EST MARATHON 2010

The Ensemble Studio Theatre (EST)'s Short Play Marathon is one of the most important dramatic events of the year. (Note: At 32, it's an upstart youngster compared to The Samuel French Short Play Festival which is a mature 35.)

The Marathon consists of two collections of short plays: Series A begins on May 21 and runs through June 29. Series B runs from June 5 through the 26th.

EST Productions usually feature excellent acting, skillful direction, and outstanding plays, performed on a set with simple stage design. The theater itself is informal, not very big (it can sell out early) and friendly.

SERIES A --

Matthew and the Pastor’s Wife
by Robert Askins
directed by John Giampietro
Matthew is a small town sinner. Dorothy is the pastor’s wife. She’s trying to save his soul. He’s trying to let her. Then he forgets his bible. Then she leans in. When they kiss the world starts to fly apart and it’s gonna take something awful to put it back together.

Safe
by Ben Rosenthal*
directed by Carolyn Cantor
Halloween night. A recently widowed rug salesman must bail his stepson out of jail after the boy assaults a girl at a party. In the aftermath the two must get to the bottom of it all before it is too late – for both of them.

Turnabout
by Daniel Reitz
directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel*
An actor in trouble summons the courage to invite his bitter ex-boyfriend for coffee, not in search of closure or rekindling but to ask a tremendous favor of his ex’s newfound wealth. What dire circumstances would push him to such an act, and if the favor is granted, what strings will be attached?

Where the Children Are
by Amy Fox*
based on an original story by Caitlin Shetterly and Amy Fox
directed by Abigail Zealey Bess*
Where the Children Are interweaves the voices of five parents who have children serving in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The play tracks these parents as they pack hot sauce and snuff into care packages, watch hours of CNN, and take responsibility for grandchildren, somehow managing to support their children and hold onto hope.

Wild Terrain
by Adam Kraar
directed by Richmond Hoxie*
At an outdoor sculpture garden, two scrappy seniors battle over love, art and the relativity of memory. In the uncharted territory of later life, Henry and Marion lose their way – yet persist in navigating their fiery relationship.



SERIES B --

Airborne
by Laura Jacqmin
director TBA
During Private Margaret Jensen’s airborne training, something goes horribly wrong – and she won’t let her CO forget it. A play with a parachute.

Amateurs
by David Auburn*
directed by Harris Yulin*
A young woman confronts the political operative whom she believes destroyed her father’s career.

Anniversary
by Rachel Bonds
directed by Linsay Firman
While grappling with a significant loss, Penelope attempts to function in a world that seems to speed ahead without her; as she embarks on the beginnings of a new relationship, she confronts the promises of time pushing forward and the persistent tug of memories left behind.

Interviewing Miss Davis
by Laura Maria Censabella*
directed by Kel Haney
NYC, mid-1980s. Bette Davis–Miss Davis to you–is post-stroke and recovering nicely, thank you. She’s even acting again. But all goes south when she discovers her beloved assistant Jacqueline is leaving her for good, and a new girl has the audacity to take her place. Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night…

They Float Up
by Jacquelyn Reingold*
director TBA
A white woman of a certain age, buys a young, African-American man a drink, or two, then asks if he’ll pay a dollar to see her tits. Will he? A funny-sad play about topless dancing in New Orleans, getting old in the Finger Lakes, and how to move on after you’ve lost what you most love.

* denotes EST Member

Here's the schedule:

https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/cal/134