Formby Working with Local 75

Local 75, a playwriting workshop based in Chicago, has selected 3rd year MFA Dana Lynn Formby to participate in a year-long project developing her new play "Inherit the Whole". From their web site: "Local 75 is about developing working class writers. It is about developing working class stories for the theater. It is about developing a working class audience. Inspired by union’s support of workers, LOCAL 75 is a playwriting workshop for artistic tradesmen and tradeswomen to develop their craft." See Dana's interview and more about Local 75:http://local75.wordpress.com/dana-lynn-formbys-deal/

Jacqmin Named P73 Finalist

Recent alum Laura Jacqmin, winner of the 2008 Wasserstein Award, has been named a finalist for the P73 playwriting program in New York. (See post from 10/22 below for more info on P73.)

Schneider to Present at MATC

2nd year MFA playwright Garret Scneider has been invited to present his paper exploring "Midnight Madness", the weekly OU MFA playwriting production, at the Mid American Theater Conference this coming March in Chicago.

Ramsey play at Stuart's Opera House:

Playwriting professor Erik Ramsey's play Smith Unearthed will be featured as a staged reading produced by Brick Monkey Theater Ensemble at Stuart's Opera House, 8 p.m. Friday, December 5th. Admission is free. For more information, visit: http://www.stuartsoperahouse.org/index.php?item=314 or http://www.athensohio.com/events/index.php?page=14&item=2916.

3rd year MFA Play at Victory Gardens:

Dana Formby's play "Inherit the Whole" received a staged reading at the Tony Award-Winning Victory Gardens Theater today. The play was featured as a lab production last May as part of the Seabury Quinn MFA Playwright's Festival here at OU.

Seabury Quinn, Jr. Has Passed:

We sadly note the passing of Seabury Quinn, Jr., the original playwriting professor who taught in the OU MFA playwriting program for decades until his retirement in the early 1990's. Seabury died on Saturday. He will be fondly remembered for his acerbic wit in responding to new plays, especially in recent years -- no matter how ill he had become, he always found a way to visit the new play festival named in his honor and generously give his opinion on the work at hand. Many will fondly remember his laugh, which was often just a single, expolsive "Hah!"

Ramsey play at Frostic Reading Series:

Playwriting professor Erik Ramsey's play Smith Unearthed will be featured as part of the Frostic Reading Series at Western Michigan University, 8 p.m. Thursday, November 13th. For more information and a feature article on the play, visit:http://www.mlive.com/kalamazoo/stories/index.ssf?/base/features-4/12262080609711.xml&coll=7&thispage=1#continue.