A workshop staging of The Poison Tree by Robert Glaudini, 8 PM Dec. 19 & 20, 1998 will conclude the Mark Taper Forum's 11th annual festival of new play development, a series of readings and workshop stagings at the Falcon Theatre in Burbank, CA.
The Taper, in Los Angeles, in association with A.S.K Theatre Projects, DreamWorks SKG and the Falcon Theatre, began the festival Nov. 12.
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By the fest's end, eight workshops and 11 free readings will have been presented in open public rehearsals at the Falcon.
Taper producing director Robert Egan, who created and has produced the festival since its inception, said, "The primary focus is advancing the script, and we accomplish that by giving the playwright the time, resources, and a safe, protected environment in which to explore and experiment." Doris Baizley's Shiloh Rules opened the series of workshops on Nov. 12 & 13; followed by Watcher by Han Ong, Nov. 18 & 19; Cut by John Steppling, Nov. 21 & 22; Wonderland by Chay Yew, Dec. 2 & 3; Looking for Normal by Jane Anderson, Dec. 5 & 6; Common Ground by Kevin Heelan, based on the novel by J. Anthony Lukas, Dec. 10 & 11; Older by Jean-Claude van Itallie, Dec. 16 & 17.
The festival readings began Nov. 14 with David Lee Lindsey's Of gods and supergods at 4 PM and The Life of Spiders by Kelly Stuart at 8 PM; followed on Nov. 15 by The Hunger Education by Jessica Goldberg at 4 PM and The People You're With by Benjie Aerenson at 8 PM; and on Nov. 23 at 8 PM Midons by Lillian Garrett-Groag.
Two readings were scheduled for Dec. 12: Black Butterfly, Super Chefs, Pinata Women and other Super Hero Girls, Like Me by Alma Cervantres, Sandra C. Munoz and Marisela Norte, adapted by Luis Alfaro and Lisa Peterson, at 4 PM and The Trail of Her Inner Thigh by Erin Cressida Wilson at 8 PM; and on Dec. 13, three readings: Prodigal Kiss by Caridad Svich at 2 PM, Lupe, Now! by Jonathan Ceniceroz at 5 PM and The Body of Bourne by John Belluso at 8 PM.
The final reading in the series was 4 PM Dec. 14: The Orpheus Project by Louie Perez.
The Falcon Theatre is located at 4252 Riverside Drive. Tickets at the box office one hour before curtain prior to each public rehearsal. Call (213) 972-7389.
-- By Kenneth Jones
and Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent
