@dramatistsguild @Cheryl_Coons

In August 2014, I became the Chicago Regional Rep, following in the footsteps of Douglas Post, my teacher, mentor and friend. As Gary Garrison and Roland Tec expressed when they attended our Chicago Town Hall in September, Doug created programs and initiatives that have become models for successful Dramatists Guild events in other regions. It has been a joy for me to support Doug in this role for the past seven years, and it’s an honor for me to continue the programs he began, as well as create new opportunities for connection, education, and inspiration for our Region’s members.

On October 18, 2014, more than 30 playwrights from Chicago and Wisconsin gathered at Ten Chimneys in Genesee Depot, WI, the former home of legendary actors Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, to discuss new play development with artistic leaders from Wisconsin theatres. The idyllic setting informed the conversation. Tucked away in the woods, Ten Chimneys is a sophisticated museum and national resource for theatre and arts education. Playwrights and panelists took private tours of the Lunt/Fontanne estate before gathering for the discussion. Chicago playwright Steven Peterson observed, “The Lunts adored their playwrights and at Ten Chimneys we saw how: the little cottage where they locked in S.N. Behrman until he finished a script, the swimming pool where Noel Coward took his nude plunge every morning, the lines from Robert Sherwood plays integrated into the decor.”

The panel discussion took place in the museum’s Program Hall, where glass walls provide a panoramic view of the wooded estate. The panel featured Brent Hazelton, Director of New Project Development, Milwaukee Repertory Theater (also a Dramatists Guild member); Suzan Fete, Artistic Director of Renaissance Theaterworks in Milwaukee; Marti Gobel, Artistic Director of Uprooted Theatre in Milwaukee; Heather Renken, Artistic Director, Broom Street Theater in Madison; Greg Vinkler, Artistic Director of Peninsula Players in Fish Creek; and Brian Wild, Executive Director of Proud Theater in Madison. Randy Bryant, Executive Director and C.E.O. of the Ten Chimneys Foundation, an eloquent man with a passion for nurturing theatre artists, moderated the discussion.

Playwright Ruby Berryman observed “The panel discussion offered a good overview on where and to whom to submit plays in Milwaukee, Madison, and the surrounding area. The panelists were generous with their information and insights.” Each panelist emphasized the importance of playwrights getting to know the work of the theatres to which they want to submit work. Berryman forged an immediate connection with one of the panelists and arranged to see a show at her theatre the next day.

Librettist and lyricist Lauren Taslitz also appreciated the educational value of the panel. “It was illuminating to hear from the artistic directors, and to find that many are looking for new work. But for me the best part of the day was getting to spend time with other playwrights. Because I carpooled from Chicago, I met and spent time with two playwrights I wouldn’t have met otherwise.”

Wisconsin playwright Shelia Payton observed “This was my first opportunity since becoming a Dramatists Guild member to have face to face conversations with fellow playwrights. Because I live in Wisconsin and most of the past Dramatists Guild events were held in the evening in Chicago, I was not able to take advantage of those opportunities. I really appreciate the effort to move events around the region, and believe this is the first step toward building a network of colleagues that will prove beneficial to the development of my work.”

We have created a private Facebook group for our region, where members can connect and post items of interest and topics for discussion. Please contact me if you’re interested in being a member of our Facebook group, or if you have ideas for locations for future events in our region.

ccoons@dramatistsguild.com

Photo: (above) Ten Chimneys

Photo: (above) Program Hall