Pictures from PlayFest Santa Barbara!

I had a wonderful time at PlayFest Santa Barbara in January.  The inaugural festival included plays by me (If I Did This) and Catherine Butterfield (It Has to Be You), as well as a host of other events.  I taught a playwriting workshop to a room full of eager students, young and old.  And I even took a little time out from rehearsals to walk on the beach in the bright, warm, southern California sunshine.  Beautiful!!  Many thanks to the event's producers R. Michael Gros, Jeffrey Meek, and Amanda Kramer, to my hosts (who allowed me to stay in their lovely guest cottage), and to my cast.

Talkback after the reading of "If I Did This" at PlayFest Santa Barbara with director and actors.

In rehearsal for "If I Did This" with director R. Michael Gros.   

With two of my actors from the reading of "If I Did This."

Teaching a playwriting workshop at PlayFest Santa Barbara, to Santa Barbara City College theater students as well as members of the community.

Teaching playwriting fun (and fundamentals) at PlayFest Santa Barbara. 

With the indefatigable Amanda Kramer!  Associate producer extraordinaire!

Go to Santa Barbara in January for a theater festival?  Well, you might have to twist my arm a little...

The Santa Barbara waterfront is a five minute walk from campus.  So pretty! 

Happy playwright at PlayFest Santa Barbara!

"If I Did This" at PlayFest Santa Barbara!

The new year is starting out with a wonderful invitation to sunny Santa Barbara!  I hope that some of you will be able to attend this event.

The co-artistic directors of the brand new PlayFest Santa Barbara -- Michael Gros and Jeffrey Meek -- have decided to include a reading of my new play "If I Did This" in their festival.  Michael will be directing.

"If I Did This" synopsis:
A grieving mystery writer is hired to ghostwrite the "story of the century" -- but finds himself becoming part of the story instead.

Dates:
January 18 and 19, 2013

Location:
The Garvin Theater
Santa Barbara City College's West Campus
721 Cliff Drive
Santa Barbara, CA

The Garvin Theater, where most of the festival events will take place, is located on the beautiful Santa Barbara City College Campus, overlooking the gorgeous Santa Barbara harbor.


According to the PlayFest website:

PlayFest Santa Barbara stages professional theater readings and workshops, and promotes original new plays, musicals, new translations and adaptations of classics by emerging and established writers.  We provide theater lovers with the opportunity to attend performances, lectures, interviews, and master classes with some of the world's leading artists.  PlayFest Santa Barbara takes place in the city of Santa Barbara, California -- known as the "American Riviera."

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Jan. 18

8pm - Reading of "If I Did This" by EM Lewis

Jan. 19

10am - "Bringing Words to Life in a Body-Centered Way" workshop with Drama Dogs

1pm - "A-5678! -- A Musical Review"

3pm - "Commedia dell Arte" lecture and demonstration with John Achorn

4:30pm - "Playwriting Fun (and Fundamentals)" workshop with EM Lewis

8pm - Reading of "It Has to Be You" by Catherine Butterfield

You can find more information about PlayFest Santa Barbara and get your tickets on their website:
http://playfestsantabarbara.org

Reading of "Apple Season" at PlayFest Santa Barbara Event

Director (and PlayFest co-artistic director) Jeffrey Meek,
between our two "Apple Season" actors, Rebecca Staab and John Walcutt.

A big thank you to co-artistic director Michael Gross for including a reading of my play "Apple Season" in his kick-off event for PlayFest Santa Barbara.  This brand new festival is going to be an exciting celebration of new work, and I was delighted to be involved!  I wish I could have been there myself.

"Apple Season" is set in my home state of Oregon.  It's a ten-minute play that I'm now working to turn into a full-length two-hander.

Rebecca Staab and John Walcutt in "Apple Season" by EM Lewis,
at the PlayFest Santa Barbara Kick-Off Party.

"Apple Season" by EM Lewis.