A.S.K. Theatre Projects, a local theatre resource organization, has launched its second annual "Unsettled Scores" program, a series of informal concert readings of music theatre works in progress. Established to expand the traditional notions of what music theatre can be (both for the artists as well as audiences), "Unsettled Scores" provides the playwright and composer with professional resources, such as a director, a musical director, and performers. Over a limited rehearsal time this group works intensively on the new piece. Often this exploration process concludes with a presentation of the work for an invited audience.A.S.K. launched "Unsettled Scores" in Feb. 2000 with a retrospective of short pieces that emerged from A.S.K.'s Playwright-Composer Studio. The second retrospective in Sept. 2000 developed a full-length alternative music-theatre piece, The Shaker Stands, written by Leon Martell with music by Penka Kouneva.

This year, A.S.K. will offer two "Unsettled Scores" presentations: the first scheduled for March (location t.b.a.) and the second scheduled for mid-September. The deadline for submissions for the Sept. "Unsettled Scores" is June l. For guidelines call the A.S.K. office at (310) 478-3200 or visit www.askplay.org.

— By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent