Play Dates

Every year, the Denver Center Theatre Company’s New Play Summit receives hundreds of submissions from playwrights across the nation. Stephen Lavezza and Gabriella Cavallero, who’ve both done time with the DCTC, know that their Modern Muse Theatre doesn’t have the same resources as that powerhouse of an arts organization. In...

By Susan Froyd

June 25, 2009

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Every year, the Denver Center Theatre Company’s New Play Summit receives hundreds of submissions from playwrights across the nation. Stephen Lavezza and Gabriella Cavallero, who’ve both done time with the DCTC, know that their Modern Muse Theatre doesn’t have the same resources as that powerhouse of an arts organization. In fact, laments Lavezza, Modern Muse lacks both a permanent home and standing acting ensemble, and has no library staff to read and assess new works. So really, it’s just the two of them and a talented pool of friends producing this weekend’s The Play's the Thing New Play Festival, which is both brave and a bit balmy. But that’s not going to stop them from presenting a mini-showcase of local talent that will not only offer staged readings of new works, workshops, panel discussions and parties, but ask the question, “Why do this in the first place?”

“We’ve been developing new work from the get-go,” Lavezza explains. “It’s one reason we were crazy enough to start our own company. We want to provide a venue for people who live and work locally to get their work heard.” To that end, Modern Muse will present three play readings – Conscience, by Judy GeBauer, Up at the Lab, by California playwright Gary Leon Hill, and Dylan Went Electric, by Josh Hartwell – at BINDERY | space, 770 22nd Street, beginning tonight at 7 p.m. The readings and a Friday-night panel that will discuss “Why Is the Play the Thing?” are free (donations will be accepted); Saturday workshops, which include “Moving With the Muse” and “The Power of Story...Live!,” are $20 in advance. Reservations are recommended; for more info, visit www.modernmusetheatre.com/Plays_the_Thing.html or call 303-780-7836.
June 25-27, 2009

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Susan Froyd started writing for Westword as the "Thrills" editor in 1992 and never quite left the fold. These days she still freelances for the paper in addition to walking her dogs, enjoying cheap ethnic food and reading voraciously. Sometimes she writes poetry.

Contact: Susan Froyd

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