N E W P L A Y D E V E L O P M E N T

Stephanie Fongheiser (left) and Izzy Valdes (right) in the staged reading of The Fuck House by Susan H. Pak (photo: Susan H. Pak)

The F*ck House by Susan H. Pak

Izzy Valdes and Stephanie Fongheiser in the staged reading of The Fuck House by Susan H. Pak (photo: Susan H. Pak)

  • In Jan. 2024, I directed a 4-day internal workshop with Strawdog Theatre. This workshop was heavily movement-based, which was a new way of conducting workshops for me.

  • In April 2024, the script got a public reading, in which myself and the actors from the workshop were asked back. In rehearsal we read through the new draft and reviewed notes together to prepare for the reading.

Socks & Co. by Alexander Attea

  • Alexander originally sent me the script when I asked for options to take to a pitch meeting with Eclectic Full Contact Theatre

  • EFCT reached out to us about developing the script as part of a workshop process they were developing

  • In early Nov. 2023, we met with a full cast for a week and overhauled the first act, culminating in an invited reading to get some initial responses to the play

  • In 2024, we have three workshops and another public reading scheduled to continue developing the piece

Work in Progress by Alexander Attea

  • Originally began developing the script informally with the playwright in our free time

  • Brought the script to The Plagiarists for The Wordshop, a developmental reading series that took place in the fall of 2023 - we were able to work with a full cast of actors and a stage manager to develop a specific through-line of the story, and identify areas that needed further work in character arcs

Rehearsal for Work in Progress in The Wordshop, 2023

HOW TO MURDER THE SUPER SCARY PREDATORY HIGH INTEREST STUDENT LOANS THAT HAVE SADDLED AN ENTIRE GENERATION WITH SO MUCH DEBT NO ONE WILL EVER BE ABLE TO BUY A HOUSE OR HAVE KIDS; 
or,
WHY CAN'T YOU JUST STOP BUYING AVOCADO TOAST? 
by Karissa J. Murrell Myers

  • Collaborated as the director to develop the script as part of Fall Reading Series 2022 with Bramble Theatre - five rehearsals and a public reading

  • I directed the first scene as part of the Festival of Unfinished Works in May 2022 with Bramble Theatre

Plaid As Hell by Cat McKay

In rehearsal for Plaid As Hell with Assistant Director Devon Hayakawa during 2022 production, photo by Joe Mazza

  • Directed a staged reading in 2020 for Babes With Blades’ Fighting Words Festival, which involved some further development with the playwright in the room as we rehearsed

  • Overhauled the script in 2021 during rehearsals with Cat and the original cast through devising exercises including movement work, personal anecdotes, and improvisation

  • Final major edits completed in Sept. 2022 in preparation for Nov. 2022 production

  • Directed the full production for Babes With Blades, with input from the production cast on minor script edits in rehearsal

Blood of My Mother’s by Karissa J. Murrell Myers

  • Workshop with Wayward Sisters Theatre Ensemble, 2021

Sub-Culture by Madie Doppelt

  • Workshop with Interrobang Theatre Project for Wrights of Spring 2021 at DePaul University via Zoom, 2021

Phantom Queens by Jessica Johnson

  • Internal developmental reading with Babes With Blades via Zoom, 2020

Poison by Dusty Wilson

  • Internally developed by The Plagiarists prior to the 2020 production

  • Collaborated with Dusty on rewrites during the rehearsal process