New Works Reading Event

Writer’s Stage, in partnership with Tennessee Repertory Theatre, presents a NewWorks Reading Series event.

According to Reyland….

…. “The idea is to work these new plays until one of them becomes the clear candidate for a fall workshop at Writer’s Stage. If you attended “Shelter” or “Stuff” and you like edgy, more adult oriented humor and themes then you’ll like these new plays. I love 21 Baker Road but these are not 21 Baker Road.”

There is no admission charge, concessions will be available and a talk back will be facilitated by Barry Scott at the close of each night’s reading.

Special guest Victoria Stewart, the current Martha R. Ingram Artist in Residence at Tennessee Repertory Theatre will contribute on Friday night.

The opportunity to create new plays and musicals from the ground up doesn’t happen enough in Nashville. Other cities may have the reputation as new play development centers but Nashville is on track to become a first class creating community for theatre as well as music.

FRIDAY NIGHT APRIL THE 24^th at 7:30

FURTHER THAN WE’VE EVER BEEN

By Jim Reyland

ON THE DAY JERRY’S DREAMS FINALLY CAME TRUE HE DIED.

When a lifetime of bad decisions finally catches up with you, you wonder if in your case, free will wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Relax; some things last forever.

“An interesting examination of the prevalence of destiny and the impossibility of tricking death and bad fortune. The dialogue – particularly that of the Friend- is snappy and quite funny.”
ARENA STAGE, Washington DC

“You skillfully navigate a bold and inventive structure with compelling language. The character of “Friend” is particularly powerfully imagined. We look forward to reading more of your work.”
YALE REPERTORY THEATER, New Haven

“A creative examination of pitfalls of the American Dream through the lens of one man's life; the clever, zinging dialogue between Jerry, the Doctor, and the Friend kept the play fast paced and edgy, and their relationship successfully transcended the familiar good-versus-evil motif.”

BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE, Berkeley California

SATURDAY NIGHT APRIL 25^th at 7:30

‘Article IV’

(Good people do bad things)

A new play

By Jim Reyland

Reclusive millionaire Jonathan Forty wants to give away his fortune. Faith Lockhart is willing to pay theprice.

Victoria Stewart – Before graduating from the Playwrights Workshop at the University of Iowa, Victoria Stewart was a professional stage-manager, working with David Rabe, Anne Bogart and Peter Sellars among others. Her play Hardball was recently named a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and she has received the Francesca Primus Award, the Helen Merrill Award for Emerging Playwrights, Ucross/Sundance, Donmar Warehouse and Hedgebrook residencies, the Norman Felton fellowship as well as the Jerome Fellowship.

Victoria is the 2008-09 recipient of a McKnight Advancement Grant at the Playwrights’ Center. Her work has been performed and developed at the Joseph Papp Public Theater, South Coast Rep, SPF, Seattle Repertory Theater, Urban Stages, Live Girls Productions, Stage Left, Hourglass Group, Circle X, Vineyard Theatre, Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Jungle Theater, Commonweal Theater Company, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Page 73, Overlap Productions, and the Guthrie Theater. She is a member of the Workhaus Collective and the Vinegar Tom Players.

Since 1985, Tennessee Repertory Theatre has been a critically acclaimed regional theatre, creating the highest quality professional productions and by serving as a prime cultural, educational, and economic resource within the Nashville and Middle Tennessee communities. Tennessee Rep produces work that is designed, built, and rehearsed in Nashville by highly skilled actors, designers, directors, and technicians. A non-profit organization, Tennessee Rep is committed to consistently delivering thought-provoking theatre each year. For more information on the Tennessee Repertory Theatre, please visit www.tennesseerep.org.

Writer’s Stage is a non-profit with 501 (c) (3) designations. Our mission is to present readings, workshops and mainstage productions of new plays and musicals by playwrights, librettist and composers from Tennessee. If you'd like more information, or to schedule an interview please call 615-321-3612 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it