The Ojai Playwrights Conference is a new play development program based in Ojai, California. The mission of the organization is to develop unproduced plays of artistic excellence that focus on the compelling social, political and cultural issues of our era from diverse playwrights both emerging and established, and to nurture a new generation of playwrights and theatre artists.
| Ojai Playwrights Conference | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Theatre festival |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Location(s) | Besant Hill School, Ojai, California |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | 1998 |
| Website | www |
Activities
editEach summer playwrights, directors, dramaturges, and other theatre professionals gather in Ojai for a two-week conference culminating in a New Works Festival, in which new plays are presented in staged readings, and audiences are invited to join in post-play discussions.[citation needed] The readings, performed by professional actors, generally occur at Zalk Theater on the campus of Ojai's Besant Hill School.[citation needed] In addition to the new play workshops, the Festival also features various performance events and presentations of original works by conference interns and youth workshop program participants.
Founded in 1998, the not-for-profit arts organization was led by artistic director and producer Robert Egan from 2001 until 2022.[1] Under his leadership, the Ojai Playwrights Conference has grown over the years in the number of artists served, the diversity of its artists and leadership.[citation needed] In 2019, the Ojai Playwrights Conference was awarded the Gordon Davidson Award for distinguished contribution to the Los Angeles theatrical community by the LA Drama Critics Circle.[citation needed]
Plays developed at the Ojai Playwrights Conference have been performed on Broadway, in the West End, off-Broadway, and at regional theatres.[citation needed] Both "Fun Home" and "Other Desert Cities" were workshopped at the Ojai Playwrights Conference[2][3] and were Pulitzer Finalists;[4][5] "Fun Home" won the Tony Award for Best Musical, and Caroline, or Change won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical.[6] "Eclipsed" and The Motherfucker with the Hat[1] were each nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play.[citation needed]
Plays
editThe following plays have been developed through the Ojai Playwrights Conference:
- Other Desert Cities by Jon Robin Baitz[1]
- The Motherfucker With the Hat by Stephen Adly Guirgis[1]
- Between Riverside and Crazy by Stephen Adly Guirgis[1]
- In the Continuum by Danai Gurira and Nikkole Salter[1]
- Eclipsed by Danai Gurira[1]
- God Spies by Bill Cain[7]
- Geometry of Fire by Stephen Belber[8]
- The Little Flower of East Orange by Stephen Adly Guirgis[8]
- Well by Lisa Kron[8]
- Caroline, or Change by Jeanie Tesori and Tony Kushner[8]
Further reading
edit- Margaret Gray (August 22, 2022). Conversation Starters: How Robert Egan Put Ojai Playwrights on the Map. American Theatre
- Rachel Lee Harris (July 6, 2009). California Samples New York Playwrights. The New York Times 158 (54728), p. C2
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g McNulty, Charles (August 5, 2022). "Robert Egan 'is Ojai': Longtime Playwrights Conference artistic director takes a final bow". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
- ^ Hetrick, Adam (August 4, 2009). "Ojai Playwrights Conference Begins in CA; Kron and Tesori Pen New Musical". Playbill. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
- ^ Gray, Margaret. "Jon Robin Baitz gets back to basics at Ojai Playwrights Conference" Los Angeles Times, August 10, 2010
- ^ "Drama". The Pulitzer Prizes. Columbia University. April 14, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
- ^ Rooney, David. "Pulitzer Prize Drama Surprise: 'Water by the Spoonful'" hollywoodreporter.com, April 16, 2012
- ^ "Olivier Winners 2007", accessed October 29, 2022
- ^ Yates, Maggie (2022-08-18). "'God's Spies,' by Bill Cain: New Works at the Ojai Playwright's Conference". The Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
- ^ a b c d Harris, Rachel Lee (2009-07-05). "California Samples New York Playwrights". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-10-28.