Christina Renee Jones - TOO MANY NEILS
Christina Renee Jones is a Chicago performer and writer of silly stories. She is an ensemble member of Birch House, a company that focuses on immersive, theatrical experiences. She also writes, performs, and goofs around as a company member with Hobo Junction. Other acting credits include City Lit, Otherworld, Midsommer Flight, A Dead Whale Productions, the side project, Promethean, Akvavit, and other companies that are now defunct. Her play "The Puppet Play" was part of The New Colony Uncharted Festival in Chicago this past summer. She has also been a member of The New Colony Writers' Room and the Birch House Artist Residency Program. Her writing has been seen in many different forms around town through the Eccentric Expedition, Theatre of Ted, Junior Varsity, The Crowd, Potluck, and Factory Theatre. Christinareneejones.com .
Lauren Davenport - A NOTE FROM THE PLAYWRIGHT
Lauren Davenport is a Dramatist Guild of America playwright based in and around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her work has been produced and read in Philadelphia, West Chester, Chestertown, Chicago, and San Diego. She has worked with Beacon Theatre Productions, Deep Blue Theatre Collective, Cave Painting Theatre Company, Protest Plays, Villanova Theatre, and Project Transcend. She received her Master’s in Theatre from Villanova University and her Bachelor’s in English Literature, Theatre, and Creative Writing from Washington College.
Lauren Davenport is a Dramatist Guild of America playwright based in and around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her work has been produced and read in Philadelphia, West Chester, Chestertown, Chicago, and San Diego. She has worked with Beacon Theatre Productions, Deep Blue Theatre Collective, Cave Painting Theatre Company, Protest Plays, Villanova Theatre, and Project Transcend. She received her Master’s in Theatre from Villanova University and her Bachelor’s in English Literature, Theatre, and Creative Writing from Washington College.
Jordan Elizabeth Henry - MANTICORE! , SHAKE IT, BABY , GOAT SUCKER
Jordan Elizabeth Henry is a playwright currently living and working in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Her plays have been produced throughout the US, including Atlanta, Chicago, and New York. You can read her work on the New Play Exchange and find out more about her current projects at www.JordanElizabethHenry.com.
Jordan Elizabeth Henry is a playwright currently living and working in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Her plays have been produced throughout the US, including Atlanta, Chicago, and New York. You can read her work on the New Play Exchange and find out more about her current projects at www.JordanElizabethHenry.com.
Jacqueline Goldfinger - HIS HAND and THE ELECTRIC GIRL
Jacqueline Goldfinger is a playwright-dramaturg who has won the Yale Drama Prize, the Generations Award and the Smith Prize. She is currently nominated for the Blackburn Prize. Her work has been developed and/or produced around the world including at The National Theater in London, The Court Theater in New Zealand, The Wilma Theater in Philadelphia, and The Barrow Group in NYC. Read more about her work online: www.jacquelinegoldfinger.com
Jacqueline Goldfinger is a playwright-dramaturg who has won the Yale Drama Prize, the Generations Award and the Smith Prize. She is currently nominated for the Blackburn Prize. Her work has been developed and/or produced around the world including at The National Theater in London, The Court Theater in New Zealand, The Wilma Theater in Philadelphia, and The Barrow Group in NYC. Read more about her work online: www.jacquelinegoldfinger.com
Natalie Ann Valentine - HOW I HOLD MYSELF
Natalie Ann Valentine is a playwright, actor, burlesque performer, producer, administrator, slam poet, mental health activist, and theatre-maker. Natalie has worked as a playwright in capacities large and small with Caps Lock Theatre (NYC), Fractal Theatre Collective, Longacre Lea, Pinky Swear Productions, Keegan Theater, Theater Alliance, Convergence Theatre, One Minute Play Festival, Rorschach Theatre, Pointless Theater Company, Young Playwrights' Theater, NuSass, Pussy REP, Spitball Theatre, The University of Maryland, the Kennedy Center's Page2Stage Festival (DC), Interrobang, Mobtown Players (Baltimore), high schools, universities, summer camps, and more. Natalie is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, and returns each year to participate in their playwriting mentorship program. Natalie is also a member of DC-based burlesque troupe the Manic Pixie Nightmares as manic pixie show ghoul Sylvia Trash. If you are looking for hopeful queer magic with a touch of melancholy, you are in the right place.
Natalie Ann Valentine is a playwright, actor, burlesque performer, producer, administrator, slam poet, mental health activist, and theatre-maker. Natalie has worked as a playwright in capacities large and small with Caps Lock Theatre (NYC), Fractal Theatre Collective, Longacre Lea, Pinky Swear Productions, Keegan Theater, Theater Alliance, Convergence Theatre, One Minute Play Festival, Rorschach Theatre, Pointless Theater Company, Young Playwrights' Theater, NuSass, Pussy REP, Spitball Theatre, The University of Maryland, the Kennedy Center's Page2Stage Festival (DC), Interrobang, Mobtown Players (Baltimore), high schools, universities, summer camps, and more. Natalie is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, and returns each year to participate in their playwriting mentorship program. Natalie is also a member of DC-based burlesque troupe the Manic Pixie Nightmares as manic pixie show ghoul Sylvia Trash. If you are looking for hopeful queer magic with a touch of melancholy, you are in the right place.
Rachel Lynett- F*CK NEIL LABUTE
Rachel Lynett is a queer Afro-Latinx playwright based in Arkansas. All of her plays center on queer people of color and how they attempt to navigate through the various complexities of their existence. Her plays have been featured at Capital Repertory Theatre, Teatro Espejo, Theatresquared, Equity Library Theatre, Chicago, Talk Back Theatre, American Stage Theatre Company, and Orlando Shakes. Her play, WELL INTENTIONED WHITE PEOPLE, had its world premiere with Barrington Stage Company and the Michigan premiere with Matrix Theatre. Her play, ABORTION ROAD TRIP, produced by Theatre Prometheus, won best comedy at Capital Fringe and then was later an invited production the 2017 Page to Stage Kennedy Festival.
Rachel Lynett is a queer Afro-Latinx playwright based in Arkansas. All of her plays center on queer people of color and how they attempt to navigate through the various complexities of their existence. Her plays have been featured at Capital Repertory Theatre, Teatro Espejo, Theatresquared, Equity Library Theatre, Chicago, Talk Back Theatre, American Stage Theatre Company, and Orlando Shakes. Her play, WELL INTENTIONED WHITE PEOPLE, had its world premiere with Barrington Stage Company and the Michigan premiere with Matrix Theatre. Her play, ABORTION ROAD TRIP, produced by Theatre Prometheus, won best comedy at Capital Fringe and then was later an invited production the 2017 Page to Stage Kennedy Festival.
C. L Patterson - La Beauté
C. L. Patterson is a short fiction writer based in Chicago, where she spends an inordinate amount of time riding the Red Line; her piece "Red Line Stories" won the 2012 Howard Mosher Short Fiction Prize. "La Beauté" was inspired by a brief theatre pub conversation with LaBute circa 2003; it was originally written as a short story, but the editors' questions "Is this a monologue?" and "Is this a choral piece?" persuaded her to turn it into...something else. Thanks to Sharai and the other real playwrights for allowing her odd little piece to be part of the evening.
C. L. Patterson is a short fiction writer based in Chicago, where she spends an inordinate amount of time riding the Red Line; her piece "Red Line Stories" won the 2012 Howard Mosher Short Fiction Prize. "La Beauté" was inspired by a brief theatre pub conversation with LaBute circa 2003; it was originally written as a short story, but the editors' questions "Is this a monologue?" and "Is this a choral piece?" persuaded her to turn it into...something else. Thanks to Sharai and the other real playwrights for allowing her odd little piece to be part of the evening.
Deanna Strasse - THE MERCILESS
Deanna Strasse is a Milwaukee-based playwright, actress, and director who enjoys mixing the heartfelt with the hilarious. Her most notable works include Dancing With Hamlet, Summers in Prague, The Way We Suffer, ROXANNE, Molly's (Mostly) Accurate Mythology Anthology, and more. Ms. Strasse has seen her shows produced through companies such as Windfall Theatre, Village Playhouse, Renissance Theatreworks Br!nk Festival, St. Croix Festival Theatre (in Wisconsin), Macha Productions (in Seattle, Washington), The Chameleon Theatre Circle, Sidecar Theatre (in Minneapolis, Minnesota) and more. www.DeannaStrasse.com
Deanna Strasse is a Milwaukee-based playwright, actress, and director who enjoys mixing the heartfelt with the hilarious. Her most notable works include Dancing With Hamlet, Summers in Prague, The Way We Suffer, ROXANNE, Molly's (Mostly) Accurate Mythology Anthology, and more. Ms. Strasse has seen her shows produced through companies such as Windfall Theatre, Village Playhouse, Renissance Theatreworks Br!nk Festival, St. Croix Festival Theatre (in Wisconsin), Macha Productions (in Seattle, Washington), The Chameleon Theatre Circle, Sidecar Theatre (in Minneapolis, Minnesota) and more. www.DeannaStrasse.com