Artistic Associates

John Nasca

Patrick Rybarczyk

Derek Van Barham

Kyra Morris

Alex St. John

Nelson Rodriguez

Women's Work

Allison Fradkin   

Artistic Ensemble

Charles A. Berglund

Derek Bertelsen

David Besky

Sam Button-Harrison

Tom Chiola

Edward Fraim

Jude Hansen

Kris Hyland

Donterrio Johnson

Kelley Keough

David Leeper

Joan McGrath

Michelle McKenzie-Voigt

Alexa Ray Meyers

Carmine Molina 

James Nedrud

Robert Ollis

Jordan Phelps

Beth Richards

Raphael Schwartzman

Nicholas Stockwell

Kevin Webb

Writers Network

Marilynn Barner Anselmi

Erin Blackwell

Pat Branch

Martin Casella

Howard Casner

Sean Chandler

Trish Cole

Dylan Costello

Gail Hackston

Brent Hartinger

Tyler Dean Kempf

Corinne J. Kawecki

Barbara Lhota

Benjamin Marshall

Pat Montley

Kari Morris

Dennis Nivens

Perry Ojeda

Amir Sade

Leo Schwartz

Kirt Shineman

Dennis Shinners

George Smart

Mary Steelsmith

Ethan Steers

Enrique Urueta

Vanda

Edward Yaeger, Jr.

Thomas Ziegler

Hello from Pride Films and Plays!

There is only one script and screenplay development company in Chicago - Pride Films and Plays! In three years, we have built a strong Artistic Ensemble working with our Writers Network to create great LGBT plays, musicals, and screenplays that not only represent the community but are essential viewing for ALL. Your financial support makes our work possible, and for that, we thank you!

Eighteen dramatists and screenwriters came to Chicago this year for our festival weekends - hosted by Center on Halsted - where enhanced staged readings of their work enabled them to hear their dialogue aloud for the first time, performed by top-notch Chicago talent. Our staging and design elements help them understand how to shape their work. And we provided them with $6000 in cash support. We also premiered five new short films by Chicago filmmakers during our Gay Film Weekend, and we look forward to greater interaction with Chicago's film community in 2014.

In addition to new play development, we also presented three full-scale productions. The world premiere of Leo Schwartz's musical Under A Rainbow Flag won 2 Jeff Awards - Best New Work and Best Musical Production! We also staged the world premiere of the 2013 Gay Play Contest Winner Directions for Restoring the Apparently Dead by Martin Casella. And - as we believe knowing our history is essential as we choose our path for the future - a 20th anniversary production of Jonathan Harvey's Beautiful Thing.

As we move forward, please consider making a donation to support our mission; your financial assistance is critically important to our work. Our plans for the New Year include more history (Lillian Hellman's controversial and crucial work about love and lies from 1934, The Children's Hour), a Chicago premiere (the musical Songs From An Unmade Bed), and a world premiere to be determined. We will also present special projects and screenings throughout the year as we continue shaping LGBT film and theater for this generation, and for those to come.

I was recently inducted into the City of Chicago's Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame. I took that opportunity to think about my 30 years exploring LGBT issues through music and drama. Through plays dealing with AIDS and HIV, politics and religion, marriage and adoption, artists have always been essential in shaping society's vision. And now with gay issues still contentious around the world as well as here in the USA, PFP's work continues this forward-thinking tradition.