Under Construction Playwrights Group
UNDER CONSTRUCTION: THE FULL LENGTHS
PRODUCED BY: Carlyle King & Meeghan Holaway
Dramaturge: Jessica Broutt
Assistant Dramaturge: Mackenna Goodrich
The full-length plays of UNDER CONSTRUCTION 1 are just that… still “Under Construction.” This is the result of the playwrights’ one-year commitment to the workshop. This is just another stage in their development.
STREAMING SCHEDULE
Friday, January 22nd at 7 PM (PT)/10 PM (ET)
SETTING THE TABLE
Playwright: Velina Hasu Houston
Director: Stewart J. Zully
Cast:
Misao – Shuko Akune
Nathaniel – Merrick McCartha
Diego – Geoff Rivas
Willa Jean – Kacie Rogers
Yoshimi – Zine Tseng
Billy – Blake Young-Fountain
Stage Directions – Kara Hume
A young Japanese immigrant becomes responsible for two Black teenagers in the Midwest when her new husband dies. Eschewed by her stepchildren and haunted by her past, she strives to come to grips with life in the US.
Saturday, January 23rd at 2 PM (PT)/5 PM (ET)
HERE COMES THE NIGHT
Playwright: Lisa Kenner Grissom
Director: Diana Wyenn
Cast:
Olivia – Cherish Monique Duke
Maggie – Kaitlin Huwe
When Olivia, a musician’s wife and climate science advocate, invites Maggie, an old friend turned social media influencer, to spend the weekend while she has an at-home abortion, she doesn’t realize that Maggie, although well-intended, is about to throw Olivia off course. And actually, these women of different generations, are about to change each other’s lives – all because of a woman’s right to choose. As both struggle with their decisions, they ultimately help each other in ways they hadn’t expected, or imagined. What happens when a woman’s right to choose becomes a litmus test for all of her life choices?
Saturday, January 23rd at 7 PM (PT)/10 PM (ET)
ADAPTATION.RESILIENCE
Playwright: Jennie Webb
Director: Susan Diol
Cast:
Bev – Deana Barone
Jess – Emily Jerez
Leonard – Carl Johnson
Woman Who Makes Noise – Natalie Llerena
SDs – Michelle Gillette
Jess and Bev have been together longer than either of them though they would be. And in their respective fields of work—Climate Change and Emergency Management—things are definitely heating up, affecting them in ways they didn’t see coming. “adaptation.resilience” is a play about sustaining love and navigating grief in times of extreme disruption.
Sunday, January 24th at 2 PM (PT)/5 PM (ET)
THE SKELETON FLOWER
Playwright: Elizabeth Sampson
Director: Christian Lebano
Cast:
Jean – Gwen Van Dam
Denise – Elizabeth Sampson
Darla – Stephanie Erb
Pamela – Donna Simone Johnson
Geoff – Jeff LeBeau
Matthew/Beauty Master – Leandro Cano
John – Joe Hart
In The Skeleton Flower – middle-aged and divorced sisters Denise and Darla find out what a Black Beetle, a piece of jewelry, and a special flower have to do with their mom Jean, and how that knowledge will unlock the secrets of the family, rocking them all into finally growing up.
Sunday, January 24th at 7 PM (PT)/10 PM (ET)
THE CAREGIVER’S GUIDE
Playwright: Jami Brandli
Director: Ann Hearn Tobolowsky
Cast:
Zac Miller – Ruman Kazi
Dawn Miller – Meeghan Holaway
April Miller – Samantha Tan
Paul Miller – Stephen Tobolowsky
Virginia Miller and Mary Sue – Tina Carlisi
A family dramedy about evolving heroes, truth-tellers, memory keepers, and early-onset Alzheimer’s.
Friday, January 29th at 7 PM (PT)/10 PM (ET)
LADYVILLE
Playwright: Aja Houston
Director: Inger Tudor
Cast:
Nonso – Christian Telesmar
Tayla – Kacie Rogers
Zemora – Cherish Monique Duke
Femi – Tamika Katon-Donegal
Three sisters are the only people left in their town that has yet to be taken by a sinister, formless entity, “The Calling.” Constantly living in terror and fighting for their lives, the unexpected arrival of a long-lost friend gives them hope. Will they figure out if it’s false before the Calling returns to take its next victim?
Saturday, January 30th at 2 PM (PT)/5 PM (ET)
WHISKEY AND HOOCH
Playwright: Carlos Lacámara
Director: Carlos Lacámara
Cast:
Barry – Steven Porter
Bud – Arthur Hanket
Julie – Stephanie Erb
Kashton – Christian Telesmar
“Life is what happens to you while you’re waiting for something to happen.”
Saturday, January 30th at 7 PM (PT)/10 PM (ET)
THE PLAY YOU WANT
Playwright: Bernardo Cubría
Director: Michael John Garcés
Cast:
Bernardo – Jorge Cordova
Vera – Chelsea Gonzalez
Performer 1 – Lidia C. Porto
Performer 2 – Natalie Llerena
Performer 3 – Jonathan Nichols
Performer 4 – Roland Ruiz
Performer 5 – Christopher Larkin
Performer 6 – Stewart Zully
Fed-up by the theatre world’s desires to box him in, Mexican playwright Bernardo Cubría sarcastically pitches “Nar-Cocos” a play about drug dealers on Dia de los Muertos. Much to his surprise, the Public Theatre picks it up. With financial pressures mounting and a newborn at home, this is his chance at a commercial success. But when Scott Rudin offers him a Broadway run on the condition he further exploit his identity and the headlines, he must decide just how much he’s willing to compromise in order to finally be accepted.
Saturday, January 31st at 2 PM (PT)/5 PM (ET)
THIRD PERSON
Playwright: Jennifer Maisel
Director: Emily Chase
Cast:
Josh – Josh Zuckerman
Lisa – Samantha Tan
A woman longs to find herself in the middle of her dreaming mind. A man struggles to reconcile his past transgressions with his current life. What everyday choices add up to a life together? Will Lisa and Josh ever conquer the distance between them? Can Siri’s voice lead them down a path to redemption?
STREAMING PLATFORMS:
www.roadtheatre.org/live
www.youtube.com/roadtheatrecompany/live
PRICING:
Ticket prices are a suggested donation of $15. No donation is too small, but if you can’t afford to donate at this time we understand.
PRODUCTION TEAM:
Dramaturge – Jessica Broutt
Producer – Carlyle King
2019-2020 UNDER CONSTRUCTION PLAYWRIGHTS GROUP:
Steve Apostolina
Jami Brandli
Bernardo Cubría
Lisa Kenner Grissom
Cory Hinkle
Aja Houston
Velina Hasu Houston
Carlos Lacámara
Jennifer Maisel
Elizabeth Sampson
Jennie Webb
UNDER CONSTRUCTION at THE ROAD:
In 2019 Carlyle King, Jessica Broutt, and Carlos Lacámara brought together a group of eleven playwrights, both emerging and established writers, to meet bimonthly to create and workshop new plays. They called it UNDER CONSTRUCTION. Each playwright entered the group with the beginnings of a new play. The work would be developed collaboratively. This program is modeled for playwrights who would benefit from a structured space to receive feedback from peers, all in the supportive environment of The Road. This group furthers The Road’s mission to develop socially and politically relevant voices and thoughts to the American stage, as well as continues to establish our company as a leader and champion of new work in Los Angeles.
THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY:
Located in the heart of the NoHo Arts district-the fastest growing arts district in Los Angeles County. Fiercely committed to that most dangerous of theater missions-the dedication to new works-The Road Theatre Company led by founding artistic director Taylor Gilbert and artistic director Sam Anderson, is a multi-award-winning theater that has been named one of the top ten intimate theater companies in Los Angeles (LA Weekly). It is home to over 150 theater artists devoted to the creation of the highest level of work.
FOLLOW THE ROAD FOR THE LATEST UPDATES:
www.facebook.com/roadtheatre
www.instagram.com/roadtheatre
www.twitter.com/roadtheatre
www.youtube.com/roadtheatrecompany
#RoadTheatre #Playwrights #LATheatreLivesOnstage #LAthr #Theatre #TheatreIsVital #AloneTogether
UNDER CONSTRUCTION 2 SUBMISSION INFO
The Road is proud to begin its second year of Under Construction, a playwright’s group that develops socially and politically relevant voices and thoughts to the American stage. Under Construction will be meeting virtually in 2021, and is open to playwrights on a national level. We will be selecting 10 playwrights to join the 2021 cohort.
Beginning in January, this group will meet twice a month on Wednesday evenings. Each playwright must enter this group with the beginnings of a new play, and we will work collaboratively for 1 year on the development of each play. This program is modeled for playwrights who would benefit from a structured space to receive feedback from peers, all in the supportive environment of The Road.
The goal of Under Construction is simple: to leave with a deeper knowledge of playwriting through collaborating and sharing with one’s peers, and for each participant to create a new piece that is workshop ready. Initial drafts will be read by fellow playwrights, but participants in this program will also have access to The Road’s ensemble of theatre artists for private readings, as well as support from the Artistic Team at The Road.
Please let us know if you would like to apply for Under Construction at The Road, by giving us a 25 page sample of your work and a pitch for the next play you’d like to work on. Please send submissions to underconstruction@roadtheatre.org We look forward to hearing from you! Deadline is November 15, 2020.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you would like to give a tax-deductible donation to the Road Theatre Company to help keep theatre alive, please click here.
For more details on the readings in the festival, like Playwright bio, Director bio, Cast list and more, please select from the streaming schedule listed above.
NoHo Senior Arts Colony
10747 Magnolia Boulevard
North Hollywood, CA 91601
Phone
(818) 761-8838