Write Around Here

A symposium of local writers that aids, guides, and develops the creative efforts of its members into credible, accomplished, and ultimately producible works for stage

Our Purpose:

1. Create exciting new works for the stage

2. Workshop, sharpen, and enhance a collective vision of excellence in play writing

3. Promote the vision for audiences in traditional and nontraditional idiom of the playwright as a live and present element of theatre


Members:

Janet Behning


Richard Bailey

Lisa Devine *


Matthew Edwards

Dawn Wittke King


Don McLaughlin

Sasha Truman-McGonnell*

Michael McNiel *

Lon Rogers


Carol M. Rice

Jason T. Rice

Christopher Soden

Mark-Brian Sonna


* Advisory Artist


 
Welcome to Write Around Here,

a consortium of writers in the Dallas Metroplex dedicated to new works by our members. With help from associated directors, actors and producers, our focus is the development of strong and reliably consistent individual works as well as an entire portfolio of high quality, plays that are ready for the stage.
 
 

Productions!

Write Around here has had a busy year!


Matthew Edwards' Written in Time had a Staged Reading and is in consideration for a local company's 2009 Valentine's Day slot. Carol M. Rice and Mark-Brian Sonna had an unbelievably busy summer with a slew of kids' plays:

Sally Sue and the Case of the Kidnapped Fairytale Characters Mark-Brian Sonna (March 2008) ArtCentre of Plano
The Princess and the Cheese Carol M. Rice (June 2008) at Williams Recreation Center in Plano
Sally Sue and the Case of the Golden EggMark-Brian Sonna (July 2008) at Williams Recreation Center in Plano
Sally Sue and the Missing Glass SlipperMark-Brian Sonna (July 2008) at Huffhines Recreation Center in Richardson
The Four PrincesCarol M. Rice (July 2008) at Williams Recreation Center in Plano
Sally Sue and the Missing Glass SlipperMark-Brian Sonna (August 2008) at the ArtCentre of Plano
Sally Sue and the Case of the Kidnapped Fairytale CharactersMark-Brian Sonna (August 2008) at Brookhaven College

Holy smokes! That's more productions than most local companies do in a year! Way to go!

Festivals
Jason Rice Conspiracy Rover Dramawerks' One Day Only 11 directed by Dawn Wittke-King
Janet Behning
Is That What I Said?
Rover Dramawerks' One Day Only 11
Matthew J. Edwards
A Comedy As You Like In Venice (Beach)

Rover Dramawerks' One Day Only 12
Christopher S. Soden
Eviction
Rover Dramawerks' One Day Only 12
Carol M. Rice
Waiting for Pete
Rover Dramawerks' One Day Only 12
directed by Janet Behning
Don McLaughlin
Ask Your Physician Why Walmart Might Benefit You
Capital T Workshop in Austin

Finally, last but certainly not least:

Lon Roger
s' Losing Daniel, our April reading will be produced by a local company, Teatro Delle Muse in October.


We are very excited for Lon and want to thank his whole team, Sherpa Don McLaughlin, his Third Eye Matthew J. Edwards, and director Sasha Truman McGonnell and her outstanding cast for all their hard work and expertise.

Performances have been announced for mid October but as of this writing, tickets and dates are not available on their website.
(update from Lon: Preview 16th, Shows Oct. 17, 18, 19, 24, 25)

Update 2 - Actor Chad Halbrook who played the lead role of Tommy in our reading of Losing Daniel, directed by our own Sasha Truman McGonnell, has just accepted that role for TDM's upcoming production!


We couldn't agree more with that casting - obviously ;o)

Congrats Chad!

We want to thank TDM for their continued support of our artists. This brings to 3 (count 'em three) scripts they have produced that were previously Write Around Here readings:

Bill Fountain's Hecate Hill (September 2006)

Rick Elina's First Kiss (October 2006)

This is particularly gratifying in light of the fact that TDM promotes their own separate "PLAYWRITERS FORUM".

Thanks to all the theaters that make the development of these works possible, particularly our regular hosts for readings and discussions,
Rover Dramawerks
and MBS Productions.

 

Public Presentations

We are very excited to have found another
new host for our second public display of works.

MBS Productions, regular production company at Addison's Stone Cottage, joins Rover Dramawerks, resident company in Plano Stage's Cox Building Playhouse, to support our readings during the run of their regular seasons!

These presentations will be at

Cox Building Playhouse
1517 H Avenue
Plano
Stone Cottage Theatre
15650 Addison Road
Addison

We are very excited to be finding so much support
for local writers and ask you to please support these
theaters that are making our readings possible.

Admission is free
(donations are gratefully accepted).

email us at

contact_06_at_writearoundhere_dot_org


More Readings to be announced - stay tuned!

 
We are currently seeking sponsorships to defray the costs of facilities, refreshments and publicity. While Rover Dramawerks is trying to continue hosting us, recent changes in facilities policies put them under considerable strain to do so. We like this relationship with Plano's only professional theater and are forging new ones across the area such as MBS Productions. We want to keep growing, but we need your help. If you can imagine any way to help us defray $300-$400 per reading through foundations, corporations or individual benefactors, please let us know.

We are working out the details of a 501(c)(3) status.
While every minute spent on that is not spent on scripts and their development, we anticipate progress on that very soon.

Heading into our second year, we can boast that two of our staged readings have resulted in productions and even a publishing arrangement.

Please, help us maintain this momentum.

Donations, sponsorships and ideas can all be offered at the contact email address below. Thanks for any help you can provide.

contact_06_at_writearoundhere_dot_org
 
   
   
 

If you are a local actor and would like to participate in these readings or our internal workshops,
please contact us

contact_06_at_writearoundhere_dot_org