Third Night

 Here's the group, playwrights and readers, around a statue of Brutus Buckeye (the OSU mascot) in his mime garb, in the lobby of the Drake Performance and Event Center.  L to R:  in front, sitting or kneeling:  Carolyna Bradford, Therese Nolan, Susan Apker; standing Meg Barker, Linda Evans, Diane Rao Harmon, Mrinalini Kamath, Geralyn Horton (bending down), Jenni Munday (peering under Brutus' upraised arm); on Brutus' left, Joe Cofer, Sarah Worthington, Farzana Moon, and poking his head up behind Farzana, Bill Symons

Susan Apker joined us tonight, having driven from Oklahoma. Unhappily, she had troubles with her flash drive, so wasn't able to share work with us.  We did hear scenes from (and the synopses are mine, not the playwrights' -- so my apologies for misrepresenting work I'm hearing as it develops!):

Diane Rao Harmon:  Rom -- life in a Polish DP camp immediately after WWII; romance with a black marketeer is potentially a problem for one of two women, the only members of their large family to survive the Holocaust
Meg Barker:  TDot Lake; a mysterious explosion causes disjunctions in an otherwise bucolic Canadian National campside

 Linda, Meg, and Diane listen as the first two scenes from Meg's play are read.

Geralyn Horton:  Reviving Susanna:  Another scene from the play Geralyn's developing about an idealistic graduate student passionate to revive the work and reputation of Susanna Centlivre, the second professional female English playwright (heyday ci. 1710)
Mrinalini Kamath:  May I Help You? -- petty rivalries, friendships, and a mysterious new hire in a ticket selling agency
Linda Evans:  Fireballs:  a curmudgeonly man running for local office must cope with a daughter who, having won a major prize in physics, is upstaging him when she returns home.  Then there's the 26-year-old son, who sleeps a lot.
Jenni Munday:  I've Always Liked This Place:  a farce; I was laughing so hard at that I didn't take any notes!

Second Night

Couple of guest performers tonight (thanks, Carolyna Bradford and Therese Nolan!)  Others discouraged by construction and confusing signs.  Hope that's alleviated!  Several interesting pieces tonight by Jenni Munday, Geralyn Horton, Farzana Moon, Diane Rao Harmon, Mrinalini Kamath,and a wild and wooly musical by Linda Evans.  Was so involved in the rich texture of the language and plots and characterizations that I forgot to take photos!

Then we went to eat at Tommy's Pizza, renowned locally, but rather pedestrian in most of our opinions!  But the food filled the empty spaces, since we'd started at 6 to see if an earlier start would mean an earlier finish.  It didn't!

The First Day

The first day of the 2010 ICWP Playwrights' Retreat in the Department of Theatre has ended; playwrights were working all day in the OSU Theatre Computer lab, or elsewhere in the Drake Performance and Event Center; in the evening, we gathered together for readings of works in progress; first, a scene from Farzana Moon's new play about Sufi prophets, set on the deck where the retreat will end with the Central Ohio Corn Roast next Saturday, and also the place for the Walhalla Deck Plays project (see www.walhalladeckplays.blogspot.com for more about that), then scenes from Geralyn Horton's play about rediscovering the early 18th century English female playwright, Susanna Centlivre, which was begun last year at the retreat.  Some images from today:

 

Mrinalini Kamath works away, ignoring the river view

 

Diane Rao smiles for the camera

 

Geralyn Horton contemplates her new web page

 

Linda Evans smiles for the camera

  

Farzana Moon makes a point to Jenni Monday and Meg Barker at the evening reading session

 

Farzana and Jenni listen to the discussion

 

the whole group in mid discussion

First group of playwrights arrived today: Linda Evans, Mirinalini Kamath, Farzana Moon, Diane Rao, and Geralyn Horton. All of us, except Geralyn, whose flight was delayed and who huddled in the registration area during a torrential downpour, had dinner at the Cafe Kabul, a new Afghan restaurant near the campus. Alas, no photos -- forgot camera!