EM Lewis
News!
Highlights of 2010!
In January 2010, "Song of Extinction" was published in Dramatics Magazine. Original artwork was commissioned by the publisher to go along with the play.
From January 1 to 15th, 2010, Lewis had a residency at Soapstone -- a beautiful cabin retreat on the Oregon coast for women writers. She worked on a new play, listened to the rain on the roof, read by the fire, and took walks in the woods.
In March, 2010, "Song of Extinction" was published in an acting edition by Samuel French.
On March 26, 2010, Lewis had a reading of Part I of her new play-in-progress, "Magellanica," at the Dramatist Guild's Friday Night Footlights (West). The reading was directed by the playwright, and featured Chuma Gault, Bostin Christopher, Jon Amirkhan, Johanna McKay, Michael Shutt, Rebecca Davis, Matt McCray, Nick Cernoch and Cece Tio.
On May 4, 2010, TimeLine Theater presented a reading of "Song of Extinction," directed by Nick Bowling, as part of their 2010 TimePieces Play Reading Series.
On May 5, 2010, work-in-progress "Magellanica: A New and Accurate Map of the World (Part I)" was read at [Inside] the Ford in Los Angeles, CA, part of an evening of readings of new works from Lee Wochner's "Words That Speak" playwriting workshop. The reading was directed by the playwright. The cast included: Chuma Gault, Bostin Christopher, Jon Amirkhan, Johanna McKay, Michael Shutt, Rebecca Davis, Matt McCray, Dan Billet and Joy Osmanski.
On July 17, 2010, Lewis' play "The Incident Report" was featured in the Samuel French Off Off Broadway Short Play Festival, directed by Darin Anthony, and featuring Michael Shutt, Peter James Smith and Stephanie Erb.
In August 2010, the California Repertory Company at Rio Hondo College produced the U.K. Premiere of “Song of Extinction” at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The production was directed by Heidi Helen Davis and featured award-winning actor Darrell Kunitomi as biology teacher Khim Phan, and Debra DeLiso as Lily Forrestal.
In September, Lewis begins a year-long adventure as the 2010-2011 Hodder Fellow at Princeton University, where she will be working independently on a new play.
From October 17 - Oct. 24, 2010, Lewis will be Playwright-in-Residence at the Ashland New Plays Festival in beautiful Ashland, Oregon -- home of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
From January 1 to 15th, 2010, Lewis had a residency at Soapstone -- a beautiful cabin retreat on the Oregon coast for women writers. She worked on a new play, listened to the rain on the roof, read by the fire, and took walks in the woods.
In March, 2010, "Song of Extinction" was published in an acting edition by Samuel French.
On March 26, 2010, Lewis had a reading of Part I of her new play-in-progress, "Magellanica," at the Dramatist Guild's Friday Night Footlights (West). The reading was directed by the playwright, and featured Chuma Gault, Bostin Christopher, Jon Amirkhan, Johanna McKay, Michael Shutt, Rebecca Davis, Matt McCray, Nick Cernoch and Cece Tio.
On May 4, 2010, TimeLine Theater presented a reading of "Song of Extinction," directed by Nick Bowling, as part of their 2010 TimePieces Play Reading Series.
On May 5, 2010, work-in-progress "Magellanica: A New and Accurate Map of the World (Part I)" was read at [Inside] the Ford in Los Angeles, CA, part of an evening of readings of new works from Lee Wochner's "Words That Speak" playwriting workshop. The reading was directed by the playwright. The cast included: Chuma Gault, Bostin Christopher, Jon Amirkhan, Johanna McKay, Michael Shutt, Rebecca Davis, Matt McCray, Dan Billet and Joy Osmanski.
On July 17, 2010, Lewis' play "The Incident Report" was featured in the Samuel French Off Off Broadway Short Play Festival, directed by Darin Anthony, and featuring Michael Shutt, Peter James Smith and Stephanie Erb.
In August 2010, the California Repertory Company at Rio Hondo College produced the U.K. Premiere of “Song of Extinction” at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The production was directed by Heidi Helen Davis and featured award-winning actor Darrell Kunitomi as biology teacher Khim Phan, and Debra DeLiso as Lily Forrestal.
In September, Lewis begins a year-long adventure as the 2010-2011 Hodder Fellow at Princeton University, where she will be working independently on a new play.
From October 17 - Oct. 24, 2010, Lewis will be Playwright-in-Residence at the Ashland New Plays Festival in beautiful Ashland, Oregon -- home of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Highlights of 2009
On March 16, 2009, the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle awarded EM Lewis the Ted Schmitt Award (for the world premiere of an outstanding new play) for SONG OF EXTINCTION.
On March 30, 2009, Moving Arts' production of SONG OF EXTINCTION at [Inside] the Ford won LA Weekly Awards in two categories -- Production of the Year and Leading Male Performance (Darrell Kunitomi, as Khim Phan).
On April 4, 2009, the American Theatre Critics Association announced that E.M. (Ellen) Lewis' SONG OF EXTINCTION had been selected to receive the 2009 Harold and Mimi Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award. The announcement was made at Actors Theatre of Louisville during the Humana Festival of New American Plays. The award includes a plaque and a cash prize of $25,000 — the largest national award for a new play. Lee Blessing's "Great Falls" and Tracy Letts' "Superior Donuts" were also honored with Steinberg/ATCA citations. The award was started in 1977 to honor plays that debut at regional theatres outside New York City.
Summer 2009 -- HEADS, EM Lewis' award-winning hostage drama, set against the war in Iraq, was produced in the Alcyone Festival, produced by Halcyon Theater in Chicago, IL. The 2009 festival featured six plays, all written by women, on the subject of terrorism.
Fall 2009 -- HEADS, EM Lewis' award-winning hostage drama, set against the war in Iraq, was produced by And Toto Too Theater Company in Denver Colorado. Reviews called the play "...a gripping fictional drama that raises important questions about our times" (DENVER POST). "Heads shows us four people, each put in an unbearable situation, each reacting differently but appropriately for who they are. The four actors convincingly deliver the raw emotions of fear, anger, desperation, despair, and denial – but also something more – a deeper look at our own humanity." (NORTH DENVER TRIBUNE) "...I am still haunted by the images that played out on the intimate Denver Victorian stage.... Heads is not easy to watch. The material is difficult, terrifying, and often heart wrenching – and this is the point. If you are looking for an evening of theatre that will get you thinking, that will leave an indelible impression long after the show has ended, and that will move you to tears – then this is for you.... In a season filled with bright musicals and silly comedies – Heads is a welcome, intelligent, and moving drama that is a must see." (DENVER EXAMINER)
October 26, 2009 -- the Ashland New Plays Festival featured a reading of SONG OF EXTINCTION in their ANPF Fundraiser. The reading was directed by Caroline Shaffer, and included an amazing cast, all from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Cristofer Jean, Liisa Ivary, Jeff King, Brad Whitmore, Blaine Johnston and Anil Margsahayam.
Winter 2009 -- Moving Arts Theater Company in Los Angeles, California produced an evening of short plays by EM Lewis, entitled FLIGHT. The evening was part of Moving Arts' annual one-act play festival. Featured plays included LEONARD'S VOICE, THIS ISN'T ABOUT LOVE, SING ME THAT LEONARD COHEN SONG AGAIN, REVEILLE, THE INCIDENT REPORT and SIX BOTTLES OF HEINEKEN AFTER THE SILVERADO.
December 2009 -- A scene from HEADS was published in the Smith & Kraus anthology "The 2009 Best Men's Monologues and Scenes."
On March 30, 2009, Moving Arts' production of SONG OF EXTINCTION at [Inside] the Ford won LA Weekly Awards in two categories -- Production of the Year and Leading Male Performance (Darrell Kunitomi, as Khim Phan).
On April 4, 2009, the American Theatre Critics Association announced that E.M. (Ellen) Lewis' SONG OF EXTINCTION had been selected to receive the 2009 Harold and Mimi Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award. The announcement was made at Actors Theatre of Louisville during the Humana Festival of New American Plays. The award includes a plaque and a cash prize of $25,000 — the largest national award for a new play. Lee Blessing's "Great Falls" and Tracy Letts' "Superior Donuts" were also honored with Steinberg/ATCA citations. The award was started in 1977 to honor plays that debut at regional theatres outside New York City.
Summer 2009 -- HEADS, EM Lewis' award-winning hostage drama, set against the war in Iraq, was produced in the Alcyone Festival, produced by Halcyon Theater in Chicago, IL. The 2009 festival featured six plays, all written by women, on the subject of terrorism.
Fall 2009 -- HEADS, EM Lewis' award-winning hostage drama, set against the war in Iraq, was produced by And Toto Too Theater Company in Denver Colorado. Reviews called the play "...a gripping fictional drama that raises important questions about our times" (DENVER POST). "Heads shows us four people, each put in an unbearable situation, each reacting differently but appropriately for who they are. The four actors convincingly deliver the raw emotions of fear, anger, desperation, despair, and denial – but also something more – a deeper look at our own humanity." (NORTH DENVER TRIBUNE) "...I am still haunted by the images that played out on the intimate Denver Victorian stage.... Heads is not easy to watch. The material is difficult, terrifying, and often heart wrenching – and this is the point. If you are looking for an evening of theatre that will get you thinking, that will leave an indelible impression long after the show has ended, and that will move you to tears – then this is for you.... In a season filled with bright musicals and silly comedies – Heads is a welcome, intelligent, and moving drama that is a must see." (DENVER EXAMINER)
October 26, 2009 -- the Ashland New Plays Festival featured a reading of SONG OF EXTINCTION in their ANPF Fundraiser. The reading was directed by Caroline Shaffer, and included an amazing cast, all from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Cristofer Jean, Liisa Ivary, Jeff King, Brad Whitmore, Blaine Johnston and Anil Margsahayam.
Winter 2009 -- Moving Arts Theater Company in Los Angeles, California produced an evening of short plays by EM Lewis, entitled FLIGHT. The evening was part of Moving Arts' annual one-act play festival. Featured plays included LEONARD'S VOICE, THIS ISN'T ABOUT LOVE, SING ME THAT LEONARD COHEN SONG AGAIN, REVEILLE, THE INCIDENT REPORT and SIX BOTTLES OF HEINEKEN AFTER THE SILVERADO.
December 2009 -- A scene from HEADS was published in the Smith & Kraus anthology "The 2009 Best Men's Monologues and Scenes."