FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 16, 2019
PlaySmelter 2019 – Sudbury’s Theatre Festival returns April 30
Sudbury, ON – PlaySmelter 2019, Sudbury’s only festival of new work for the theatre, returns April 30-May 4 and this year it’s all about the women: creators, voices, and stories!
This year, PlaySmelter returns to its roots: presenting fresh, “first-look” readings of new theatrical works from Northern and rural creators. As always, there will be food, drink and lively discussion with the artists following each presentation. All events will take place at the Sudbury Theatre Centre, 170 Shaughnessy Street. Tickets to each of the play readings are $12. Tickets, as well as the full festival program, are available at www.playsmelter.ca.
This year features six new plays. Homegrown writers Sarah Gartshore, Garrett Carr, Kim Fahner, and Matthew Heiti will be joined by Goderich librettist Taylor Marie Graham and Calgary playwright Michaela Jeffrey. Returning to Sudbury to lead a Master Class is Governor General’s Award-winning playwright Colleen Murphy, and director Laurel Green. Green, who grew up in Sudbury and attended Sudbury Secondary School, returns to lead the Master Class on Directing.
There will also be an essential session on “Getting Published” for emerging playwrights, led by Annie Gibson, Publisher of Playwrights Canada Press, in association with local publisher Latitude 46. Annie will be hosting a table of recent titles for sale at the Festival and offering a special discount.
A cornerstone of the festival this year will be Regional Women Lead: A Grassroots Approach to Gender Parity for Women in Theatre. A result of a Canada Council Sector Innovation and Development Award received by Pat the Dog Theatre Creation, this provides supports for professional women theatre creators across Canada. The award is National, significant and will be rolled-out at PlaySmelter 2019.
“We’re thrilled to bring Regional Women Lead programming to PlaySmelter this year,” said Artistic Director Lisa O’Connell, “We’ve always known that the stories and voices of the women in our community are incredible. This recognition gives us the opportunity to spread the word nationally!”
The PlaySmelter New Work Theatre Festival is made possible through funding from Canadian Heritage, Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the City of Greater Sudbury. PlaySmelter is produced by Pat the Dog Theatre Creation (www.patthedog.org). A catalyst for new plays, Pat the Dog Theatre Creation provides an essential home for the creation of extraordinary new works of Canadian theatre. Founded in 2006, Pat the Dog has created and produced award-winning plays which have won and been nominated for many national honours.
For more information please contact:
Lisa O’Connell, Artistic Director, 519-500-3871 or lisa@patthedog.org
Twitter: @PatTheDogPDC | Instagram: patthedogpdc | Facebook:@PatTheDog.Playwright