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Playwright, actor, and director Dave DeChristopher became Artistic Director of the Toledo Repertoire Theatre a mere fifteen months ago. However, this longtime member of the Guild wasted little time in creating a new outlet for dramatists in his hometown. In February 2017, DeChristopher produced the first iteration of Toledo Voices, a series of play readings that is intended to serve as the foundation of an ongoing development program. “I think finding a group or a home—a place where [playwrights] can have [their] work read and responded to—it’s really important,” DeChristopher says. “That was the impetus.”

DeChristopher began the process for Toledo Voices with an open call for scripts. Plays of varying lengths and styles were chosen; directors were hired; casts were assembled through open auditions. Then, on February 11, the series launched with a reading of Tania by Nina Wright, billed as “a droll retelling of the saga of Patty Hearst.” Additional readings on February 25 and March 11 featured playwrights Tanner DuVall, F. Scott Regan, and Deborah Coulter-Harris, and wrapped up the first year’s activities. For DeChristopher, this sequence of biweekly meetings became the blueprint for what he envisions as a long-running program, one that can extend beyond staged readings to other forms of support. “The next step,” he says, “would be to have a group that meets every couple of weeks, and is able to develop their work with actors.” Looking ahead, DeChristopher’s ultimate goals include full productions of new plays, perhaps self-produced by a company that evolves out of this workshop. This would build on Toledo Rep’s other efforts such as their production of Toledo-based playwright (and Guild member) Eric Pfeffinger’s Human Error this coming November.

DeChristopher derived the concept of Toledo Voices in part from his experience with Aural Stage, a playwriting group he worked with during his years in New York. Of his own writing, DeChristopher says, “My style is a bit absurdist. Even my full-length plays tend to have one-act components in them.” He identifies social topics such as “bigotry, ageism, homophobia, and violence” as recurring preoccupations. Despite his busy schedule managing Toledo Rep and holding down a teaching position at a local academy, he still manages to see “one or two plays a year done.” In addition to five published plays, his credits include a series of spy novels entitled The Force.

Although his writing experience is extensive, DeChristopher enjoys the variety of duties he performs as Artistic Director. “I think I’m sort of a ‘slash’,” he laughs. “Actor – slash – director – slash – playwright. It seems like doing multiple things is helpful in terms of invigorating you for [all] aspects of what you do.” This comes in handy at Toledo Rep, where, DeChristopher says, “I sort of oversee everything.”

When asked why he belongs to the Guild, DeChristopher says, “It seems like a natural step. For one thing, for finding places to have your work done. That was really where it started. I thought it was natural from an informational standpoint, and also as an imprimatur of your professionalism.” For playwrights in the Toledo area, it is thrilling to see what will develop with this Guild member’s support.

dtodd@dramatistsguild.com

@dramatistsguild

Dramatists have a guild, not a union, because we own our work and our ownership is inviolable. This distinction didn’t stop four Cleveland DG members from launching “Playwrights Local 4181,” a group devoted exclusively to supporting theater artists in Northeast Ohio. On their to-do list: new play development, staged readings, full productions, professional development, partnerships with other theatres, new technologies and community outreach.

The project is the brainchild of playwright/educator David Todd, who moved back to Cleveland in 2014. He noticed that many area dramatists were not being served by even the most supportive producing companies. Markets large and small had playwright centers, he thought. Why not Cleveland?

Early in 2015, Todd met with colleagues Tom Hayes, Arwen Mitchell and Michael Geither to create a “center of gravity” for area dramatists. Echoing the area’s blue collar vibe, they chose a worker motif. Everyone pitches in for the common good. (“4181” represents Cleveland’s latitude and longitude.)

The group hit the ground running, assigning titles and tasks. Todd is Artistic Director. Hayes is Managing Director. Mitchell is Literary Manager and Geither is Director of Education and Engagement. They quickly obtained non-profit status and found space at Waterloo Arts, in the city’s newly revitalized North Collinwood neighborhood. Arts organizations now offer an active schedule of programs, exhibits and live performances there.

By November, PL4181 had brought to Collinwood the first Cleveland Playwrights Festival. The two-day event featured staged readings of six short works, Michael Laurenty’s full-length Dye Jung, and a live performance/podcast of Geither’s Flame Puppy. There were workshops on craft and a professional development panel. By any measure, the event was a success, with more than 150 artists and area residents attending.

Now underway is a Spring Play Lab that offers writers three months of support with their full-length scripts. PL4181 provides directors, actors and dramaturgs as well as space for table readings, feedback, rehearsal and public staged readings. New works by Nivi Engineer, Claire Robinson May and Amy Schwabauer are the centerpiece of the April Lab.

PL4181’s first fully staged production comes this May with Les Hunter’s To the Orchard. Winner of a Foundation for Jewish Culture New Play grant, it had early readings at Boston Playwrights Theatre and Brooklyn College. It took a move to Cleveland to stage its world premiere.

PL4181’s second production is slated for this November. It’s a documentary-style piece about the November 2014 shooting death of twelve-year-old Clevelander Tamir Rice. Police opened fire after mistaking the boy’s toy gun for a real one—and compounded the damage by delaying a call for help. Neither officer involved will face criminal charges in a case that has gained national prominence. Six writers are interviewing community members, media, and law and government officials to reflect the impact of the tragedy and its aftermath. Following the play’s opening at Waterloo Arts, it will tour throughout the city and its inner-ring suburbs.

Plans are also in the works for a March 2017 weekend-long celebration of Cleveland-born playwright Mac Wellman. On the drawing board: a production of Bitter Bierce, Wellman’s homage to satirist Ambrose Bierce. Other Wellman plays (or Wellman-inspired scripts coming out of Wellman-style workshops) will be performed. The playwright is scheduled to attend the festivities.

The company couldn’t manage without partners. PL4181 relies on co-sponsorships with multiple organizations, including universities and theatres working on the Wellman festival. They now provide or curate live theatre performances at Waterloo Arts events. And their staff of educators lead writing workshops throughout the city.

Playwrights Local partners next with the Dramatists Guild, co-sponsoring our April regional meeting as part of its spring festival. The Guild benefits by welcoming potential members. And who knows? Guild members just might find solidarity in this new union.

For more information, visit www.playwrightslocal.org.

Logo for PL4181

 PL4181 founder David Todd. Photo credit: Steven Mastroiani

fsholiton@dramatistsguild.com