Read & Rant - September

Online Event!

6:30pm-8:30pm MST

Athena Project’s Read & Rant program seeks to combine the sharing of theatrical work with the wider public and the new play development aspects of our former Plays In Progress Series while also fostering collaboration between playwrights and dramaturgs. Think book club for plays! Learn what makes a good script, discuss how it affects us, and explore the ways it links to the larger world. This monthly free offering to the community aims to raise awareness of the under-representation of woman, transgender and nonbinary stories on stage.

Each month, we discuss new and unproduced scripts selected from a nationwide call for submissions. Join us to converse with invited playwrights who bring an in-depth knowledge of the works and theatrical writing at large. Guided by a dramaturg, we also invite you to share your constructive comments, thoughts, and affirmations in order to aid in the development process of the pieces.

Once registered, you will receive an email with links to the scripts - we ask that these by read in advance of the event. Please read this description in full to receive information on how to access the links to scripts once you register.

This month we will be featuring:

Switzerland by Veronique Autphenne

SWITZERLAND explores the notion of controlling exactly when and how you’re going to die. Could it bring you peace of mind? Or even a greater appreciation of life? The play follows the intertwined lives of two 50-ish couples, Greg and Brin, and Angela and Henry. We open with the couples enjoying their monthly dinner gatherings. When Brin reveals her plan to end her life on her 75th birthday, tensions arise among the friends as they grapple with Brin's decision and its implications. As the story unfolds, Angela's battle with cancer further strains their relationship. Despite Greg and Henry's attempts to mend the rifts between them, Brin remains steadfast in her decision, leading to a heartbreaking rift between the friends. Ultimately, the play explores themes of friendship, mortality, and acceptance as the characters navigate the complexities of their relationships and come to terms with the inevitability of death and the power of letting go.

Dramaturg Facilitator: Lindsay Lutes

Scissor Me This by Anne Valentino

Brecken’s getting married. With the bend of a knee, hers and Anthony’s fairytale love story is now turning into a fairytale wedding. This will be a celebration for the ages—complete with large country club reception, white doves released at the perfect moment, and Brecken’s two moms cheering her on. And therein lays the problem…The two moms thing just isn’t going to fly with Anthony’s “Trump-loving, book-banning, thou shalt put no flag before me” parents. Brecken must therefore convince her moms to play along and subsequently mask who they truly are, at least for one night, at least until the conversation and the sushi and the karaoke is complete. When that cage door is closed there’s bound to be some feathers flying and plenty of squawking—and if you’re in that bird cage long enough, someone is bound to get shit on.

Dramaturg Facilitator: Mario Gomez

Evening hosted by Athena Project's Literary Manager, Emily Perez, and we are joined by Read & Rant's Resident Dramaturg, Samara Siskind.

You will receive a confirmation email with your registration AND LINKS TO ACCESS THE SCRIPTS. Please be on the lookout for this email - if you scroll down there is a section with information on our plays and links for the scripts. If you do not see this email, please check your spam folder.

The Zoom link for the meeting will be emailed out to attendees 30 minutes prior to the event. Closed Captioning is available for this event. The event functions as an open discussion with dramaturgs asking questions, and attendees responding at will: all engagement is completely optional. Use of camera is completely optional. All questions are posted in the chat in addition to being read out loud, and chat engagement is welcome.