THE 2020–21 RUTH EASTON NEW PLAY SERIES PULPPULP VERITEVERITE by Crystal Skillman

March 3, 2021 “Five years ago, I began writing a series of pieces that examined activism in the U.S. Pulp Vérité came to me as a parable that uses my training as a photographer to tell this story. With all we are politically facing in this country—the earned criticism of our place in the world internationally— Pulp Vérité is a race against time. This play unfolds and unravels in startling ways. I hope it is a call to action.”— Crystal Skillman

Playwright...... Crystal Skillman Director...... Kareem Fahmy** Dramaturg...... Megan Sandberg-Zakian Design consultant...... David Esler Apprentice Stage Manager...... Ashe Jaafaru Workshop Producer...... Hayley Finn Associate Workshop Producer...... Julia Brown

Actors

Hunter/Kel/Stage Directions...... Latoya Cameron* Robin...... Meredith Casey Joy...... Latoya Edwards* Will...... Alex Esola* Pike...... Layla Khoshnoudi* Jamie...... Meghan Kreidler* Lesley...... Maggie Metnick*

*Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre, the Playwrights’ Center, and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

**Member, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society A NOTE FROM JEREMY B. COHEN

Jaime The past four years have felt like an unending string of conversations; discussing with friends and colleagues what actions we needed to take that day. As the world continues to shift, change, and “That morning. You didn’t come back. We found a message—that you were meeting reveal itself at an incredibly rapid pace, many of us are seeking the way to address these challenging someone from an interview, got an address to the cafe—someone we begged from the times and become part of the solution in a whole new way. Crystal Skillman is one of the great the hotel took us in a truck. We wandered the streets, the cut away houses, blasted like ... But theater artists at the center of those discussions. when we’d gotten there you were gone. We waited. We waited as long as we could for any word. Any information but ... We had to go. We were going home, I said no. No. The One of the great pieces of magic that happens around hives like the Playwrights’ Center is how fighting was only getting worse. We had no choice. Will pushing me on the plane, kept passionately writers advocate for one another. I see it the most at other playwright homes like New saying we’d go back, we’d go back but ....the whole country, looking down from the plane Dramatists, National New Play Network, and The Lark. Such was the case with Affiliated Writer Qui like it was closing up ... swallowing with you inside it.” Nguyen and Crystal. As much as Qui would talk about his own work, he’d talk to me all the time about their work together and how much he believed in her voice. So when a panel of her peers —from Crystal Skillman’s PULP VÉRITÉ selected Crystal to become a Core Writer, I couldn’t have been more excited to welcome her here. I only wish we were all sitting at the Center together so we could more viscerally experience the energy, vitality, and prescience of Crystal’s work together.

One of my favorite dynamics to Crystal’s plays—and you can read about this more in the interview in this Dialogue—is how deeply she metabolizes the world around her, at each of its inflection points. You’ll it in the pulse of Pulp Vérité, because her antennae are so clearly attuned to the current spiritual and psychological zeitgeist. I often find artwork that seeks to “represent” the world a bit challenging because of its attempts to display total objectivity, which is a fallacy. Oftentimes that plays out in the theater, and the work can’t help but eschew authentic humanity in most of its character development. Crystal does the opposite: she starts everything with the pulpy heart, and moves outward as she sculpts the world of her plays.

I wanted Crystal’s piece in the winter of our 2020–21 Ruth Easton New Play Series so we could be reminded of the sacrifice it takes to change broken systems. Together, we can add to the ever evolving set of world forwarding conversations.

Jeremy B. Cohen Producing Artistic Director An interview with Crystal Skillman by Hayley Finn

Hayley Finn: I want to start by talking about the title. The title say. It’s extremely awkward. He goes, “Trump wants to be actually used my visual eye. What also helped me deepen When I put all the pressure on one form, it was stressful encapsulates the content; the tone. How and when did you president.” That started as a joke and then it transformed. It my craft was I had tremendous people believe in me who for me. So that really helped me work better, create better come to name the play Pulp Vérité? followed all of those incarnations. The things that changed were playwrights. work, and be happier. and didn’t change are going to make people cry in reading this. Crystal Skillman: I had the opportunity to explore a new play There should be more playwright artistic directors because HF: How has writing for one medium helped the other with the Clifford Odets Ensemble Play Commission at the It’s a living, breathing document of what we’re going through they really see potential and understand a thing is a thing mediums? Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute years ago. This is in a lot of ways. Things here have changed for the worse. before it’s a thing. Qui Nguyen produced my play Geek. Josh where I came up with the idea of these documentarians. Things in Syria have gotten even worse. They are going Conkel did my play Cut with his play The Management. The CS: I think the forms of musical theater, comics, TV, Trump had just come into power and I was following what through this war on their own and a pandemic. We’re still people that had their companies put money into me were screenwriting are really economical. You have to use that was happening in Syria. watching an inhumane, international crisis happening. There’s playwrights. medium and tell that story that way. It helps you create better a lot of heartbreak between those two things. Pulp Vérité is a dialogue because you’re aware of the action that’s happening. I believed Hillary was gonna come into power and we were lot about the helplessness of Americans trying so desperately HF: So playwrights have helped you as producers and My first drafts are significantly stronger because I understand gonna start to work. When it didn’t happen, I thought about to help and what that means. dramaturgs. Are you interested in producing? beats much better than I did before. I used to write a whole what we’re drawn to in American society. I thought of Quentin scene when really all someone needed to do was cross the Tarantino; his influence on me as a writer, a filmmaker, and HF: You have the pull of what’s happening in Syria but also CS: I do have a dream; an initiative I would love to be a part stage. So the cause-and-effect, the turn of a scene, the tension an author. I thought of Pulp Fiction; the different narratives the relationships amongst these characters; how they’re siding of. Marsha Norman had this idea of a national playwrights of a scene, and how it works in each medium has been greatly moving together. with various factions of the collective. How are you thinking theater run by playwrights. I don’t see myself producing other enhanced. about the complicated friendships in your play? playwrights but creating a mechanism where it just doesn’t I realized when Trump came into power he was elected have to be as hard. There’s gotta be a better way to share HF: Coming from a visual background, how do you like to because of reality television. I started writing a play called Cut CS: It’s all in there. I’ve been praised for my character and develop; at least have people that can do that in a non- collaborate with directors? in 2012 about three reality TV show writers. The road we were development. I think it comes from being an outsider. I went systematic or gatekeeping way. From Tony award-winners to going down was clear to me. We weren’t aware of what was to Hartford Art School and Parsons School of Design. I was those just starting out—the amount of work you have to do is CS: I work with the director in service of the story—in terms of real anymore. We were living this alternate reality that was surrounded by other artists working with other artists. Being never gonna go away. You have to present your work in some my work, rewrites, and what isn’t clear. I understand clarity is being presented to us. around those relationships has always impacted how I’ve seen way that people can see what you see. not about exposition and exposition isn’t just about dialogue. the world. I was in Youngblood at EST in my formative years. It’s about beats and moments. Sometimes that involves Cinéma Vérité is the origin of reality television. I questioned We had this bond. I come back to that time because I felt I was getting very frustrated as a writer. I had been writing dialogue, sometimes it doesn’t. I’m open with the visuals. I how, from an artful, beautiful, truthful process, which is incredibly insecure and yet I was marvelously happy. I didn’t for about 10 years and had some productions, but I wasn’t believe when we are united in what the story is, there are really what it’s meant to be, is there truth to anything? know what anything was; creating from a place of something sure where I was going or what was happening. Two things 1,000 visuals we could pick. It’s a matter of how the visuals I re-investigated Cinéma Vérité and those stories. so genuine. I love collectives because they keep each other in alleviated that. Bobby Cronin called me up and said, “I saw serve the tone, the voice, the message, and the story; what the That’s how the idea of the title came.I knew this was a check. It’s very deep. Geek. I think you should write musicals. I have the rights to audience leaves with. pulpy story. I knew it had action in it that would captivate this movie Mary & Max. We should work together.” When I an American audience but also force them to be a part of HF: How did you move from visual design into theatre? How entered the musical theatre world, no one was waiting. HF: To bring it back to Pulp Vérité, how do you see the tone of the narrative in a different way. has your work changed over time? How have you evolved? Pulp Vérité and what are you looking for in the workshop? It’s hard to read a musical; to understand what works. So you HF: You started to write this play at the beginning of Trump’s CS: At Parsons, I was taking all these experimental classes and have to show the story that you’re passionate about so other CS: The play is very unique but it lives in the tradition of presidency. How has it evolved concurrently with our own creating installations that were very interactive. Everyone was people will be excited. I applied that to plays. I let go of feeling playwrights fucking with the living room play, which is exciting. country’s reckoning with truth? noticing there was a strong story in the narrative. It was getting bad if, “Great you read it. You didn’t even get it.” How can There’s dark humor throughout—disturbing and yet hilarious. to the point where they felt scripted. They felt like little worlds. I show you what I’m doing so you can either say, “That’s a Someone once mentioned, “This is like the ballast of a ship. It’s CS: If you write anything today, politics are somehow Early on, one of the critics of the New Yorker saw something. story I’m invested in,” or not. And then we can move onto a about keeping that balance. If it tips too far in one direction, interweaved. I don’t necessarily go into it writing a political She was like, “You’re a writer! You’re a playwright.” And I was different story if we want to. This happened when I started to you lose it. You gotta keep audiences engaged moment to play, but I’m looking at how it speaks to the culture in the like, “Really? I can’t spell. Is that possible?” [laughs] write comic books. moment so you can take them to these places.” It comes back zeitgeist. And in doing so, one can’t help but be political. to an experience for the audience. It’s an acknowledgment When I started Pulp Vérité, he was running for president. I’m a creative person who’s an entrepreneur, who has I collaborated with my husband on Eat Fighter on Webtoons. that you came, you were here, you dug in deep, and let’s There’s a joke with the protagonist Joy who has returned vision, who makes these worlds, and then says, “Can I apply At that time, I said, “I’m not a playwright. I’m a writer.” That prepare you to go outside with what you have experienced. home after being held captive. She sees someone she’s had a that to writing?” The more I did it, the more I realized the was helpful because once I accepted I could write in all relationship with; another leader of this documentary group. photography was in the writing. It was through television mediums—if it doesn’t work out with theatre—it’s okay. HF: I’m so glad we were able to have this conversation and I’m She says, “Say something funny.” He doesn’t know what to writing and screenwriting that it began to click; mediums that excited to see the upcoming reading. Thank you. Crystal Skillman (playwright) NY Times Critics’ Picks plays include Open Meredith Casey (Robin) is a graduate of the UMN/Guthrie BFA program (The Tank Theatre/AFO), now published by DPS. You can listen to King and a Minneapolis native. Before the pandemic she was finishing up a run in Kirby, her audio play with Fred Van Lente, just released on Broadway Podcast the world premiere of Interstate: A New Musical at Mixed Blood Theatre. She Network. Together they have also written Eat Fighter the animated series has also worked with Theater Mu (Peerless), The Jungle Theater (The Wolves (based on their WebToon comic book). Musical work with Bobby Cronin original and remount), Artistry Theater (Tinker to Evers to Chance). Regionally includes Mary and Max, and Rain And Zoe Save The World, just optioned by her work has been seen at Theater at Monmouth (Sense & Sensibility), Hope DDM Productions/Drew & Dane Productions. Crystal is currently writing her Repertory (Hairspray, Oedipus, Go, Dog. Go!) & Shakespeare on the Sound (A scripted audio drama series The Magician’s Magican which will be released Midsummer Night’s Dream, All’s Well That Ends Well). She’s so excited to be with BOOM Integrated/John Marshall Media this fall. back at PWC, even through a screen! Find more at meredithcasey.com or on www.crystalskillman.com Instagram @thegirlfrombrave”

Kareem Fahmy** (director) is a Canadian-born director of Egyptian descent. Latoya Edwards* (Joy) was recently seen as Wummie in the American He is currently a TCG “Rising Leader of Color.” He has developed new plays premiere of The Rolling Stone at . Previously, she was seen as at theaters across the country, including MCC, The New Group, NYTW, Ama in the remount of School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play at MCC Ensemble Studio Theatre, New Dramatists, The Civilians, Geva Theatre, in NY and Center Theatre Group in LA. Her other credits include: Miss You Pioneer Theatre, Silk Road Rising, and Berkeley Rep. Fellowships/Residencies: Like Hell at , Appointment with gOD at Playwrights Realm, Sundance Theatre Lab, Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Phil Killian Directing HAIR at Berkshire Theatre Group, Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical at Atlantic Fellow), The O’Neill (National Directors Fellow), Second Stage (Van Lier Theater Co, Nikola Tesla Drops the Beat at Adirondack Theatre Festival and Directing Fellow), Soho Rep (Writer/Director Lab), Lincoln Center (Directors Carefully Taught at Astoria PAC. Her TV/Film credits include: The Get Down, Lab). Kareem is co-founder of the Middle Eastern American Writers Lab Law & Order: SVU, the short musical film Don’t Stay Safe, and the music video at The Lark and of the consulting group Maia Directors. MFA in Directing: religion (u can lay your hands on me). www.latoyaedwards.nyc Columbia University. www.kareemfahmy.com

Latoya Cameron* (Hunter/Kel/stage directions) resides in Salt Lake City, David Esler (design consultant) has designed sets, costumes, and/or Utah, and is thrilled to be working on Pulp Vérité. Most recent plays are: projections for over 100 productions in NYC, regionally, and internationally, P.g. Anon (World Premiere Podcast-play) at Plan-B Theatre Company; A including collaborations with directors Kareem Fahmy, Gabriel Barre, Lynn Christmas Carol: Stave 4 (Digital Reading) at Pioneer Theatre Company. Past Taylor-Corbett, Stafford Arima, Josh Fox, Scott Schwartz, and choreographer productions: Form Of A Girl Unknown (World Premiere), The Cake, Stupid Doug Varone. Davis was Resident Designer for Personal Space Theatrics and F*Cking Bird at Salt Lake Acting Company; Shakespeare In Love, Henry V at the International WOW Company, and has assisted on projects ranging from the Utah Shakespeare Festival; A Christmas Carol at Denver Center of the the world premiere of Menken & Rice’s King David to the Lost Colony outdoor Performing Arts, to name a few. Offstage, she’s an EDI Dramaturg for Salt historical drama and the Big Apple Circus. David’s production designs for film Lake Acting Company in Utah. include Pat Metheny’s Juno-nominated 3D concert film The Orchestrion Project and the sci-fi thriller Fade To White. Also an accomplished scenic artist, David has painted extensively on and Off-Broadway and for film and television. He received his MFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and is a member of United Scenic Artists Local 829. www.davidesler.com Alex Esola* (Will) most recently was seen in Bart Freundlich’s independent Meghan Kreidler* (Jamie) is a Twin Cities based actor and musician. She has feature After The Wedding, where he shared the screen with Michelle worked with local theaters such as the Guthrie Theater, Mixed Blood Theatre, Williams, Julianne Moore and Billy Crudup. Esola will next be seen in the Theater Mu, Ten Thousand Things Theater, Theater Latté Da, Children’s independent film Tankhouse, directed by Noam Tomaschoff. On the small Theatre Company, Park Square Theatre, History Theatre, the Ordway Center screen, Alex played the role of Freddy Blakestone in Paolo Sorrentino’s HBO for the Performing Arts, and nationally at The Old Globe. Her band Kiss the limited series The Young Pope and reprised his role in Season 2, The New Tiger have played Twin Cities venues such as First Avenue, 7th Street Entry, Pope. He also has recurred on Jenji Kohan’s hit Netflix series Orange Is The Turf Club, Varsity Theater, as well as Minneapolis’ largest outdoor festival, New Black. On stage, Alex played Marco in Ivo van Hove’s award winning Basilica Block Party. In 2019 they were included in the City Pages year-end production of A View From The at The Kennedy Center in Washington best bands “Picked to Click” list. Kreidler is a recipient of the 2017 Ivey Award DC, and the Ahmanson Theatre in . for Emerging Artist and a 2017 City Pages Artist of the Year.

Ashe Jaafaru (apprentice stage manager) is an actor, performer, writer, and Maggie Metnick* (Lesley) is an actor/writer/comedian and is so happy creative idea-maker. She is involved in theater, film, and voiceover work in the to work with Crystal and Kareem again! Maggie performs comedy shows Twin Cities and beyond. She creates art for liberation and continues to write regularly on social media via @sociallydistantimprov and hosts the news imaginative stories. satire show Man Up (@manupladies). Her solo shows I Want To be Your Friend, Please and !2 Year Old Boys... sold out both Dixon Place and The PIT respectively. Theatre; Diaspora (Gym at Judson), A Roller rink Temptation (WOW Cafe). Readings; Codependent in a Parallel Universe (The New Group), North of 96th St (Breaking & Entering Theatre Company). Film/ Media; The Meditater (Dir. Justin Giegerich).

Layla Khoshnoudi* (Pike) MFA, College. Select Theater: Men on Megan Sandberg-Zakian (dramaturg) is a theater director with a passion Boats (Clubbed Thumb/Playwrights Horizons); Dance Nation (Playwrights for the development of diverse new American plays & playwrights, and a co- Horizons); Bull in a China Shop (LCT3); Dido of Idaho (Ensemble Studio founder of Maia Directors, a consulting group for artists and organizations Theater); Wyoming (Lesser America); My Daughter Keeps our Hammer (Flea engaging with stories from the Middle East and beyond. Her book There Must Theater). TV: “Instinct”; “FBI”. FILM: Closure (wrote & directed); Long Nights, Be Happy Endings: On a Theatre of Optimism and Honesty is available from Short Mornings; Nadia Jaan; Androgen; Bookends. The 3rd Thing Press. Megan is a graduate of Brown University and holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts from Goddard College. She lives in Jamaica Plain, MA, with her wife Candice. HERE’S WHAT’S COMING SOON IN THE PUBLIC SEASON: For information and tickets, visit pwcenter.org

FOUR MEASURES by Kira Obolensky and David Darrow March 15, 2021 at 7:00 PM CST

NANCY Rhiana Yazzie April 7, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. CST Jerome Fellow Tylie Shider teaches Playwriting II at Shider teaches Playwriting Tylie Fellow Jerome Keller Paula Photo University. Augsburg

The Playwrights’ Center, in partnership with Augsburg University, is offering online, accredited playwriting courses taught by today’s leading writers in the field, creating unparalleled arts education Actors’ Equity Association (“Equity”), founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional Actors and Stage Managers. Equity fosters the art of live theatre as an access for aspiring writer! essential component of society and advances the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Actors’ Equity is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international Learn more at pwcenter.org/univeristy-programs organization of performing arts unions. #EquityWorks THE RUTH EASTON THANK YOU DONORS The Playwrights’ Center gratefully acknowledges the following individuals and organizations who have financially supported NEW PLAY SERIES our work. The following names represent gifts given between October 1, 2019 and December 12, 2020. December, 2020–April, 2021 GOVERNMENT, FOUNDATIONS, AND ORGANIZATIONS $100,000

Dec. 9, 2020 $50,000–$99,000 NO CURE Jake Jeppson

Jan. 13, 2021 GETTING THERE Dipika Guha $25,000–$49,999 Feb. 3, 2021 The Harold & Mimi Steinberg THIS MUCH I KNOW Charitable Trust Jonathan Spector

Mar. 3, 2021 $2,500-$24,999 Up to $999 PULP VÉRITÉ INDIVIDUALS ArtSpace Projects, Inc. Actors’ Equity Foundation, Inc. $10,000+ Crystal Skillman Boss Foundation AmazonSmile Eric Anderson and Roger Beck Bush Foundation The Benevity Community Impact Fund Barry Berg and Walter Tambor Apr. 7, 2021 Patrick & Aimee Butler Family Foundation GiveMN.org Lee Blessing and Melanie Marnich Dual Citizen Brewing Co. Jamf Jeffrey Bores• and Michael Hawkins NANCY France 44 Wines & Spirits Network for Good Rhiana Yazzie Mary Beidler Gearen• The Head Family Foundation Seagate Technology LLC Christina Ham KNOCK, Inc. US Bank Foundation MaryAnn Lippay Kanee and Stephen Kanee Family Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) YourCause Fund Piper Sandler & Co Jennifer Melin Miller and David Miller City of St. Paul (Cultural STAR) In-Kind Wayne Zink and Christopher Schout• Tides Foundation Alma Dana and Stephen Strand Trader Joe’s Susan C. Williams For Information And Tickets $1,000 - $2,499 pwcenter.org/ruth-easton-series Faegre Drinker Foundation Securian Financial Foundation • Meghan Kreidler as Volina in Betty Shamieh’s Malvolio, during the February 2020 Ruth Easton New Play Series. Photo by Paula Keller Whole Lotta Future Foundation denotes Playwrights’ Center Board Member THANK YOU DONORS Individuals (contINUEd)

$5,000-$9,999 Jeanne Corwin Sarah and Matt Chaplin Robert C Droddy Anonymous Dan Dietz Sarah Cooke and Adam Lowe Bonnie S. Dudovitz and Jean K. Quam David Chelimsky and Flor Pinho Adam Rao and Elizabeth Emery Mary Dolan Paul Eiding Barbara Davis Nancy Engh Liz Engelman Scott Elyanow Robert P. Englund Chelle and Mike Lesley Ferris Nancy Finn Barbara Field Dan Hedlund and Robin Preble Bert Flora Liesl Forve Larissa Kokernot and Karl Gajdusek* Charlyne Hovi* Stephanie Gould Tiffa Foster Rebecca Krull Kraling* and James Kraling Marlon James Jeffrey Grover Seth Freeman John Geelan and Megan Feeney Janet Jones and Rob Reul Kathleen Hansen Robin Gillette Elizabeth Grant Miriam and Erwin Kelen Dawn Hill Carol Grady Jeff Hedlund* and Amy Apperson Anita Kunin Ross Johnson Josh and Pamela Gruber David and Leni Moore Family Foundation Firouzeh Mostashari Willard Kitchen Scott Halle Peter and Carla* Paulson Family Fund Wendy Nelson Sally and Jonathan Lebedoff Craig Harris and Candy Kuehn Diane and Mark* Perlberg Kira Obolensky and Irve Dell Doug and Mary Logeland W. Blake and Erin Herron The Racciatti Family Fund Weiser Family Foundation Karen Hartman and Todd London Thang and Randy Holt Marcia and John Stout Claire Maccani Jennifer and Adele Hoppe-House John Sullivan $500 - $999 Beth MacDonald Harriet Horwitz Margaret VB Wurtele Elissa Adams and Michael Margulies Ron and Mary Mattson Jessie Houlihan* Jane Blanch Drew Miller Robert Hybben Robert and Lucy Mitchell J. Lynn Jackson $2,500 - $4,999 Susan Conley De Castro Erika and Nathan Eklund Amy Muse Margaret Johnson Harrison David Rivers and Christopher R. Bineham Beth Gaede Amy Noble Seitz Bobbi and Louis Kaplan James and Julie Chosy Greg Giles and Teresa West Tonja Orr Daisuke Kawachi Geoffrey M. Curley* and Associates Karen Grabow and Keith Halperin Timothy J. Pabst and Dana Lindsay Martine Kei Green-Rogers Fran Davis Katie Hey Kendra Plant Kaitlin Kitzrow Polly Brown Grose Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation Suzanne Joyce Audray Rees Mary Louise Klas Jodi Grundyson* Dr. Art Kaemmer Beth Richardson David Koehser and Nancy Dunnigan Tessa Gunther and Scott Hagg Faye Knowles and Douglas Muirhead Carl Atiya Swanson and Stacy Schwartz Katherine Kohl Lili Hall and Andrea Scarpa Jon Newman and Brooks Christensen Rossi and Penelope Snipper Aaron and Eric Komo Bruce and Jean Johnson JoAnne Pastel Cory Hinkle and Victoria Stewart Neal and Abigail Kreitzer Patrick Kennedy James A. Payne Wendy Weckwerth Joseph Kuznik Mr. and Mrs. Chad M. Larsen/Larsen Fund Charlie Quimby and Susan Cushman Jane E Zilch Sigrun Leonhard Annie Lebedoff* Shannon Robinson Laura Zimmermann Seth Levin and Mia Nosanow Heather and John Leiviska Donald and Linda Silpe Edith Leyasmeyer James Empson and Cheryl Olseth Merrie and Aaron Sjogren $100 - $249 David Manderson Randall and Gail Ross Jeff Masco Ed McConaghay and Margaret Telfer Monika Albrecht Mary and Adam Sellke Timothy Mason Michelle Vaught Howard Ansel Mary Anne Ebert and Paul Stembler* David McNeil Barbara Weber Karen Bachman and Robert Fisch Harry Waters, Jr.* and Tom Borrup Kelly Miller Suzanne Weinstein and Danny Levey James Ball Ginger Wilhelmi* Patricia Mitchell Joan and Scott Wilensky Jeannette and Jeffrey Bineham Silas Morgan Jamie Wilson and David Ericson Michelle Brindisi Sarah Myers $1,000 - $2,499 Peter Brosius and Rosanna Staffa Rebecca Noon, in honor of Daisuke Kawachi Anonymous $250 - $499 Robert P. and Debbie A. Brown Anne L. Paape Toni Nebal Bjorklund and Lee Bjorklund Patricia Barrier Bob and Carolyn Bye James and Susan Peterson dik Bolger and Carmen Gutierrez-Bolger George Brant and Laura Kepley Allene Cohen Beth and Wes Pfeifer Peter and Maura* Brew Carlyle Brown* and Barbara Rose-Brown Robert Dorfman Jeremy Cohen and Michael Elyanow Mary and Mike Burke Marilyn J. Doyle Eric Polizer THANK YOU DONORS Individuals (contINUEd) Eric Polizer Carol Barnett Andrew and Amy Jendrzejewski Shelli Place Barbara Pratt In memory of Susan Barton Rachel Jendrzejewski and Theo Goodell Marilynn Pyatigorets Denise Prosek and Milton Ferris Angela and George Bernhardt Jake Johansen Noël Raymond and Amy Finch Daniel Rech and Nicole DeBace-Rech Ann M. Biggar Lauren Johnson Sara Richardson Lawrence Redmond and Eddie Ellington Jean Boler Jaclyn Johnson Julie Robbins Christopher Reeves and MaryAnn Nord Kate Brennan Pat Johnston Cliff Robinette Melissa and Scott Rockman Barbara Brooks Jeremy Jones Susie Rowland Charlene K. Roise Harriet Chessman Mervyn Kaufman Whitney Rowland Hana Sharif Todd Clasen Anne-Lynn Kettles Cheryl Rudin Sue Schleifer Mark Cuddy Adeeb Khalid and Cheryl Duncan Candyce Rusk Erika Schwichtenberg Marvin Gonzalez De Leon Rachel Koep Christina Saunders Dan and Margaret Shulman John DeLaire Mary T. Kokernot Jill Schafer Russell Skillman Sheila DeSellier Jonna Kosalko and Dan Rabin Annie Schoonover Emily Simon and Nathan Lucero Andrew Dominus Jennifer Kranz Kate Schwartz Joseph H Stanley and Lori Zook-Stanley Denise Dreher Carson Kreitzer Shelley Shreffler Jerrie Steele Mary Easter Jessica Kubzansky Maureen Siliman David Odenbach and John Stefany Jill Engeswick Jim Larson Nancy Simon Carol Stoddart Diane Faissler Carol Lichterman Christopher G. Smith Seema Sueko Leigh Flayton Mark Lutwak and Y York Philip Spensley Virginia Sundberg Peter Fleck and Mary Weber Bruce Manning and Tricia Cornell Deborah Stein Megan Erlandson and Merritt Swain Katherine Fried Susan Marrash-Minnerly Sandra Struthers Elizabeth Thimmesh and Matthew Johnson Maija García Judy McConnell Melissa A. Thone Rn William Underwood and Christopher Everett Annette Gavens Linda McDonald Doug Tiede Adrian Walker Debbie and Mickey Gensler Chaz Mena Andrew Troth Eryn Warne Jasmine Keller and Nils Gokemeijer Lynne Menturweck Stephen Troutman Barbara Weissberger Ain Gordon Ellen Merlin Ken Urban Jeff and Tricia Wright Donna Gordon Meg Miroshnik Ryan Volna Joan Heule Wright and Jeffrey Wright Judy Goss Lacey Morgan Christine Wacker Scott and Pam Wright Rachel Greene and Victor Perazzoli Joseph Moses Daniel Weiner and Carl Roller Laura Zabel and Levi Weinhagen Janet Allen and Joel Grynheim Miriam Must Alison Weisgall Deborah Zanish and Daniel Danielson Matt Haar Marin Nelson Dawn Williams Peter Heeringa Jon Neuse and K.C. Foley Sally Wingert and Tim Danz $99 & Under Maria Hurni Douglas Nopar Sarah Woessner Stephanie Melissande Jennifer and Joe Novak Robert Young Farrand Anderson John Humphrey Kemi Ojelade Jared Zeigler Valetta Anderson Ivan Idland William Parry Susan Zwickey Linda Anderson Willette and Jan Willette Walt Jacobs Barb and Rick Person Mark Armstrong Laura Jacqmin Daniel Pinkerton

AMPLIFY VITAL STORYTELLING THROUGH GIVING

Social justice is at the heart of the Playwrights’ Center’s work. We strive for it by actively supporting equitable theater-making practices that shift the paradigm, uplifting unheard stories and sharing them with the world. With your support, the Center can provide the greatest diversity of artists with the time, tools, and space to tell their truths and reshape audiences’ perspectives. Make a gift and amplify vital storytellers today! pwcenter.org/donate STAFF BOARD THE 2020–21 Jeremy B. Cohen, Producing Artistic Director Carla Paulson, President Robert Chelimsky, Managing Director Harrison David Rivers, Vice President FELLOWS AND CORE WRITERS May Adrales, Artistic Associate Maura Brew, Secretary Alayna Barnes, Membership Programs Associate Adam Rao, Treasurer Kelly Renee Armstrong Sofya Levitsky-Weitz Julia Brown, Artistic Programs Manager Jeffrey Bores Lee Blessing Nora Montañez Shalee Mae Cole Mauleón, University Programs & Partnerships Associate Carlyle Brown Sharon Bridgforth Daaimah Mubashshir Hayley Finn, Associate Artistic Director Geoffrey Curley Martine Kei Green-Rogers, Fellowship Associate Karl Gajdusek Carlyle Brown Kira Obolensky H. Adam Harris, Engagement Associate Mary Beidler Gearen Darren Canady John Olive Katie Hey, Director of Development Jodi Grundyson Cristina Florencia Castro Marisela Treviño Orta Jasmine Johnson, General Manager Jeff Hedlund Erin Courtney Savannah Reich Hannah Joyce, Director of Membership Programs Jessie Houlihan Mashuq Mushtaq Deen Stacey Rose Emily Mathees, Executive Staff Administrator Charlyne Hovi Emily Feldman Andrew Rosendorf Sarah Myers, Director of University Programs and Partnerships Jonathan Jensen Gina Femia Riti Sachdeva Daniel Rech, Director of Marketing and Communications David Kim Barbara Field Tylie Shider Whitney Rowland, Institutional Development Manager Rebecca Krull Kraling Gracie Gardner Charly Evon Simpson Teri Schafer, Development Assistant Annie Lebedoff Marvin González De León Crystal Skillman Sonitha Tep, Marketing Communications Graphic and Media Designer Mark Perlberg Jeffrey Hatcher Jonathan Spector Kaitlyn Boyer, Artistic and Administrative Apprentice Christopher Schout Rachel Jendrzejewski Ariel Stess Roshni Desai, Artistic and Administrative Apprentice Leah Spinosa de Vega Jake Jeppson James Anthony Tyler Ashe Jaafaru, Artistic and Administrative Apprentice Cecilia Stanton Adams JuCoby Johnson Katie Ka Vang Isabella Star LaBlanc, Artistic and Administrative Apprentice Paul Stembler Candrice Jones Abbee Warmboe Harry Waters Jr. Ginger Wilhelmi Nicholas Kaidoo Talvin Wilks Michael Winn Shannon TL Kearns Ray Yamanouchi Jeremy B. Cohen, ex officio Keyanna Khatiblou Stefanie Zadravec Robert Chelimsky, ex officio Kurt Kwan THEATER BEGINS HERE OUR MISSION “Stories give us chances to see ourselves and what we Playwrights’ Center sustains, develops, and advocates for playwrights and their work to realize their full artistic potential. could hope to be.” —2020–21 Jerome Fellow, Candrice Jones

We start with the storytellers. OUR VISION Through the practice of inclusive theater-making, Playwrights’ Center fosters engagement towards an equitable, empathetic, The playwrights. and boundlessly imaginative world. The artists.

As we continue to meet the challenges of these OUR VALUES Centering Artists times, the Playwrights’ Center seeks to reimagine We believe in the crucial role that playwrights and theatermakers play in witnessing the past, illuminating the present, and what is possible in theater; both in this moment and dreaming us forward. Our work is grounded in the needs, desires, and sustainability of the artists we support, prioritizing beyond. Throughout our 2020–21 Season we are long-term artistic relationships. intensifying our efforts, investing even more deeply in creative process, arts education, and access to Adaptability opportunity. We are working to amplify unheard We recognize that playwriting processes are as diverse as the human beings pursuing them. We evolve our perspectives, voices and promote equitable spaces, allowing for practices, resources, and partnerships in order to stay relevant and responsive to artists’ needs. the greatest diversity of artists to make plays around Equity the world. Through additional fellowships and We continually interrogate our relationship to the word Equity. We support artists across all spectrums, with an emphasis increased public programming, we are creating new on underrepresented and under-supported voices. We aim to uproot systemic inequities that inhibit creativity and focus channels of support for thousands of writers—from on building new systems that center meaningful financial compensation. We understand this work to be intersectional and paid opportunities that will sustain playwrights and long-term, grounded in relationships and evolving anti-racist practices. theatermakers, to expanded educational resources that will enhance online learning tools and Inclusivity + Accessibility university students from around the world. We are We proactively engage and welcome people of all abilities, ages, cultures, ethnicities, genders, incomes, races, religions, and sexual orientations. We intentionally engage artists locally, nationally, and internationally, working across a multitude of inspiring a whole new generation of theater artists. processes and aesthetics. It begins here. Advocacy Join us! We fight for a theater field in which playwrights and theatermakers not only survive but thrive. We are committed to modeling how institutions can authentically support the art of storytelling, and connect artists’ work to audiences around the globe.