This Play is a Suitcase

by Mike Lew

Playwright, Bike America

Bike America is a comedy about a cross-country bike trip, staged on stationary bikes. Or maybe even real bikes. Or maybe just handlebars that the actors carry around to look like real bikes. We haven’t really figured that out yet. Anyhow, this bike trip starts in Boston and ends in Santa Barbara, with stops in iconic American towns like Newport, New York City, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Memphis, El Paso, and Flagstaff.

Bike America won the Kendeda Grad Playwriting Competition and will be having its world premiere at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta in February 2013. It’s had workshops at the Kennedy Center (NNPN MFA Playwrights’ Workshop) and at Juilliard, and its latest ride will be with the Playwrights Foundation. I am overjoyed for this chance to keep working on the play, because it’s still very much in process.

Music Monday: An Infinite Loop with Mike Lew

Writing and Biking. Two things Mike Lew knows a thing or two about. When we asked him to give us a playlist of music he writes to, not only did he give us a great heart bumping list, he gave us a little insight to the method behind his madness:

"Ok, so this is admittedly insane, but when I listen to music while writing it's to block out the world. (Think: big chunky headphones, maximum volume) But when I want to block out the world, the last thing I want to do is get sucked into song lyrics.

So what do I do? I pick ONE song and play it on infinite loop until it's basically background noise."




Come and meet the man behind this Music Monday as he kicks off our Fall Rough Reading Series this Monday and Tuesday with a reading of Bike America.  

This Monday, October 1 reading will be held at Stanford University in Roble Hall at 7pm. 
The Tuesday, October 2 Reading will be held at The Thick House in San Francisco at 7pm.

Readings are 100% FREE!  You can save yourself a seat and a beverage for the reading in San Francisco for a mere $20 donation, simply click here. 

Music Monday: Anthony Clarvoe

Anthony Clarvoe, playwright of Cello, clearly has a love of music and probably knows a thing or two about a killer playlist to set you into a writing mood.

With Anthony Clarvoe's ongoing class with the New Play Institute, September 19 - December 12, we had a perfect excuse to ask him for a touch of his taste in music with our latest Music Monday! Listen to his playlist while you write, then take his class and take your play to the next level.

Enjoy!


For more information on Anthony's upcoming class, including price and registration, click here

In the Same Boat with Anthony Clarvoe

by Anthony Clarvoe

Playwright and NPI Instructor

CELLO by Anthony Clarvoe for
Bay Area One Acts Festival.
Produced by Playwrights Foundation
Pictured (l-r) El Beh, Maria Giere
Marquis, Cooper Carlson.

I confess it:  I am inordinately fond of the writers in my classes.  They bring so much talent, imagination, and energy to the table.  They have striking stories to tell, strong values to argue for, remarkable personal histories and daily lives.  They are committed, brave, and thoughtful.  It’s no surprise to me that a sizeable number of their plays have gone on to receive public readings, workshops, and full productions.  They are also generous and supportive colleagues, attending each other’s plays, continuing to get together on their own after class is done, forming an enthusiastic community of writers.  I admire them and look forward to seeing them every week.

Right about now you may be saying to yourself, “I was thinking I might take a class.  But these dramatic paragons don’t sound much like little old me.  I bet I wouldn’t fit in very well.  I’d probably make an ass of myself.” 

Read on.

Music Monday: Lachlan Philpott

Lachlan is a Sydney based theatre and screen writer, dramaturge, teacher and director. His multi-award winning plays have been widely performed in Australia and The UK. Lachlan was writer in Residence at Red Stitch Theatre, Melbourne in 2006 and Griffin Theatre Company Sydney in 2010 and in residency at Playwrights Foundation. He has done a lot for us in the past few months he has been here, working as a dramaturg in BAPF 35, teaching a wonderful NPI class, and we had a small reading a while back of one of his plays at the PF Studio.

For today's Music Monday Lachlann has provided us with an amazing list of songs for you to listen to as you write your own plays.

Enjoy!