIRECTORS
By Ann Conway

They came from across the country to celebrate SCR's 10th Annual Playwrights Festival — producers, playwrights, directors, actors. Not to mention the stream of local theater buffs who joined with them to participate in the readings of new plays by Richard Greenberg, Kenneth Lin, Donald Margulies, Jose Rivera and John Strand & Dennis McCarthy. Also in full production during the festival: world premieres by Julie Marie Myatt (My Wandering Boy) and David Wiener (System Wonderland).

In an entertainment world chock-full of film writers in search of mega bucks, a showcase for the new works of playwrights increases their chances of seeing them multi-produced, observed Festival Co-Director (with Megan Monaghan) John Glore. "We stage this festival to help develop a community of new play producers who can give these great plays multiple productions," Glore said. "More and more of our playwrighting talent is drifting away to Hollywood where they can make big money. The more productions we can get for these writers, the more theater becomes an opportunity to make a decent living."

Friday evening, May 4, may have marked the social launch of the weekend festival, where attendees feasted on Mexican fare al fresco on Ela's Terrace, but already, two remarkable daytime readings had occurred: Margulies' Shipwrecked! The Amazing Adventures of Louis De Rougemont (As Told by Himself) — an Entertainment directed by Bart DeLorenzo on the Julianne Argyros Stage and Rivera's Boleros for The Disenchanted directed by Octavio Solis on Segerstrom Stage. "I loved them both," said theater buff Hedda Marosi, as she dined on enchiladas and sipped a margarita before watching the evening's offering directed by Chay Yew in the Nicholas Studio: the workshop production of Lin's Po' Boy Tango.

The 29-year-old Lin, a New Yorker only a few years out of Yale Drama School, said his own family experience inspired his tale of two collaborating chefs whose solid family roots inspired their culinary expertise. "I'm from a restaurant family," he said. "People say, 'write what you know.' " But Lin did even more than that in the play commissioned by SCR. "I decided to write about what's in my heart these days. My parents are getting a little older and what's really in my heart is home and family."

Besides the play's insights into the kind of conflict and teamwork that can challenge or strengthen cooking technique, Lin's work offers audiences a portrayal of characters rarely seen onstage today, he noted: "Two middle-aged minorities! Actors are telling me, 'Wow! How often are we going to come across parts like this?'"

Also on the festival playlist: Greenberg's Our Mother's Brief Affair directed by Pam MacKinnon on Segerstrom Stage and Strand & McCarthy's An Italian Straw Hat directed by Stefan Novinski on Segerstrom Stage.

The festival was made possible by generous grants from The James Irvine Foundation, The Shubert Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust also contributed festival support and the Elizabeth George Foundation supports SCR's commissioning program.

Also on the scene: Gail and Ernie Doe, Olivia Johnson, Laurie Staude, Randy Morrison Baird, Dori Caillouette, Vina Willimas and Tom Slattery, Elaine Weinberg, John and Sue Murphy.

Actors Jill Clayburgh, Arye Gross, Director Pam MacKinnon, playwright Richard Greenberg, Actor Adam Arkin	Director Octavio Solis, actors Jonathan Nichols and Adriana Sevan, Paula Tomei
Playwrights José Rivera and Donald Margulies	Martin Benson and Jerry Patch
Playwrights Julie Marie Myatt and José Rivera	Marcia Lazer, Barbara Van Holt, Linda Baity

Laurie Woolery and Daniel Blinkoff	Marcia Lazer and Linda Baity	Actor John Vickery

Casting Assistant Colette Puoci	Festival Coordinator Kristina Leach
The Pacific Playwrights Festival	Joanne DeNaut and actor Kimberly Scott
Actor Linda Gehringer	Festival Directors Megan Monaghan and John Glore