Florida Repertory Theatre Reveals Details For 2023 PlayLab Festival

Florida Repertory Theatre has announced casts, directors, and stage managers for its 2023 PlayLab Festival, and the line-up includes ensemble members, returning guest artists, alongside many making their Florida Rep debuts, joining five playwrights from New York, Atlanta, and around the country.

PlayLab runs May 4 - 7 in the Historic Arcade Theatre and features five new play readings of "See Monsters of the Deep" by Mark Shanahan, "Trouble (at the Vista View Mobile Home Estates)" by Audrey Cefaly, "One-Shot" by Andrew Rosendorf, "Long Layover" by Michelle Tyrene Johnson, and "Mountain Mamas" by Daryl Lisa Fazio. The festival also includes a Playwrights Panel discussion with all five of the 2023 playwrights - plus some special guests.

Tickets are $25 per reading or $120 for an all-access pass, including admission to five readings plus the playwright's panel. For more information or to purchase tickets visit floridarep.org or call 239-332-4488 or toll-free at 877-787-8053.

The festival includes the following five plays, playwrights, directors, casts, and stage managers:

SEE MONSTERS OF THE DEEP, written and directed by Mark Shanahan ("A Christmas Carol"), is stage managed by Ruth E. Kramer ("Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash") and features actors Jason Parrish (Florida Rep's Associate Artistic Director) and Seth Robert Patterson ("The Importance of Being Earnest"), with stage directions read by Chase Brackett ("The Importance of Being Earnest"). The reading takes place Thursday, May 4 at 7 PM.

TROUBLE (at the Vista View Mobile Home Estates) by Audrey Cefaly is directed by Benny Sato Ambush (August Wilson's "Fences"), with stage management and stage directions read by ensemble member Brendan Powers ("An Inspector Calls"), and features actors Nan Barnett (National New Play Network Executive Director), Gerrie Benzing (local actress, teacher, and Florida Rep Box Office Manager), Sarah Brackett (Florida Rep Acting Intern), ensemble member Rachel Burttram ("Alabaster"), Rita Cole (Miami-based actress), and Carolyn Messina ("Alabaster"). The reading takes place Friday, May 5 at 7 PM.

ONE-SHOT by Andrew Rosendorf is directed by Stuart Brown (Theatre Professor, Florida Southwestern State College), and features actors Allen Gilmore (New York and Chicago veteran), Nicholas Perez-Hoop (Tampa-based actor), and Calvin Waldau ("A Christmas Story"), with stage directions read by Sam Crabtree (Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None"). The reading will take place on Saturday, May 6 at 2 PM.

LONG LAYOVER by Michelle Tyrene Johnson is directed by Karen Stephens (Miami-based actor/director), stage managed by Ciarán McCarthy (New York and touring actor), and features actors Monique Caldwell (Florida Rep Education Director), ensemble member Patricia Idlette ("A Fox on the Fairway"), Brianna McVaugh (Florida Rep Acting Intern), Frank Oakley III (Atlanta-based actor), and Kevin Craig West ("To Kill a Mockingbird") with stage directions read by Sandra Dixon ("A Day of Absence" for Florida Rep's MLK Day celebration). The reading takes place Saturday, May 6 at 7 PM.

MOUNTAIN MAMAS by Daryl Lisa Fazio is directed by Margaret Ledford ("Smoke"/2017 PlayLab), stage managed by Ruth E. Kramer ("Buddy: the Buddy Holly Story"), and features actors Tatum Bates ("Bulletproof Backpack"), ensemble member David Breitbarth ("The Importance of Being Earnest"), Daryl Lisa Fazio ("Safety Net"/2019 PlayLab), and Dianne Summers (a veteran actress with Prather Entertainment; Florida Rep's Executive Assistant), with stage directions read by Arielle Conrad (Florida Rep acting intern). The reading takes place Sunday, May 7 at 4 PM.

Following the final reading of the 2023 PlayLab (Sunday, May 7 at 6:30 PM), audiences will hear from all of the festival playwrights in a round table discussion. Associate Artistic Director Jason Parrish will moderate the session and includes input from special guest Nan Barnett, Executive Director of the National New Play Network.

The 2023 Grand PlayLab Sponsors are Lee Moore & Dee Whited. Major PlayLab support comes from playwright circle sponsors Darlene and Val Arnold, networking sponsor Naomi Bloom, and reading sponsors Dr. Susan B. Herbel, Dr. Gail D. McClure, Judy Weiner, and Lee Moore & Dee Whited. Selected plays were chosen from an open call for submissions to literary agents and playwrights - some affiliated with the National New Play Network, of which Florida Rep is an Associate Member.