(SOMERS POINT, NJ) -- SPQR Stage Company will host its seventh "New Works Weekend," a two-day festival of nine new, original short plays that will make their world premieres at Studio;Space in Somers Point, February 15-16, 2025, with the option to livestream on February 15th.
Hosted by SPQR Artistic Director and award-winning playwright Bill Sterritt, the festival provides both novice and professional playwrights the opportunity to have their works shown to live audiences for the first time.
“The need to display your work in front of a live audience is paramount to the playwrighting process,” said Sterritt of Somers Point. “Feedback like this is a great learning opportunity for playwrights. It helps them to better shape and mold their storyline in real time. It’s essential to developing a story. I enjoy giving this opportunity to playwrights as much as they enjoy getting an immediate response from a live audience.”
The plays, performed as staged readings, are approximately 10 minutes each and broken up into two categories, “Here” and “There,” reflecting the regions from which the playwrights hail. Writers from across the country submitted works for consideration in the festival. Those chosen from “There” are from places such as Portland, Oregon, Long Boat Key, Florida, Pittsburgh, and, locally, or “Here,” Ventnor, Ocean City, and Cape May.
Performances take place Saturday, February 15 at 2:00pm and Sunday, February 16 at 2:00pm at Studio;Space (112 Woodland Ave) in Somers Point, New Jersey. Tickets are $20 (cash) at the door. Saturday’s performance will also be live-streamed for $20.
The nine plays and playwrights included in New Works Weekend are:
Since 2004, SPQR Stage Co. has been testing and redefining the limits of theatre, in theme, form, and purpose. For 20 years, SPQR’s productions have exhibited ingenuity in language, concept and staging, preferring to be in front of the curve in all of its undertakings.
