Town Hall Mtg Monday May 12 @ 6 pm (Lee Theater)

For those of you who might've missed the email I sent:
Hello everyone,

I hope you're all having a great Spring so far!

I have important news about the upcoming Town Hall Meeting. As you know, Gary Garrison will be visiting for the weekend of May 10-12 for the Playwriting Forum being held at Seattle University. I know some of you are already signed up for the Dietz workshop on Saturday and I hope that some others are planning on attending the workshop led by Gary on Sunday afternoon or the "In Conversation With...Steven Dietz" later that day. Then please stick around to see the world premiere of Ki Gottberg's play THE HAIRY BABY.

Most importantly, we hope to see many of you for the Town Hall Meeting, which will be at 6:00 pm on Monday, May 12th in the Lee Theater, just before the 7:30 Forum. (The Lee Center for the Arts is located on the Seattle University campus at 12th and Marion St in Capital Hill. For tickets and information, call 206.296.2244) This is your chance to meet with Gary and talk with him about the current status of the Guild, the changes in store of us, and anything else on your mind.

My apologies go out to the Portland members but due to space issues, the Town Hall had to be done on Monday night. I know that will prevent many of you from being able to attend. But we do hope you will be able to make it up for the Sunday events, especially if you can meet Gary and talk with him then. (I know we've been promising you a Regional Rep and the possibility of doing a Town Hall in Portland later this year is certainly not out of the question. By the way, I will be visiting the Portland area next month for a reading of my play THE ALBATROSS at Portland Theatreworks as part of their FreshWorks series. The reading is scheduled for Monday, May 19th, so hopefully I can meet some of you when I come down.)

Also, I'd like us to mingle and have some fun by extending an offer for Friday night, May 9th, between 6 and 8 pm to come out and get a drink. If I haven't met you, its about time I did. Come on out and play. Celebrate your first draft completed or kvetch about that fifteenth rewrite. Or just tell me what you're working on. I'll have more information on which bar in a bit but it will be in Capitol Hill, most likely not too far from Seattle University.

Thanks and hope to see you all at the Town Hall Meeting on Monday, May 12th at 6 pm, if not earlier. It's going to be an exciting weekend!

Cheers,

Dennis

Oh, and please feel free to forward this on to others who may be interested--most of these events are FREE and open to all!

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Here's the full agenda:
Agenda for the Dramatists Guild of America, Inc. and Northwest Playwrights Playwriting Forum hosted by Seattle University

Saturday May 10th
2:00-5:00pm Playwriting Workshop with Steven Dietz Vachon Room, Fine Arts Bldg 208
Acclaimed American playwright Steven Dietz (Lonely Planet, God’s Country) will lead a three-hour writing workshop for playwrights. Attendance requires advance payment of $75; send check payable to “NPA” to Bryan Willis, P.O. Box 1088,McCleary, WA 98557. SOLD OUT!

7:30pm The Hairy Baby Lee Center for the Arts


Sunday May 11th

11:00am-2:00pm Essential Truths of Playwriting (in Craft and Career) Lee Center for the Arts
Gary Garrison, Executive Director of Creative Affairs for Dramatists Guild of America leads a workshop exploring the rights of dramatists in any creative collaboration as well as the fundamental truths of dramatic writing any dramatist must embrace while refining their craft. FREE and open to the public, no ticket required.

3:30pm Treats with Dietz (coffee, tea & sweets) Lee Center for the Arts

4:00-6:00pm A Conversation with Steven Dietz Lee Center for the Arts
Sheila Daniels, Associate Director and Literary Manager for Intiman, leads a candid interview with Steven Dietz followed by audience Q & A. FREE and open to the public, no ticket required.

7:30pm The Hairy Baby Lee Center for the Arts

Monday May 12th

6:00 pm Dramatists Guild of America Town Hall Meeting, Lee Center for the Arts
Gary Garrison, Executive Director of Creative Affairs for Dramatists Guild of America will lead a discussion and meeting on the changes and status of The Dramatists Guild of America, Inc. including a Q&A. Open to members and non-members. Please come learn about the oldest advocacy organization in the nation devoted to the rights of dramatists and librettists. FREE and open to the public, no ticket required.
7:30pm Forum for Northwest Playwrights & Directors Lee Center for the Arts
Gary Garrison joins local artists for a panel discussion, asking where have we been, where are we going, and how can we make it better? Panelists include Ki Gottberg (playwright, Seattle University), Elena Hartwell (playwright, NorthwestPlaywrights Alliance, Iron Pig Productions), Elizabeth Heffron (playwright), Glenn Hergenhahn (playwright, A.D., iDiOM Theatre), John Kazanjian (director, New City Theatre), John Longenbaugh (playwright, critic, director), Jerry Manning (director, Casting Director, Seattle Repertory Theatre), Allison Narver (former Empty Space Artistic Director), and Geoff Proehl (director and professor, University of Puget Sound). Moderated by Charlotte Tiencken (Managing Director, Book-It). FREE Admission and open to the public, no ticket required.

Seattle University
Fine Arts Department
Lee Center for the Arts
Media Contact: Steve Galatro
galatros@seattleu.edu
206.296.5360

RELATED INFO:
NW Playwrights Alliance
The Northwest Playwrights Alliance (formerly known as the New Plays Workshop) provides the performing arts community with the opportunity to listen to and/or participate in the readings of new plays. Under the guidance of actor/director Brian Tyrrell and playwright Bryan Willis, the Northwest Playwrights Alliance provides an outlet for playwrights and actors to present informed readings of new plays.
NPA also publishes an annual anthology of short plays, NorthNorthwest, co-sponsors the annual Double Shot Festival of overnight plays with the University of Puget Sound, as well as an annual tour to England (co-sponsored by the Kennedy
Center) featuring short plays by Northwest playwrights. Last Feb/March NPA sponsored the Festival of Northwest Plays (with The Broadway Center and UPS), in Tacoma at Theater on the Square. The festival featured three fully-produced, royalty-paying, full-length plays and over 30 ten-minute plays. NPA will celebrate its 4 1/2 year anniversary this fall bymoving its monthly reading series to Seattle Rep.

Dramatist Guild of America
The Dramatists Guild of America, Inc. is the advocacy organization of professional playwrights and theatrical composers and lyricists in the United States. The mission of the Guild is to focus and articulate the common interests of all dramatic writers. This mission includes not only the representation of those interests which arise directly in connection with theatrical production, but also those broader concerns which affect directly or indirectly the role of the theatre in society. In the effort to extend into other parts of the country, and to unite members from state to state, the Guild visits Seattle as part of its exciting new program, “DG on the Road”.
For more information about the Guild events in your area, please contact Dennis Schebetta, Regional Representative at dschebetta@dramatistsguild.com.

Seattle University Fine Arts Department
The Playwrights’ Summit exemplifies the department’s commitment to connecting a liberal arts education with the vibrant cultural and artistic resources of Seattle; the interdisciplinary learning environment encourages collaboration as part of a diverse community of students and faculty.
The Fine Arts Department provides students with excellent training and experience in the arts that is deepened and focused by Seattle University’s rich Jesuit core education; opens meaningful connections between our students and the Seattle arts community; and nurtures our students’ growth as independent, self-reliant arts professionals.

The Hairy Baby
An adventure yarn and comic fable, The Hairy Baby spins the tale of Claire and Michael. When a somewhat mysteriouschild emerges in their young marriage, everything they both hold dear is called into question, including their love for each other. Traveling individually through fantastical realms peopled with clowns, artists and other strange types, the couple seeks the truth of their love. Highly theatrical and full of surprises, The Hairy Baby will enchant the most weary of hearts with her shenanigans.

World Premiere Production May 8-18, 2008
Thursdays and Fridays @ 7:30pm
Saturdays @ 2:30pm & 7:30pm
Sunday 5/11 @ 7:30pm, Sunday 5/18 @ 2:30pm
Tickets are $6 for students or $10 for general admission.
Jeanne and Marie Rhoady Lee, Jr. Center for the Arts
The Lee Center for the Arts is located on the Seattle University campus at 12th and Marion St in Capital Hill. For tickets and information, call 206.296.2244.