The last three months have been a blur of reading, re-reading and then reading some more, evaluating 200-plus play submissions in hopes of finding four unique plays to present at Durango PlayFest’s eighth annual festival in late June.
In addition to PlayFest’s three-member program committee who read every submission, we enlisted 10 theater-arts professionals (eight of them local!) who each reviewed 20 plays and gave feedback.
Their insights floored us. Thoughtful, sharp, generous – exactly the kind of feedback you’d want if you were a playwright putting your heart on the page. More on our reviewers in a bit.
This year, PlayFest didn’t just wait for plays to find us. We made a concerted effort to reach out to play development festivals, theaters, playwrighting organizations, awards programs and agents to solicit submissions. That outreach paid off. The plays were exceptional.
And now for some statistics:
- 43% of submitters were female; 57% were male.
- Playwrights were from 27 states and the District of Columbia, with most plays coming from New York (46) and California (21).
- Five of the playwrights were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize in playwriting.
- 23 playwrights have been awarded prestigious fellowships.
Back to our play reviewers. We asked them to tell us more about their experiences as readers and how they approached the assignment.
Mona Wood-Patterson, artistic director at Merely Players, said, “I kept thinking of each hopeful playwright who submitted and the hours each person invested in creating/crafting that work. I was cognizant of honoring the intent and the human behind the words as I read each play. It’s heartening to know that live storytelling still holds a vital place in our culture.”
Jon Wayne, a local artist, has served as a reviewer for the past four seasons. “It’s so encouraging to see the number and quality of submissions increase exponentially each year as we become a nationally recognized ‘fest.’ In just eight years, PlayFest has become one of the most sought-after invitations in the country for both new and well-known playwrights.”
Jason Lythgoe, youth theater director at Durango Arts Center, said, “I generally kept my viewpoint as an audience member. What makes sense, likable and realistic characters. Then I considered theatrical logistics based on my experience and knowledge. Sure, an audience might like the script or story, but is it even possible to stage it?”
Cindy Laudadio-Hill, a familiar face in the theater community, said “I suppose one thing that stands out for me as an actor and director is that I envision ‘the story between the lines,’ which is where the playwright resides. That space is where my curiosity is piqued.”
Margy Dudley, a PlayFest board member and volunteer with Merely Players, added, “I look for a fresh and unique story, something that makes you feel an emotion, an escape from the everyday. I also want to learn something about a time, place or situation.”
Our deepest thanks to all the reviewers.
PlayFest will announce the selected plays at a special event in early March – so stay tuned!
Mandy Mikulencak is managing director of Durango PlayFest and an author of historical fiction. She’s worked in the nonprofit sector for 35 years.
