According to their website, Florida Stage is “the southeast’s largest theatre devoted to producing exclusively new and developing work.” Their 2008-2009 season includes four world premeries, including three plays workshopped at their 1st Stage New Play Festival: William Mastrosimone’s Dirty Business, Catherine Trieschmann’s The Bridegroom of Blowing Rock, and Steven Dietz’s Yankee Tavern.
I had the opportunity to briefly interview Artistic Associate Jonathan Wemette about what sort of work interests the theatre.
Q. Describe the type of play that fits Florida Stage.
Jonathan Wemette: It has to be new. We sometimes do second, third, even fourth productions, but our passion is for world premieres. We look for plays that have a topical relevance…We’re also interested in lighter fare to balance out the heavy drama, including musicals (bio-musicals are popular with our audience) and the occasional silly comedy. Then there are the nitty-gritty details about fitting the play into our space: we have a wonderfully intimate 258-seat house, so our casts can’t get much bigger than six or seven actors, and we rarely do anything that requires, say, aerial acrobatics.
Q. What sort of plays excite you?
Wemette: I have a deep appreciation for tight plots and for poetic language that comes out of a specific setting. Catherine Trieschmann’s The Bridegroom of Blowing Rock is a wonderful example. I also enjoy a healthy amount of quirk, especially if it reveals something deeper, like in Deborah Zoe Laufer’s End Days. I enjoy it when a play feels organic through and through, when it’s so alive that it can surprise me without cheating. The plays of Barton Bishop are endlessly surprising but totally consistent within their own worlds.
Q. Explain your role within the new play development process at Florida Stage
Wemette: My first role is as an advocate for scripts that I not only believe in, but believe are right for Florida Stage. When rehearsals begin, I also try to be a research resource for actors, helping them dig into the world of the play. When the play nears production, I take on another role as a channel between the production and the audience. I create materials for our lobby, program and website that enhance our audience’s experience of the play and gives them some sense of the play’s development process.
Q. What is the best way to submit materials to Florida Stage?
At the moment, we’re only accepting plays from playwrights with representation. Until recently, we had a policy of accepting unsolicited inquiries, but a change in our staff unfortunately made processing that many submissions nearly impossible. We eagerly welcome all submissions from agents, and we’re always on the lookout for plays through other channels – at reading festivals, from our colleagues at other theatres, etc.
Miami
BY ANDIE ARTHUR
According to their website, Florida Stage is “the southeast’s largest theatre devoted to producing exclusively new and developing work.” Their 2008-2009 season includes four world premeries, including three plays workshopped at their 1st Stage New Play Festival: William Mastrosimone’s Dirty Business, Catherine Trieschmann’s The Bridegroom of Blowing Rock, and Steven Dietz’s Yankee Tavern.
I had the opportunity to briefly interview Artistic Associate Jonathan Wemette about what sort of work interests the theatre.
Q. Describe the type of play that fits Florida Stage.
Jonathan Wemette: It has to be new. We sometimes do second, third, even fourth productions, but our passion is for world premieres. We look for plays that have a topical relevance…We’re also interested in lighter fare to balance out the heavy drama, including musicals (bio-musicals are popular with our audience) and the occasional silly comedy. Then there are the nitty-gritty details about fitting the play into our space: we have a wonderfully intimate 258-seat house, so our casts can’t get much bigger than six or seven actors, and we rarely do anything that requires, say, aerial acrobatics.
Q. What sort of plays excite you?
Wemette: I have a deep appreciation for tight plots and for poetic language that comes out of a specific setting. Catherine Trieschmann’s The Bridegroom of Blowing Rock is a wonderful example. I also enjoy a healthy amount of quirk, especially if it reveals something deeper, like in Deborah Zoe Laufer’s End Days. I enjoy it when a play feels organic through and through, when it’s so alive that it can surprise me without cheating. The plays of Barton Bishop are endlessly surprising but totally consistent within their own worlds.
Q. Explain your role within the new play development process at Florida Stage
Wemette: My first role is as an advocate for scripts that I not only believe in, but believe are right for Florida Stage. When rehearsals begin, I also try to be a research resource for actors, helping them dig into the world of the play. When the play nears production, I take on another role as a channel between the production and the audience. I create materials for our lobby, program and website that enhance our audience’s experience of the play and gives them some sense of the play’s development process.
Q. What is the best way to submit materials to Florida Stage?
At the moment, we’re only accepting plays from playwrights with representation. Until recently, we had a policy of accepting unsolicited inquiries, but a change in our staff unfortunately made processing that many submissions nearly impossible. We eagerly welcome all submissions from agents, and we’re always on the lookout for plays through other channels – at reading festivals, from our colleagues at other theatres, etc.
aarthur@dramatistsguild.com