MY WRITERS SITE: Playwrights

Playwrights

*** FREE THEATER ONLINE ***

UNTIL THE FLOODWriter- performer Dael Orlandersmith’s one-woman show explores Ferguson following the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown. Based on extensive interviews, this theatrical event gives voice to a community grappling with injustice and yearning for change.

https://allarts.org/programs/all-arts-performance-selects/until-the-flood-wtcesv/*** PLAYWRIGHTS WELCOME ***A reminder that members of the Dramatists Guild can sign up at various theaters for the "Playwrights Welcome" program which offers free tickets when they are available. Recently the Roundabout Theatre Company offered free tickets to Alice Childress' TROUBLE IN MIND.Roundabout signup form:https://www.roundabouttheatre.org/about/playwrights-welcome

A list of participating theater groups is availble at Concord Theatricalshttps://www.concordtheatricals.com/resources/playwrights-welcome*** OPPORTUNITIES FOR PLAYWRIGHTS ***Springville Center for the Arts (SpringvilleArts.org) is seeking to commission a playwright to create a script for a program touring the summer of 2022. Artsapalooza is a free, outdoor, multi-arts program for families with younger children. The two-hour program brings interactive art-making stations, a chance to explore drums and ukulele, theater games and more to rural audiences, culminating in a performance that incorporates giant puppets and live music.***KC Melting Pot Theatre is seeking full length plays by African-American playwrights.Three finalists will receive a staged reading during our new play festival in the summer of 2022 and judges will select one of those to receive a full production summer 2023 and $500 stipend.***28 Plays Later 2022Whether you are into Pinter or Panto, Chekov or Chicago, we are looking to inspire you to achieve theatrical greatness and create new work for the stage.You know nothing about plays? Fantastic! Everyone starts somewhere, right? Jump right in! You’re an old hand at writing for the stage? Awesome! Each playwriting challenge will take your skills into new, fun and fascinating territory. We continue to offer our challenges on a commit-what-you-can basis, so everybody is welcome, and no financial obligation is required.*** FOR MORE INFORMATION about these and other opportunities see the web site at https://www.nycplaywrights.org ****** CHRISTMAS PANTO ***For the uninitiated, pantomime – or panto, as it is more affectionately called – is a type of British theatrical entertainment mainly for children played around Christmas. They are comedic retellings of fairy tales and nursery rhymes, from Mother Goose to Cinderella.There’s song and dance, slapstick, extravagant sets and outrageous costumes, enormous casts, audience participation, clowning, cross-dressing, puns galore, satirical topical references – and no pretence to realism.More...https://theconversation.com/belvoirs-the-boomkak-panto-is-a-joyous-subversive-and-australian-twist-on-the-classic-christmas-tradition-171728***Do you want to come to the Christmas pantomime? I am visiting family in England, and people keep earnestly asking me this question. It is not an invite I ever receive in Canada, where I now live, and upon questioning my American colleagues, I discover none of them are trotting off to see a pantomime this year either. It’s a uniquely British festive tradition. Jane Moody, Professor of Humanities Research at York University, has even proclaimed the pantomime “quintessentially British: as British as Earl Grey tea.” Yes — even on par with tea.It is hard to explain a pantomime: middle-aged men prancing about dressed as flamboyant washerwomen, humans playing animals, princesses, dastardly villains, and lots of bawdy jokes. Growing up, I would go and see a panto every Christmas, so this is all normal, but from an outside perspective, I can see it could raise the odd eyebrow. In the words of Sir Ian McKellen, “You can’t start to explain what a pantomime is — it’s like explaining the rules of cricket.” So I turned to a dictionary definition for help: Pantomimes are theatrical entertainment, mainly for children, involving music, topical jokes, and slapstick comedy, based on a fairy tale or nursery story.More...https://longreads.com/2021/12/15/big-bonkers-british-christmas-pantomime/***‘An Almost British Christmas’ Panto is a charmer for the whole familyWhen you see An Almost British Christmas, this year’s panto presented by Theatre NOVA, you can, if you are a sentimental Dickens enthusiast like me, imagine that you are somewhere in Picadilly Circus in London watching three gritty and gutsy actors entertain us with a Christmas story whilst the aroma of roasting chestnuts fill the air with whiffs of pine wafting through the street from the tree sellers.“Panto” is short for “pantomime,” but do not confuse this with the work of mimes. The actors, Dan Morrison, Bryana Hall and Monica Spencer, are all very much heard, even without face mics in Theatre NOVA’s intimate performance space. To understand the panto, lets consult an actual definition, stiff as it might be: “a traditional fairy tale complete with songs, dances, jokes, exaggerated characters and lots of audience participation.”Add to the formula that one of the actors should be a male who performs in drag, which Dan Morrison does with grace, aplomb and a spiked heels.More...https://groups.google.com/g/nycplaywrights_group/c/VxCBjurYlmw/m/tpKa2nUuEgAJ***Jack & the Beanstalk, The Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto by Peter Rowe, New Wolsey Theatre,

The legendary New Wolsey rock ‘n’ roll panto is back better than ever before with live-streaming as an option. Peter Rowe’s ingenious script will once again include interactions with audiences at home, participation and shout-outs, and the chance to supply a prop during the show.Brought to you by the famous New Wolsey company of multi-skilled actor musicians, it’s the best of pantomime mixed with the best songs from the classic rock and pop playlist, all played live, including Hit The Road Jack, Lady Marmalade, Get Offa My Cloud, Go Your Own Way and many, many more. This glorious mash up of pantomime and pop concert is a festive treat for all the family.More...https://www.eadt.co.uk/things-to-do/suffolk-panto-guide-for-christmas-2021-8373540***As the royal family gears up for their second Christmas in a pandemic, it's worth remembering that they've adapted their holiday plans to suit the circumstances before. During the holidays amid World War II, young royals Princess Margaret and Princess Elizabeth were tucked away in Windsor, and to pass the time, they made their own fun.One activity stands out, if only for its production value: the royal sisters' Christmastime plays. It was 11-year-old Margaret who first proposed the idea of putting on a holiday pantomimes to Royal School head Hubert Tannar. She got the idea from an earlier school concert that benefitted the Royal Household Wool Fund, an organization which provided comforts to WWII soldiers.More...https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a25311105/queen-elizabeth-princess-margaret-wwii-christmas-play-photos/***Pantomime was invented on the London stage over 300 years ago, when Harlequin was its star. He was first seen in 17th century England as Arlecchino, a leading comic character with visiting Italian 'Commedia dell'arte' companies. Early woodcuts and engravings depict him in a long, belted jacket and trousers featuring multicoloured patches signifying his humble origins, and carrying his magic sword or bat. He wore a full black mask, and a soft cap decorated with the tail of a rabbit, hare or fox, possibly a reference to the peasants of his native Bergamo, who similarly decorated their hats. When Harlequin appeared on the London stage in 1717 at Lincoln's Inn Fields played by the actor-manager John Rich in Harlequin Sorcerer, he was an immediate hit as a masked, acrobatic, dancing, non-speaking character, wearing short jacket, belted and buttoned, and fitting trousers featuring a criss-cross design.More...https://www.selvedge.org/blogs/selvedge/panto-costumes-past-present***ITV Panto- CinderellaThe full pantomime of ITV’s pantomime Cinderella from 2002https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdA_6BtsXko

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To my friends....

A referral point for my friends (personnel friends, meaning people I know in my personnel life) who want me to “Take a look at my stuff.” For years I’ve said sure, I’ll look at it, meaning edit it. But I have always forewarned them that I take the processes seriously and I won’t pull any punches and not to get angry with me. They always, always, always assure me that they want to a professional edit and that I shouldn’t pull any punches just because we’re friends. Then I edit their work and they get angry at me. So here’s what we’re going to do. If you want me to give my opinion on your writing or edit your work, the charge is $50.00 an hour with a four hour minimum. That should stop most of you from asking me to look at your work and while preserving our friendship.

Why this blog is here.

I am largely self-educated, and this blog is continuation of that education. I have an MFA, but that doesn’t have much to do with an education, not the kind I’m talking about. An advanced degree means I am able to follow instruction.

Never ending self-education means I adore knowledge and enlightenment of both the ordinary and the odd and that’s what this blog is about. It is by me, written for my benefit. You are more than welcomed to drop by as often and for as long as your heart desires.

John William Tuohy

I was born and raised in Connecticut and now live in rural West Virginia with my wife, Mary, and my dog Eli.

I hold an AA and MA in literature and an MFA in writing from Lindenwood University. I spent most of my career as a political consultant and hated every living second of it.

I am produced and award-winning playwright. (Cyberdate, The Hannigans of Beverly, etc.)

I am the author of 12 books on traditional organized crime, an autobiography (No Time to Say Goodbye) two books of short stories (Short Stories from a Small Town, Washington Behind the Monuments) a novella (Imago Summer, 1971) and several books on Connecticut history. I proud to be the historian of Ansonia Connecticut. I sit on the board of Mt. St. John's School.

I occasionally and reluctantly work as an editor but only when I need money to travel.

I am an accomplished amateur photographer, a frustrated painter and not a half-bad gardener and I cook. I collect coins, stamps and political memorabilia. I love film so much that I built a large theater in my home. (I also wrote "On the Waterfront: the Making of a Great Amercian film")