On Tuesday, January 17, 2022, writers joined the Ohio’s DG Regional Rep, Mike London, for an informal conversation discussing Site-Specific Work: Creating Opportunities in Alternative Venues. This event was free and open for all to attend.
Mike was joined by two award-winning playwrights, Patrick Gabridge, Producing Artistic Director of Plays in Place, and Bob Bartlett, a Founding Member of The Welders. Together, they represent a wide range of experience creating work for alternative venues. Patrick has created plays in partnership with many museums and historic sites, including Mount Auburn Cemetery, Boston’s Old State House, the Roosevelt Cottage on Campobello Island, and the MIT Museum. Bob’s plays include Lýkos Ánthrōpos, an exploration of lycanthropy recently produced in the woods of Central Maryland. His romcom REM’s Cover of Richard and Linda Thompson’s Wall of Death Sucks runs next spring in a downtown Annapolis record store.
More than just creating plays in non-traditional spaces, they’re actually writing plays that are specifically tied to place. The productions of those plays have proved popular with audiences, as they provide an intimate, intense, and engaging experience. This type of work provides access to audiences beyond traditional theatre-goers, as well as funding sources outside of the theatrical ecosystem. Bob, Patrick, and Mike discussed the benefits and pitfalls of making site-specific work and shared their top tips for creation and production of these kinds of plays, and then they responded to audience questions in a relaxed Q&A.
This event was presented as a collaborative effort of the Ohio Playwrights Circle and the Dramatists Guild, and is available to view for members and non-members alike.
Ohio Playwrights Circle 