Cast & Directors Set For PlayLab Festival

Florida Repertory Theatre has announced the casts, directors, and stage managers for its 2024 PlayLab Festival. Creative teams and casts, including Florida Rep ensemble members and returning guest artists, alongside others many making their Florida Rep debuts, join five playwrights from New York and Los Angeles, and around the country.

PlayLab runs May 2 – 5 in the Historic Arcade Theatre and features five new play readings of  “Dunk City” by Stephen Brown, “Ten Minutes on a Bench” by Kenneth Jones,  “Minding Miss Mae Mae” by Phillip Christian Smith, “How it Feels to Fall from the Sky” by Dominic Finocchiaro, and “Room 1214 by Michelle Kholos Brooks. The festival also includes a Playwrights Panel discussion with all five festival playwrights and special guest, Nan Barnett, the Executive Director of the National New Play Network.

Tickets are $30 per reading or $150 for an all-access pass that includes admission to all five readings plus the playwright’s panel. A VIP all-access package is also available for $185 and includes complimentary concessions at each reading. For more information or to purchase tickets visit floridarep.org or call 239-332-4488 or toll-free at 877-787-8053.

“Dunk City” by Stephen Brown is directed by Florida Rep’s Associate Artistic Director, Jason Parrish (“Hank Williams Lost Highway”), and features Braydie Aldrich (2024 Acting intern), Natalie Brouwer (“Beehive”), Luke Jaconis (Florida Rep Debut), Jan Neuberger (“The Importance of Being Earnest”), Suzanne O’Donnell (“Incident at our Lady of Perpetual help”), and Haley Sweat (“A Comedy of Tenors,” 2024 Acting intern). The stage manager is Jamie Bryant (Assistant stage manager “Hank Williams Lost Highway”) and the stage directions are read by Jacob Heuer (2024 Acting Intern). “Dunk City” performs on Thursday, May 2 at 7 PM.

“Ten Minutes on a Bench” by Kenneth Jones is directed by Stuart Brown (Professor of Theatre at FSW, 2023 PlayLab), and features David Breitbarth (Ensemble Member, “The Importance of Being Earnest”), Rita Cole (2023 PlayLab), Jacklynn Haughn (2024 Acting Intern), Carolyn Messina (“Hank Williams Lost Highway”), Ciarán McCarthy (Florida Rep acting debut), and Jorge Valero (Florida Rep debut). The stage manager is Arthur D’Alessio (Ensemble Member) and the stage directions reader is Dianne Summers (2023 PlayLab). “Ten Minutes on a Bench” performs on Friday, May 3 at 7 PM.

“Minding Miss Mae Mae” by Phillip Christian Smith is directed by Karen Stephens (2023 PlayLab) and features Patricia Idlette (Ensemble Member, 2023 PlayLab), Sonya McCarter (2016 PlayLab), and Robert Richards (2019 PlayLab). The stage manager and stage directions reader is Khalid Rivera (Florida Rep debut). “Minding Miss Mae Mae” performs on Saturday, May 4 at 2 PM.

“How it Feels to Fall from the Sky” by Dominic Finocchiaro is directed by Florida Rep Producing Artistic Director, Greg Longenhagen (“Beehive”) and features Barbara Bradshaw (“Moon Over Buffalo”), Noah Garcia (Florida Rep debut), Ashlyn Mullins (2024 Acting Intern “Hank Williams Lost Highway”), Carolann Sanita (“Beguiled Again”), and Gerritt VanderMeer (“Ripcord”). The stage Manager is Joy Brooks (Florida Rep stage management debut) and the stage directions reader is Kathan Brannon (2024 Acting Intern). “How it Feels to Fall from the Sky” performs on Saturday, May 4 at 7 PM.

“Room 1214” by Michelle Kholos Brooks is directed by Céline Rosenthal (Associate Artistic Director, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Florida Rep debut) and features Patti Gardner (2015 PlayLab), Jaclyn Gossett (Florida Rep Conservatory), Bryce Hagen (Florida Rep Conservatory), and Haley Sweat (“A Comedy of Tenors,” 2024 Acting intern). The stage manager is Jamie Bryant (Assistant stage manager “Hank Williams Lost Highway”) and the stage directions reader is Landon Maas (“A Christmas Story”). “Room 1214” performs on Sunday, May 5 at 4 PM.

Following the final reading of the 2024 PlayLab (Sunday, May 5 at 6:30 PM), audiences will hear from all of the festival playwrights in a round table discussion. Associate Artistic Director Jason Parrish will moderate the session and includes input from Producing Artistic Director, Greg Longenhagen, and special guest Nan Barnett, the Executive Director of the National New Play Network.

The 2024 Grand PlayLab Sponsors are Lee Moore & Dee Whited. Major PlayLab support comes from playwright circle sponsors Darlene Arnold, networking sponsor Naomi Bloom, and reading sponsors Noreen Raney, Judy Weiner, Dr. Gail D. McClure, Susan B Herbel, and Lee Moore & Dee Whited. Selected plays were chosen from an open call for submissions to literary agents and playwrights – some affiliated with the National New Play Network, of which Florida Rep is an Associate Member.