LIFT EVERY VOICE 2024 to Showcase Six New Works From Emerging Talents

American Stage has named its playwrights in the 2024 Lift Every Voice: New Play Festival, a program meant to develop new, diverse works from emerging artists.

“The Lift Every Voice New Play Festival is a tremendous event in that the plays are not just new, and from a diversity of voices -  the week of development and the culminating readings give American Stage the opportunity to get to know the writers and the work they create intimately,” says Producing Artistic Director Helen R. Murray.

The six playwrights will further develop their projects in the week leading up to Lift Every Voice, where their plays will be performed in professionally staged readings. The festival will also include selections from American Stage's Write-On! Program, which connects teaching artists with local high school students in a semester-long playwriting workshop.

Selected playwrights include Christian Mendonça (Flowers for Men), Nimisha Ladva (Goddess at the Lucky Lady Motel), Syd Rushing (Aberdeen and Netarine), Vickie Ramirez (Glenburn 12 WP), Lily Rushing (The Dog), and Steven J. Burge (Bats#!t).

All selected works will be considered for production in American Stage's upcoming seasons. That's the case with Doug Robinson's satirical fairytale, The Figs, a 2023 Lift Every Voice selection. The Figs is closing out the 2023/2024 Season with its world premiere.

“LEV gives life to new plays and it's really exciting to watch,” adds Murray.

Lift Every Voice: New Play Festival runs from March 1-3, 2024. Passes are available for purchase at www.americanstage.org .

2024 Lift Every Voice: New Play Festival Selections

Christian Mendonça with Flowers for Men

Henri, a latinx social worker, creates “Flowers for Men” with one goal in mind: to unpack the masculinities of five men in his community as they tend to a community garden. As the community garden grows, each of the men's complicated connection to themselves and each other is revealed.

Nimisha Ladva with Goddess at the Lucky Lady Motel

The Lucky Lady is more than a motel, it's a home and a refuge for Indian immigrant Mummy-ji and her America-born son, Ravi. Following the loss of their patriarch, the family will each reckon with their understanding of class, gender, and cultural identity. Over the nine days of Navatri, a family fractures, and reforms.

Syd Rushing with Aberdeen and Netarine

Two church mothers have a lot to say about their once-thriving community that is now disintegrating with multiple school closings, burnt-out buildings, and gang shootings.  They decide to go up against the school board, the church, and the prominent political figures of the city to implement change to save the city's children.

Vickie Ramirez with Glenburn 12 WP

While the city is protesting police brutality, two strangers – one Black, one Native American – meet in an empty Irish bar. Over one afternoon, a chance meeting turns into a life-changing event.

Lily Rushing with The Dog

Taryn reveals more than she intended when she recounts her experience on a reservation while vacationing in Arizona. It's just a dog…right?

Steven J. Burge with Bats#!t

Part confessional. Part storytelling. All ridiculous, “Bats#!t” is a 75 minute monologue that, depending on statutes of limitations and local laws regarding admission of guilt wherever this may be produced, is either 100% fictional or entirely autobiographical. Trigger warning:  This show contains a cis white man talking about himself for over an hour. It also contains some legit-upsetting topics like parallel parking; theater camp; coming out in small-town, rural America; assault; addiction; pickle ball; and mental illness. Oh! And clowns!

FOR THE PRESS: Contact Jana Henson at jhenson@americanstage.org for media inquiries, tickets, etc. All photos available for press use with the credit "American Stage".

TIMES & PRICES:

Friday, March 1st

     6:00 pm: Opening Reception

     6:30 pm: Keynote Address with Dr. Martha Bireda

     7:30 pm: The Dog by Lily Rushing and Glenburn 12 WP by Vicki Ramirez

Saturday, March 2nd

     11:00 am - Bats#!t by Steven J. Burge and Flowers for Men* by Christian Mendonça

     1:00 pm - Aberdeen and Netarine by Syd Rushing and Goddess at the Lucky Lady

Motel* by Namisha Ladva

     3:30 pm - Playwrights Panel*

Sunday, March 3rd

     10:00 am - Write On!

     12:00 pm Aberdeen and Netarine and Goddess at the Lucky Lady Motel

     3:00 pm Bats#!t and Flowers for Men

     5:00 pm - Closing Reception

*At American Stage

All other readings are at the James Museum

Festival Pass $100

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