By Jessica Oates
On April 26, the Lawrence Library will transform into a setting for playwrights to see their work come alive for the sixth straight year.
The Lawrence branch of the Mercer County Library is set to once again host a one-act play festival, an opportunity for local actors and playwrights residing or working in the Delaware Valley to participate in an evening of performance.
Branch manager James Damron said the festival nearly always draws a full house.
“We have two showings, one at 7 p.m. and one at 9 p.m., and they are always full,” he explained.
Damron said the program got started years ago following a library poetry project and a call for submissions much like the one circulated this year, which invites playwrights to submit 10-minute long plays with a maximum of 5 characters to be read in hand.
This year, a total of 40 submissions were received and narrowed down to a selection of 6 plays to be performed.
The program almost never receives submissions from the same playwrights, Damron said, and that there is a mix of participants.
“It’s a great opportunity for actors and directors,” he said. “Many of the submissions are very good, but the selections committee sits down and tries to coordinate the best possible evening by choosing pieces that will work well together. We have limitations around the number of actors we need, too.”
All event programming is sponsored by Friends of the Lawrence Library, a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to foster closer relations between the library and the community.
Ann D’Silva, a first time participating playwright from Newtown, Pa., said she is excited that two of her plays will be performed.
“Submissions are anonymous, so it is nice to feel a sense of validation from someone other than a friend who would be likely to tell you they like your work no matter what,” she said.
D’Silva, who has additional experience writing short skits and plays, has previously volunteered her talents writing scenes to be performed at Pennsbury Manor, a reconstruction of William Penn’s home along the Delaware River, to create an interactive experience for visitors. D’Silva has also written skits for 17th century style fairs, especially court scenes, and educational pieces meant to engage local 5th grade tourists during their annual historic walking tour.
D’Silva used to work at a retirement home, and said she tried to gear one of her PlayFest submissions to senior citizens, who might not otherwise be able to participate in a play that required lots of action.
“‘Porch Sitters’ is a piece I wrote that can be performed mostly sitting down. It’s about grandparents and grandchildren,” she said.
“How to Bury Your Cat,” D’Silva’s other submission to be performed, deals with bereavement and how to deal with the loss of a small child.
“I wrote it to be humorous,” she said. “It is not meant to be a weeper. It touches on the subject most people, in time, have to deal with.”
Now that submissions have been chosen, D’Silva says the festival is in the hands of the actors and directors in charge of putting on the show, which she looks forward to seeing.
2014 will mark Vickie Fuller’s second year as a director in the festival. Fuller, who moved to Yardley, Pa., from South Dakota only a few years ago, has directed everything from 5th grade class plays to professional Shakespeare performances.
“I actually went to audition as an actor, but a director had dropped out, and because the committee recognized that I had experience directing, they asked me if I would work as a director. There are three of us, and we are each responsible for two plays,” she said.
Part of Fuller’s responsibility included seeing which of the submissions could be successfully cast, based on the available actors who participated in auditions.
“We get such a wide range of people, some with lots of experience and some with none at all,” she said. “Some people plan on auditioning far in advance and others see the sign in the library and decide to give it a shot. It really all depends on the roles we have to fill.”
Fuller went on to explain that, though the program doesn’t usually have roles for young children, she and the other directors were delighted to offer a spot to an ambitious 5-year old girl.
“It is her first attempt, and we think she will be perfect in this role. It is going to be a very fun, diverse night for people who are interested in new work. The basic principle is to give new playwrights the opportunity to see their work come to life,” she explained.
Lawrence resident Carolynne “Lina” Lewis-Areválo says that one thing is for sure: “we need more actors!” Her third year participating, Lewis-Areválo said that she was originally cast in two pieces, but was asked to take on a third when another actor dropped out.
“For me, the chance to be on stage is the main draw. I have loved to perform since I was a little girl,” she said. “This year, I’m especially glad to be cast in ‘Transitions,’ which handles an important issue in a sensitive way.”
Lewis-Areválo is a graduate student with a full time job and other responsibilities, which is why she looks forward to PlayFest as an opportunity to participate in a short-term production that doesn’t require too much commitment.
“It is an unparalleled opportunity for otherwise busy people to experience the joy of performance and the comradeship of being part of a cast. I would urge anyone to submit their one-act plays for consideration, or to come out and audition. You’ll be glad you did!”
Seats are still available at this year’s free evening of theater at the Lawrence Library. To reserve a space for the 7 p.m. or 9 p.m. show on April 26, call (609) 989-6920.
