Mountain Community Theater (MCT) in Ben Lomond has been cranking out stage-based entertainment since 1982, and the assortment of plays and musicals produced in the past 42 years is a testament to the quality and talent of the group.
Every fall, MCT takes a break from conventional productions and brings New Works Weekend (NWW) to its stage. This year, NWW will feature three different staged readings at Park Hall in Ben Lomond on Aug. 16-18.
First up is “Uprooted” by Camilo Snyder-Alaniz and Mathew Chipman, two new young playwrights from Santa Cruz. This is a fantastical work following the travails of a newly broken-hearted tree spirit whose sorrow influences the fates of some of history’s finest creative souls.
Next, “Vodka Cran” by Daniel Martinez, a playwright from San Jose, tells a story about love across time and space while managing to fit the absolutely mythical into the everyday. And finally, “Giving Up Smoking” by Harvey Landa, a playwright from Western Stage, with a story of love, loss, dance and wine.
NWW features staged readings of new plays from playwrights around the region followed by a talkback between the audience and authors. This dynamic interaction allows audiences to pose questions and suggestions that may help to strengthen the playwrights’ work, and give them insight as to how their pieces are being received.
Because these plays are shared as staged readings and not full productions, there are no sets, costume changes, intermissions or other traditional stage-friendly fare, allowing the audience to focus on the story and characters alone.
While traditional plays include blocking and props, staged readings do not, so in order to bring some fullness to the production, an additional reader is designated to provide context to each play. For New Works Weekend, Scotts Valley High School Drama Teacher Kendra Kannegaard-Thornley will be providing color and movement to make each staged reading understandable and engaging.
“New Works Weekend, at its core, is about bringing the community into our theater in the most accessible way possible,” said Ian Dyer, publicity coordinator for MCT and director of “Uprooted.” “We serve members of our community who want to get involved in theater by becoming set designers, stagehands, directors and any number of other opportunities. New Works Weekend allows theater goers a chance to experience new material at a price point that is accessible for nearly everyone.”
Dyer notes that the drive to see well-known productions (think “Mamma Mia” or “A Streetcar Named Desire”) often crowds out the opportunity for new, up-and-coming playwrights to get their work viewed by audiences.
“I think staged readings are about reaching out to local writers in our community who need the chance to see their work get put up so they can continue to focus on improving their pieces while simultaneously being rewarded for their hard work,” Dyer said. “That’s the core benefit of New Works Weekend—giving opportunities for new playwrights to showcase their work while presenting it to our local community.”
Sue Ann Guildermann, director of “Giving Up Smoking,” added, “Directing a play that has not been produced gives both the playwright and the community an opportunity to see and participate in the production process of creating a play. Hearing just the words, spoken with intention and motivation, is reminiscent of radio dramas.”
“It’s exciting to be part of this year’s New Works Weekend, as producer Ian Dyer is bringing a real sense of collaboration to the process,” said Jeff Dinnell, director of “Vodka Cran,” about the process. “With three short plays and three directors, Dyer is allowing us to each have our own vision while also creating a structure, a tone, that gives the evening an overall cohesiveness. Having three new short plays, as opposed to one full length, also gives more writers an opportunity to have their work seen and heard, which is invaluable to a newer artist still honing their craft. The piece I’m directing is from a San Jose playwright, and is a lovely story exploring the idea of soulmates, and just how important timing is to landing in the right place with the right person.”
This year’s playwrights hail from Monterey, San Jose and Santa Cruz and are eager to see their work come to life on the stage.
All three plays will be performed each day, and talkback sessions with the writers, directors and readers are as follows: Friday, Aug. 16, at 8pm—Daniel Martinez, author of “Vodka Cran,” with director Jeff Dinnell and readers Michael Douglass and Mathew Chipman; Saturday, Aug. 17, at 8pm—Camilo Snyder-Alaniz, author of “Uprooted,” with director Ian Dyer and readers Sophia Alexander-Sidhom, Sarah Marsh, Amy Carlson, Kevin Pugazhenthi, Luke Thornley, Mason Foil, Jaden Fenn, Em Stewart and Lindsay Lemmer; and on Sunday, Aug. 18, the 2pm matinee performance will feature a talkback with “Giving Up Smoking” playwright Harvey Landa, director Sue Ann Guildermann and readers Stephen Phillips and Christina Wise.
Tickets are on sale now—be sure to use the code NWWBOGO to snag two seats for $10—and can be purchased online at mctshows.org/current-show/.
