2006-07 Season

Our 4th Annual World Premiere production
and final event of the 2006-07 season

Sept 12-16, 2007
Five Women in Havana by Ree Howell
Wed-Sat at 7:30pm, Sunday at 2:30pm
Orlando Repertory Theater's Tupperware Stage
$18 general, $15 seniors and students all performances,
$15 entertainment industry night (Sept 12 only)

Purchase tickets in advance at www.redchairproject.com or cash and checks only at the door. Do not call Orlando Repertory. Reservations only at reservations@womenplaywrights.com or use reservations link here if you're not purchasing advance tickets from Red Chair Project.

Contacts: Julia Gagne, 407-273-9723, julesgee@cfl.rr.com or Courtney Miller, courtneymillerproductions@gmail.com

About Ree Howell
"Writing it was a six-month process, and that's long for me," says the self-described reclusive writer. "And it's only my second project with strong roles for women!" Ms. Howell's script was inspired by a collision of events: a major hurricane, an interest in Cuba's near future, seeing interviews by Helen Mirren and Meryl Streep where they lamented the lack of significant roles for women, and her father's appeal that she get out of her office more. That sent the playwright to a beach location for a month where she unplugged, researched and wrote. In the film world, her major role, she partners with writer-producers in Kentucky and Wales. As a mature and very free spirit, Ms. Howell is a worthy model for women writers who aren't yet confident in their own skin.

About Five Women in Havana
Two professors, an exile and two hotel staffers are pitched together in a Cuban hotel during Hurricane Katrina. All deal with the elements, their fears, and ultimately with their differences. Women's Caucus for Art (WCA) and WPI are collaborating to present paintings by WCA artists in HERicanes: women artists respond to Katrina, Frances and Jeanne. The exhibit will hang in the reception area of the Tupperware Theater Sept 12-16 only. Both groups have the same mission, which is to advance and support works by women artists: WCA's is the visual artist, and WPI's is the playwright. It is the perfect union.

A Central Florida Debut
Friday June 8 at 7pm

THE WOMEN OF LOCKERBIE. Empty Spaces and Women Playwrights’ Initiative (WPI) have partnered for a reading and Central Florida debut of Deborah Brevoort’s award-winning play. It's loosely inspired by a true story of the real women of Lockerbie following the crash of Pan Am 103. John DiDonna directs, with a cast which includes Peg O’Keef and Nikki Darden. Internationally known playwright Deborah Brevoort will be in attendance for a talkback as the leader of WPI’s 2nd Annual Playwriting Workshop. One free performance only -- Friday June 8 at 7pm, Fred Stone Theatre at Rollins College. Seating is limited.

A Developmental Reading, on the way to a World Premiere
Sunday June 10 at 7pm

FIVE WOMEN IN HAVANA, Women Playwrights’ Initiative (WPI) reading of Ree Howell's competition-winning play. WPI's recent Call for Scripts included nine states of the Southeast, and this is the only developmental reading of Ms. Howell's play. Kathleen Lindsey directs a multi-cultural cast about two professors, an exile and two hotel staffers who are pitched together in a Cuban hotel during Hurricane Katrina. Playwright Howell will refine the script after this reading in preparation for its World Premiere Sept 12-16 on Orlando Repertory Theatre's Tupperware stage. One free reading only, Sunday June 10 at 7pm, Fred Stone Theatre at Rollins College. Seating is limited and donations to WPI are applauded.

Parts of Speech - by Janet Burroway

A Reading of first runner-up (Call for Scripts 2005)

Directed by Ellen Jones, who was involved in its initial reading with Jane Alexander.
Monday, January 22, 2007 at 7pm
Lobby Stage at Orlando Repertory Theatre, 1001 E. Princeton Street, Loch Haven Park, Orlando

WPI introduced about 55 theatergoers to Janet Burroway's new play Parts of Speech, which was first runner up in last season's nine-state Call for Scripts. Ms.Burroway was in Orlando to receive audience comments in a talkback session.

"I was thrilled with the reading, which was deeply understood by all the cast and energetically delivered. Ellen Jones is a superb director, and another who is going to make her mark! What I hope to convey when the piece is edited and produced, is that relationship is, constantly and haltingly, a matter of translation -- not only of words but of all the other signs we use to communicate. Parts of Speech tries to make connections between people in both present and past, but also between past and present. Beyond that, it is about the function of the imagination in making connection. Language is not enough."

-- Playwright Janet Burroway

WPI is a guest theater at PlayFest 2007!

Readings of Gulf View Drive by Arlene Hutton,
Feb 25 at 7:30pm and Feb 27 at 7pm

Goldman Theater in the Lowndes Shakespeare Center

Harriett Lake Festival of New Plays –PlayFest 2007!

Feb 23 - Mar 4, 2007

Arlene Hutton's Gulf View Drive, the third in her Nibroc trilogy, premiered with sparkling reviews in LA. Local audiences will see Gulf View Drive for the first time when WPI presents two readings at PlayFest, directed by Chris Jorie, who has directed Arlene's work in the past including last year's See Rock City at the Orlando Rep. PlayFest is hosted by the Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival, Loch Haven Park. Our readings will be in the Goldman Theater. (http://shakespearefest.org/playfest.htm)

Second Annual Playwriting Workshop (click here)
June 9-10, 2007 on the Rollins College campus, Winter Park FL

WPI's 2nd annual Playwriting Workshop for women playwrights was led by award-winning playwright Deborah Brevoort. Ms. Brevoort is the author of The Women of Lockerbie which was produced Off-Broadway and in London, and was produced this year by Tim Robbins’ Actors Gang in L.A. who will tour the play internationally beginning in 2008. The Workshop, titled Beginnings, focused on hooking the audience, the beginning, and how a play can succeed or fail by what is contained in the opening moments. We partnered again with Rollins College, and Jennifer Cavenaugh, Associate Professor in Theatre and Dance, produced the event for WPI. jcavenaugh@Rollins.edu.

Wave of Women Writers (WOWW!) - Season long emphasis on plays written by women that are being produced by various theater companies in Central Florida. They'll be promoted and publicized as never before, so our loyal fans and newest devotees can follow the growing wave of interest in plays by notable and emerging women playwrights!

We applaud our 2006-07 sponsors