CELEBRITY HOSTS  

Each of the evenings in the Women's Work Weekend has a Celebrity Host to introduce the reading and facilitate the discussion.  

The Wednesday, September 7 reading of Girls Out Loud is hosted by Mary F. Morten, filmmaker, activist, and consultant.  

Celebrity Host for Bad Dog on Thursday, September 8 is actress, singer, director, and business owner Liz Pazik.  

Friday's performance of The Basement is hosted by producer Alexandra Silets of WTTW.

Saturday's 6 pm performance of '70s Shuffle is hosted by Brenda Kelly, actor, writer, and president of the Women's Theatre Alliance of Chicago.  

And the 8 pm performance of Patient HM is hosted by Kelli Strickland, actress and arts educator.  

On Sunday, the 1:30 performance of Raising Ricci is hosted by State Representative Kelly Cassidy.  

The 3:30 performance of Leap of Faith is hosted by Corinne J. Kawecki, playwright.  

And the 6 p.m. performance of Still Fighting It is hosted by Francesca Peppiatt, writer and teacher at Stockyards Theatre Project.     

We thank them for their support of these exciting new works.   

About 

PRIDE FILMS AND PLAYS 

Pride Films and Plays fosters excellent writing for the stage and screen that speaks not only to the LGBT community, but is essential viewing for our friends, family, and co-workers.

Using stories with gay and lesbian characters or themes, Pride Films and Plays develops human stories of parenting, marriage, faith, and love that become a cultural bridge to understanding. 

Pride Films and Plays, based in Chicago, links an international network of writers with professionals working in film and theater.

Through readings, contests, classes, screenings and full theater productions, PFP engages artists and audiences in the full developmental process needed to make great artistic experiences.

Entries in the Great Gay Play and Musical Contest will be accepted between September 1 and October 31.  Find application information here.  The five finalists win $400 and a staged reading of their work in Chicago during the first quarter of 2012.   

Thanks To Our Sponsors! 

As Pride Films and Plays takes root in the local and national arts communities, we need your help. Individual donors from Chicago and throughout the country have recognized that what we do is unique and important. Their impact has helped us have a great first year. 

If you can make a donation at this time, you can do so on-line here. We save money by processing our own cards, and will acknowledge your gift directly within 24 hours.   

Pride Films and Plays has largely been a volunteer effort thus far, but as we grow we need funds for artist and staff support. The help of individual donors will assist us greatly.  

Pride Films and Plays is a 501(c)3 non-profit, and your gift is deductible to the full extent the law allows.  

Thank you for your support.

David Zak

Executive Director

Wednesday, September 7, 7:30 pm

Girls Out Loud  

by Pat Branch, Los Angeles, CA

Genevieve Thompson, Director

A 30-something cynic gives up on romantic love and knocks herself up just in time to meet the woman of her dreams.  This bundle of joy might have three baby mamas!   

Pat Branch is a screenwriter, novelist, and stand-up comic.  She produces the stand-up comedy show "I'm Just Saying...!" in West Hollywood, and her scripts have reached the quarter- and semi-final rounds of leading screenwriting competitions (Nicholls Fellowships, Sundance, Scriptapalooza).

Genevieve Thompson was a founding member of Infamous Commonwealth Theatre.  Some favorite productions there were The Grapes of Wrath, Cloud 9

The cast includes Amy Rapp, Becky Bush, Beth Richards, Clarissa Gregg, Dana Cruz, Hannah Gomez, Jen Mathews, Katelyn Foley, Kyra Morris, Robb Rabito, Stephen Dunn, and Whitney Hayes.

Purchase tickets for Girls Out Loud here.  

Thursday, September 8, 7:30 pm

Bad Dog  

by Jennifer Hoppe-House, Los Angeles, CA

Ebony Joy, Director

Molly has fallen off the wagon and driven her Audi through the house.  When her beleaguered wife escorts her home from the hospital, Molly finds her far-flung, dysfunctional family descending to intervene.      

Jennifer Hoppe-House lives in Los Angeles, where she writes for film (the upcoming Fortune, starring Kim Basinger, Catherine O'Hara, and Jason Patric) and television (Nurse Jackie, Damages).    

Playwright, director, producer, and performer, Ebony Joy was executive director for the African American Arts Alliance of Chicago (2003 - 2005) and artistic director for Evanston's Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre (2005 - 2009). Ebony is completing her first documentary on the honorable Lorraine Morton. She is the recipient of the 2009 Y Women of Promise, Lorraine Morton Award.

For tickets to Bad Dog go here.  

Friday, September 9, 7:30 pm

The Basement  

by Dawn Marie Guernsey, Lawrence, KS

Sarah Ballema, Director

Trapped in the basement of a building destroyed in a tornado, Lena confronts demons from her past as she endures the cruelties of the property owner, who refuses to help her.      

Dawn Marie Guernsey is a successful visual artist who has recently turned to writing dramatic scripts.  Her other screenplays, After Cecelia and The Good One, have done well in film festivals, placing in Page Awards, Fade In, Flagstaff, Mountain Festival, and others.     

Sarah Ballema has directed new play development workshops, readings, and productions with Corn Productions, the Living Room Project, Around the Coyote, and the University of Iowa Playwrights' Workshop.  Her production of Jesus Camp: The Musical runs at Cornservatory through October 2nd.

The Basement features Kelli Walker, Mary McClenahan, Laura Escobar, Jessica Kadish, and Patrick Gannon.

For tickets to The Basement go here.   

For tickets to Patient HM go here.

For tickets to Raising Ricci go here.

Sunday, September 11, 3:30 pm

Leap of Faith  

by Alicia Lomas-Gross, Colton, CA

Shifra Werch, Director

A timid lesbian Catholic schoolteacher falls for a student's devout mother and must convince her that they are more than just friends.   

Alicia Lomas-Gross is a forensic scientist by day and screenwriter by night. She survived 12 years of Catholic school and writes to tell about it. She likes making you laugh.   

Shifra Werch has been a part of more than 200 productions and films as dancer, actor, designer, and director. She was the co-founder and artistic director of L'Opera Piccola, and has staged work at Milwaukee Opera, Tucson Opera, and Quincy Opera. She had the honor of co-directing The Soldier's Tale at The Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Center. She is very proud of her latest endeavor, Beethoven in Vienna.

Leap of Faith features Susan Haugland, Meagan Tabaque, Jason Gorczyca, Sarah Gerloff, Patrick McGuire, Sophia Hopp, Abby Blair, Alison Rohrback, Christopher Davis, and Elka Welch.

For tickets to Leap of Faith go here.