The festival kicks off with a reception on March 8, following the final performance of the Florida Stage world premiere production of The Bridegroom of Blowing Rock by Catherine Trieschmann, which was featured in last season's festival.

Expect plays by Horovitz, Carter W. Lewis, Deborah Zoe Laufer, Christopher Demos-Brown, Jack Staub and Florida Stage's National New Play Network's Emerging Playwright in Residence Andrew Rosendorf.

Tickets and packages are on sale at the box office at (561) 585-3433 or online at www.floridastage.org/festival.

Here's the 2009 1st Stage New Work Festival at a glance:

When the Sun Shone Brighter by Christopher Demos-Brown
"A political candidate struggles with truth and ambition during the Cuban-exile bombings of the '70s and '80s." The P Word by Israel Horovitz
"Teenagers of a small town make a 'pregnancy pact.' Parents are forced to confront their mistakes."

Sirens by Deborah Zoe Laufer
"On his 25th anniversary cruise, Sy hears music, jumps ship and washes ashore on a strange island."

The Storytelling Ability of a Boy by Carter W. Lewis
"Love is complicated between a storytelling boy, a cello-playing lesbian and a nail gun-toting girl."

Levittown, or the Fall of the Loan Ranger by Andrew Rosendorf
"Fifteen-year-old Ronnie Edelman imagines his family life as a radio show in the 1950s."

Running Out by Jack Staub
"A brother and sister confront a haunting secret from their parents' past."

All events are ticketed.

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Florida Stage develops and produces new plays "in a passionate, intimate and caring environment, adhering to a standard of uncompromising excellence," according to its mission. "We provide a safe harbor for theatre artists and audiences to share in stories of our humanity, a place where the sheer joy of creation and the Florida Stage Experience is paramount. We choose to provoke dialogue in our community and inspire people of different ages, ethnic and social backgrounds through our productions and our innovative educational programs."