2011 Producing Partners

The 2011 Wisconsin Wrights New Play Development Project May 29-June 4 workshops are produced in partnership by UW-Madison Continuing Studies and University Theatre/UW-Madison Theatre and Drama Department..

The mission of the UW-Madison Division of Continuing Studies is to foster professional and personal development by sharing the knowledge and expertise of the university, and by making its resources available to individuals of all ages. We offer educational programs and services grounded in the rich intellectual and professional resources of UW-Madison's faculty and staff, and facilitate outreach educational opportunities in the schools and colleges. While the Division plays many roles in offering and supporting outreach opportunities, the overarching purpose of our activity is connecting the campus and our community of lifelong learners.

University Theatre, the producing component of UW-Madison’s Department of Theatre and Drama, will share their facilities and staff during the Summer 2009 workshop and production portion of the Wisconsin Wrights Project. Upon determination of the final three pieces, playwrights will be partnered with a stage director and dramaturge who, along with the chosen cast members, will work together to develop each piece through several days of “workshops.” These workshops provide an extraordinary opportunity for the expansion and exercise of the playwriting craft, exploration of characters, and constructive critique by caring, invested artists. Three of the plays will move from a weeklong workshop into a public staged reading in University Theatre’s 150-seat Hemsley Theatre.

For Wisconsin Wrights 2011, the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre and the Forward Theater Company will each select a play to be featured with a staged reading as part of their respective 2011-2012 seasons.

The mission of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (MCT) is to produce intimate, high-quality, professional theatrical works of literary merit that engage and challenge the audience, while employing and nurturing principally local theatre artists.

Milwaukee Chamber Theatre’s deep commitment to theatre as a collaborative art is evidenced in Producing Artistic Director C. Michael Wright’s passion for nurturing writers, providing opportunities for literary exploration and creativity, and interacting with educational institutions and other arts groups. Our New Works Program exemplifies this commitment to developing new theatrical works and showcasing emerging literary voices. It includes a Montgomery Davis Play Development Series, with workshop productions of two new scripts by adult playwrights who have ties to Wisconsin. This initiative offers undiscovered, adult playwrights the chance to develop and revise their work for possible future production and gives audiences an inside look at the intricate process of play development. As part of the New Works Program, MCT also produces a Young Playwrights Festival, featuring fully-staged productions of the work of three adolescent winners of a high school playwriting competition.

Forward Theater Company, formed in March 2009, is a not-for-profit professional theater company based in south-central Wisconsin. Founded by a group of local artists who have made a commitment to their community and the pursuit of theatrical excellence, Forward Theater Company will serve as a strong cultural and economic partner to other governmental, artistic and educational organizations in the region. Please visit their website at www.forwardtheater.com for more information.

Founding Partner:
Edenfred/Terry Family Foundation supported the Wisconsin Wrights New Play Development Project by providing a one-week residency to each of the three finalists. Established by the Terry Family Foundation in 2004, Edenfred is dedicated to the development of arts and culture by providing time and space to artists for the creation of new work. The Cooperative Residency program collaborates with arts organizations on projects involving the creation of new art works; the Resident Fellows and Day Fellows programs support individuals. Please visit www.edenfred.org for more information.

 

 

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