The Hampton Years at Page-to-Stage: Thoughts and Reflections

9/5/2012

Monday's Page-to-Stage reading of The Hampton Years was a huge success! The Kennedy Center's Page-to-Stage offers local theatre companies and playwrights the opportunity to share new plays in development at a nationally recognized venue. In doing so, the plays will be introduced to a larger and more diverse audience than they might have reached in their theatres.

It was wonderful and necessary to get back in the room with the cast and hear the script aloud. I've been through three drafts since the first read in January and have met with director Shirley Serotsky, dramaturg Otis Ramsey-Zoe and artistic director Ari Roth on multiple occasions to discuss the script. However, in order to know if a line, moment, joke, or particular turn of phrase works or not, you've just got to hear it. And the play has grown so much! The story is rich, vibrant and compelling. The characters are strong, passionate, and dynamic. I was really quite proud and look forward to developing it further over the next several months.

Prior to the reading, I checked in with Shirley Serotsky and Otis Ramsey-Zoe to hear their thoughts on the benefits of Page-to-Stage.

SHIRLEY SEROTSKY
"Page-to-stage is one of the many things that makes me feel incredibly grateful to be a part of the DC Theater community. Not only is it an opportunity to build and develop plays, it is a chance for us to build and develop community. The buzz and vitality of the Kennedy Center during this special weekend--both from rehearsal room to rehearsal room and also as a whole--is thrilling. I'm glad that we have the chance to share the most recent version of THE HAMPTON YEARS in this environment."

OTIS RAMSEY-ZOE
"The play has changed a great deal since the January 2012 reading, and it’ll continue to grow even more in the march towards opening in June. Page-2-Stage is a wonderful opportunity to check-in with the play in the company of peers and people who are very enthusiastic about new plays. This work of making play is a very serious enterprise. Page-2-Stage is a celebration of all that is exciting in this business of play, but it is also an opportunity to continue to work a play."

This reading of The Hampton Years was directed by Shirley Serotsky with dramatugy by Otis Ramsey-Zoe featured Edward Christian, Jessica Francis Dukes, Lolita-Marie, Julian Martinez, Sasha Olinick, Colin Smith, Emily Townley and David Lamont Wilson. Between all the great work that was happening, I managed to take a few photos. Enjoy!