by Don Zolidis

Directed by Melissa Thompson

Cast:
Mary - Annabell Christensen
Richard - David Grandel

Director’s Note:
Set in modern day, 1955 - Lassoing an Angel is the humorous journey of a sister showing her younger brother the realities of his “love” for a popular girl at school. Despite the bickering and teasing, the two siblings obviously care deeply for each other. I chose this play as a tribute to the mischief, goofiness, and good memories I have shared with my brother. I hope this play serves as a comical homage to all the people who love us dearly despite our idiosyncrasies.

1955 - Lassoing an Angel is produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. (www.playscripts.com)

by David Ives

Directed by Liam Nibbelink

Cast:
Dr. Goldenbaum - George Livingston
Robin - Lauren Kalstrup

Director’s Note:
Roll Over, Beethoven is a farcical comedy in which a teenager named Robin is brought under the wing of a batty, middle-age music teacher named Dr. Goldenbaum. One major question the audience may have as they are watching this play is what exactly is being taught and what is being learned as a result? The obvious answer is that Dr. Goldenbaum is teaching Robin how to play piano in a less-than-conventional kind of way. However, the answer could also be that Robin is learning how to process and understand the sensation of feeling the music through her whole body, rather than focusing on what keys and notes to play at a given moment. The power of music and how we connect our minds and bodies to the sensations of music are what Dr. Goldenbaum is teaching here, and maybe there’s also a bit of piano lesson sprinkled in.

Roll Over Beethoven is produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. (www.playscripts.com)

by Jason Pizzarello

Directed by Logan Thooft

Cast:
Edgar - Tim Giacobbe
Martha - Ashley Montes
Bruno - Zach Van Zee

Director’s Note:
Death gives life meaning as it is what gives life a definitive ending. For Edgar, life is a poetic “glorious flame” that’ll need to be gloriously extinguished in time, but there’s hardly any glory that comes with dying. Unless, of course, that death comes from the great William Shakespeare and the many plays he has written. With so many Shakespearean ways to die, Edgar hires a hit man to help determine what is the best way to die with the support of his wife, Martha. However, for better or worse, Edgar learns that there are some things that he simply cannot control, even the means of which his glorious flame is to be extinguished.

Muddy Death and Strudel is produced by special arrangement with Stage Partners. (www.yourstagepartners.com)

by Rich Orloff

Directed by Simon Maggert

Cast:
The Teacher - Anna Frangenberg
The Good Samaritan - Reece Tyrrell
The Jumper - Theodore Miller

Director’s Note:
Instead of watching another play, I wanted to have the audience learn a little about how to write their own! With the wonderful Teacher walking the audience through good and bad playwriting, nothing could possibly go wrong...right?

Playwriting 101: The Rooftop Lesson is produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. (www.playscripts.com)

by Kathryn Funkhouser

Directed by Mackenna Thurman

Cast:
Dan - Evan Fikse
Sarah - Cloee Reding
Marcy - Maelee Rodenburg

Director’s Note:
The Bargain is a wacky tale involving two spiritual entities who visit a young lady who just agreed that she would “sell her soul” to find a one-bedroom apartment in Queens. Moving past the peculiar nature of the one-act, this story highlights how sometimes we can get so wrapped up in the business of what’s going on around us, that we may feel alone. That we lose track of those who actually appreciate us, kind of like how Dan throughout this performance feels this need to be great and misses how much Marcy actually needs him as a friend. We see him learn that sometimes its ok to not be in control, and that sometimes, maybe, we need a little chaos in our lives.

The Bargain is produced by special arrangement with Stage Partners. (www.yourstagepartners.com)

by Romulus Linney

Directed by Marissa Leraas

Cast:
He - Collin Verschoor
She - MacKenzie Russell

Director’s Note:
I chose the play Stars because I felt like it offers an audience a unique juxtaposition that we so often face in this life: the seeming hopelessness of our realities, and the decision to keep moving forward. I think this one-act can offer a safe space for people wrestling with their own realities; a space to see something relatable and sit in it for a while with these characters. But I also think this is a place with confidence, where you can keep on going in bold pursuit of something better than this. Maybe even the One true Hope.

Stars is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatrical.com

by Craig Pospisal

Directed by Ailee Moquist

Cast:
Woman - Emma Farmer
Man - Isaac Ferguson

Director’s Note:
I picked this play because I think it has a nice homey feeling to it. The love that the couple has for each other is the heart of this play, and I wanted it to be like a cozy coming-home kind of feeling too. There’s beauty in ordinary things, in little moments that you and your loved ones share together.

The Last December is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection. (www.dramatists.com)