The Summit also purposely coincides with DCTC's world-premiere full productions of Rogelio Martinez's When Tang Met Laika and Eric Schmiedl's Eventide, based on the novel by Kent Haruf, which will also be seen by visitors (and Denver playgoers) during the special Summit days. Both plays are Denver Center commissions and were first tested by the company in last year's Summit readings.
As previously reported, the four playwrights hearing two readings of their new works in development at the 2010 Summit are:
The fifth annual Summit is also the mid-winter meeting of the American Theatre Critics Association, attended by theatre reporters from Chicago Public Radio, Salt Lake Tribune, Miami Herald, Albuquerque Journal, South Florida Sun Sentinel, Chicago Tribune, Pittsfield Gazette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and more.
National theatre philanthropist Jim Steinberg of the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust will moderate a discussion of "New Works and the Critics" with four ATCA members — Christine Dolen from The Miami Herald; Jeffrey Eric Jenkins, editor of Best Plays Theatrical Yearbook; Chris Jones from The Chicago Tribune; and Christopher Rawson from The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Theatre professionals scheduled to participate in the Summit include artistic directors, literary managers, agents, actors, dramaturgs and directors. They represent Utah Shakespearean Festival; New York's Lark Play Development Center, Primary Stages, Chautaqua Theatre Company and Clubbed Thumb; California's Cornerstone Theatre, TheatreWorks, Center Theatre Group and Native Voices at the Autry; Philadelphia's Arden Theatre Company; Chicago Dramatists; and Denver's Paragon Theatre and Buntport Theatre.
The Summit is billed as "the nation's youngest major new play festival" and "has premiered nine full productions, read 20 new plays, and presented panel discussions on the subjects of new voices for women, crossing cultures, writing for the stage and television, and what's next in new play development."
New plays commissioned by the Denver Center Theatre Company for the Summit have been produced Off-Broadway and at major regional theatres from Yale Repertory Theatre to the Center Theatre Group's Mark Taper Forum, and have been among the finalists for new play awards.
For more information visit www.denvercenter.org/summit.
