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ORLANDO GLBT THEATRE FESTIVAL THANKS CONTRIBUTIONS OF TIME AND ENERGY
A Celebration Of GLBT Theatre in Ten Minute One Acts TWO EVENINGS OF READINGS ONLY! September 14th and
September 21st
September 12, 2008 (ORLANDO, FL)
The Board of the Orlando GLBT Festival extends a heartfelt
thank you to everyone who volunteered their time and efforts for last night's "Coming Out Party". Due
to circumstances beyond our control, the decision to postpone the fundraising event was made in the late afternoon and, although
we tried to reach everyone involved as soon as the decision was finalized, we admit that the process and procedure may have
lacked the appropriate level of generosity. For that, we extend our sincere apologies to you and to the many people
involved including the performers, graphic artists and community leaders who worked so diligently, toward what we are certain
would have been a very successful event.
We extend a special public thank you to Beth Marshall, Dewey Chaffee
(Wayburn Sassy), Douglas McGeoch, Blue, Michael Walters (Dame Edna), Rusti "Fawcett" Herd, Kevin Kri egal (Evelyn
"Mitzi" Morris), Joshua Eads Brown (Ginger Minj), Alex Agard, Sara Barnes, Luerne Herrera, Yaniv Zarif, and our
celebrity impersonators of Dawnn Behrens (Anna Nicole Smith), Patty Accorso (Kathy Griffin) and Rosie O'Donnell (not available
at press). We offer our deepest gratitude to John and the staff at Hamburger Mary's for offering their venue for
the event. Hamburger Mary's has a special place in the hearts of the Festival board and staff. We encourage
you to patronize this fantastic restaurant and entertainment venue in the heart of downtown Orlando on Church Street.
We thank those of you who came out yesterday evening to support the event especially those who met with the Orlando GLBT
Theatre Festival Board to express their disappointment for the postponement. We were energized by your expressions of
support and encouragement.
Our final thank you goes to the directors and playwrights of our New Works Series who
have continued to prepare for this exciting event which will take place as scheduled on Sundays, September 14 and September
21 at 7:00 p.m. at Mad Cow Theatre.
Baby Summer by Michael Ramirez – New York , NY
Directed by Margaret
Nolan
Featuring: Tiffany Weagly and Heather Wilkie
The Boileroom by Bill Cosgriff – New York , NY
Directed by Seth Kubersky
Featuring: Michael Marinaccio and Kevin Kriegel
Songs My Brother Sang by Myra
Slotnick – Provincetown , MA
Directed by Laura Lippman
Featuring: Jessica Miano Kruel, Ryan Dowd Urch,
Corey Volence and Laura Lippman
Daniel(le) – A Monologue Play by Asher Wyndham – Tempe , AZ
Directed
by Lester Malizia
Featuring: Nicholas Wuerhmann*
Godfrey – A Short Play by Ian August – Highland
Park , NJ
Directed by John DiDonna
Featuring: Jessica Pawli and John DiDonna
This Functional Family by
Tait Moline – Orlando , FL
Directed by Chad Lewis
Featuring: Kyla Swanberg, Tim DeBaun, Steven Johnson,
Janine Klein and Chris McIntyre
Kids 'R Us by Josh Levine – New York , NY
Directed by Rob
Ward
Featuring: Jimmy Moore, Blake Logan*, Gina DiRoma and Tiffany Weagly
Director of New Works – John
DiDonna
Stage Manager – Jennifer Bonner
With special thanks to The Dramatist Guild, Mad Cow Theatre,
and the amazing playwrights from around our world who sent in submissions. Your words need to be heard.
* Actors
appear courtesy of the Actors’ equity Stage Reading Guidelines
The seven original ten-minute one-acts that
make up this series were selected from over seventy scripts submitted by America's GLBT community. Thank you Central
Florida for your support of this festival and its mission to produce and present theatre that affirms and reflects the gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience in order to enlighten, empower and entertain; a theatrical event centered in
Central Florida celebrating the profound power to change lives and unify communities. We look forward to seeing you at the
festival readings and thank you for your continued support! Again, while it is impossible to thank everyone please know
that we are incredibly grateful for the time and energy put into this event. We are hopeful about the future and look forward
to what it will bring this community.
For further information please visit Orlando GLBT Theatre Festival website
at www.glbttheatrefest.com or visit our social network site at www.myspace.com/orlandoglbttheatrefest
STAFF:
Karla Sue Kail, Managing Director
John DiDonna, Director of New Works
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Fred Berning,
Jr.
Scottie Campbell
David Mink
Timothy D. Turner
FESTIVAL 2008:
New Works Series
1:52 am est
Festival Fundraiser and 'Elegies' Production Postponed
ORLANDO, FL (September 11, 2008)
Several months ago, a group of interested people
gathered to hear a proposal for a Festival whose mission would be to produce and present theatre that affirms and reflects
the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience in order to enlighten, empower and entertain; a theatrical event centered
in Central Florida celebrating the profound power to change lives and unify communities. Quickly they realized that
this vision was not just the passion of one, but also the passion of many -- from that vision The Orlando GLBT Theatre Festival
was born.
Today, it is with much regret that The Board of Directors of The Orlando GLBT Theatre Festival announces
that Matthew (Matty) MacDermid, the person at the center of this bold idea, has tendered his resignation from the post of
Artistic Director effectively immediately. This certainly was not an easy decision for him to make and it is with much respect,
a heavy heart and sincere thanks to a colleague and friend for his efforts toward that vision, that the Board accepts his
request.
One of the projects scheduled to be presented during this inaugural Festival was a production of Elegies,
A Song Cycle by William Finn. In the face of the current situation, The Orlando GLBT Festival Board has decided to reschedule
this production for dates to be determined in the future. The Board will focus their efforts on fundraising and building the
brand of the organization to guarantee a successful future for the festival in the long term. These decisions are not easy
to make but they appear to be the most responsible to preserve the organization and its intended vision.
During
this transition, the Board of Directors of The Orlando GLBT Theatre Festival intends to move forward to expand the evolving
cultural horizon of the city of Orlando and promote Orlando as one of the few cities to have such a festival and will stage
the New Works Series portion of the festival. The seven original ten-minute one-acts that make up this series
were selected from over seventy scripts submitted by America's GLBT community. The readings will take place this
Sunday, September 14 and next Sunday, September 21 evenings at 7:00 p.m. at Mad Cow Theatre.
The "Coming Out
Party" fundraising event planned for tonight, September 11, at Hamburger Mary's in Downtown Orlando, has been postponed
and will be rescheduled in the near future. Until then the Board is assuming all financial responsibilities for the festival
until new staff has be appointed.
Although much work has gone into presenting this Festival, there is much more
required to bring this celebration of positive theatre experiences to the Central Florida community. We look forward to your
support and especially to seeing you at the Festival!
Sincerely,
Fred Berning
Scottie Campbell
David Mink
Timothy D. Turner
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Orlando GLBT Theatre Festival * Orlando, Florida * Copyright 2008, HPD |
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