Past Productions

We were founded in 2007. You can read general info about us here, and see who is on our Board of Directors here!

This is an article written about us in 2012 in CaryCitizen! Here is a radio interview from 2015 (minutes 20-40)!

These are nice summaries of some of our more recent years: 2014-2015, 2013-2014, 2012-2013

Shows, Workshops, and other Highlights:

2023-2024 Season:

• July 2023 – PlaySlam! The Sketch-tacular 2023
• August 2023 – 2023 NC Radio Play Festival – The Impossible!
• September 2023 – Coming Back for Me by Amy da Luz

2022-2023 Season (returning to live events):

• November 2022 – Fundraiser Event with Switchyard Theatre Company
• February 2023 – It’s Been One Week (2023 Edition)

2021-2022 Season (our virtual season):

• July 2021 – The Spire – an audio series by Larry Bliss
• July 2021 – The Glimmer Within – An Audio Play in Four Parts by Ken Walsh
• August 2021 – Staged Reading of The Unsanctioned Minutes from St. Lucy’s Quaternitarian Church Council’s Last Meeting – by Ken Walsh
• October 2021 – The Malone Family in the Enchanted Forest – an audio series by Clint Festa
• February 2022 – It’s Been One Week (2022 Edition)
• May 2022 – 2022 NC Radio Play Festival – SciFi

2020-2021 Season (trying new things):

• September 2020 – 2020 NC 10 by 10 Festival
• October 2020 – 2020 NC Radio Play Festival – Halloween
• February 2021 – It’s Been One Week (1st Year)
• March 2021 – 2021 NC Radio Play Festival – Rebirth

2019-2020 Season (transitional year):

• July 2019 – 2019 NC 10 by 10 Festival
• July 2019 – Town of Cary general grant awarded – $2500
• September 2019 – GPF Radio Hour
• November 2019 – Bar Plays 5.0 at Fortnight Brewery
• January 2020 – Bar Plays Revisited (5.1)
• March 2020 – Bar Plays Revisited (5.2)
• April 2020 –  Project Chrysalis 2020
• May 2020 – Bar Plays Revisited (5.3)
• May 2020 – PlaySlam! 2020: A Fifth of PlaySlam!

2018-2019 Season

• July 2018 – NC 10 by 10 Festival 2018 at Carrboro’s The ArtsCenter and The Cary Theatre
  • Photos! Videos!
• July 2018 – Town of Cary general grant awarded – $2500
• November 2018 – Bar Plays 4.0 at Fortnight Brewery
• January 2019 – Town of Cary Lazy Daze grant awarded – $1000
• February 2019 – Radio Play contest
• March 2019 – LITE Short Play Festival 2019, part of the CPF Independent Producers Series (Jack Berry)
• May 2019 – PlaySlam! 2019: May the Fourth PlaySlam Be With You!
  • Photos! Video!

2017 – 2018 Season

• July 2017 – Town of Cary general grant awarded – $2000
• July 2017 – United Arts Council grant awarded – $2100
• August 2017 – Playwriting Workshop for Veterans
• September 2017 – Directing for Writers
• September 2017 SPARKCon Theatre – selection from Chrysalis
• November 2017 – Bar Plays 3
• November 2017 – Dawn’s Early Light, part of the CPF Independent Producers Series
• January 2018 – Writing a 10–Minute Play, 4-week class
• January 2018 – Town of Cary Lazy Daze grant awarded – $1000
• March 2018 – No Exit, part of the CPF Independent Producers Series (Pequod Productions)
• April 2018 – Grandchild of PlaySlam –  Photos!
• June 2018 – Master Class Series: The Finish Line
• June 2018 – Volunteer Appreciation soiree

2016 – 2017 Season

• July 2016 – Town of Cary general grant awarded – $2000
• July 2016 – United Arts Council grant awarded – $1500
• November 2016 – Bar Plays 2.0
  • Pictures
• January 2017 – Town of Cary Lazy Daze grant awarded – $1000
• February 2017 – Chrysalis Project
  • Short scenes from full-length works presented as a staged reading
  • One audience favorite emerged and the full-length play will be work-shopped and produced in June 2017
• March 2017 – LITE Short Play Festival 2017, part of the CPF Independent Producers Series (Jack Berry)
• April 2017 – First Live Broadcast of the CPF Radio Hour on April 11th, 2017
• April 2017 –  PlaySlam! 2017: Son of PlaySlam
  • Photos
  • Videos (Part 1 / Part 2)
• June 2017 – THE BRIDGE by Alexandra Hubbell, a Project Chrysalis production
  • New full-length play that was live-workshopped in its entirety
• June 2017 – Playwriting Basics, class on How to Write a Play
• June 2017 – Volunteer Appreciation soiree

Early 2016:

• Jun: ‘Volunteer Appreciation‘ – reception and movie at the Cary movie theatre. Producer: Laura Arwood.  Follow the link for pictures and video of photo slides from previous productions!
• Jun: ‘New Works’ – first CPF full-length NC-written plays, minimally staged. ‘Burt and Abbie’ (workshopped) and ‘After the Fall’. Producer: Lydia Sbityakov and Marina Enslen. At the Cary Art Center (Paul Cooper room).
• Apr: ‘PlaySlam’ – 3-minute play contest! Producer: Thom Haynes. At The Cary Theatre. Click here for pictures and here for video! We also took four of the pieces to the SPARKcon ‘Straight Play’ Showcase!
• Mar: ‘Chakra (The Wheel of Life)’ – Co-production of an English translation (by a Morrisville NC resident Dr. Vijaya Bapat) of a one-act about revenge and forgiveness based on the Indian epic Mahabharata; included live classical Indian music and puppetry. A portion of the proceeds benefitted the Marathi language program in Morrisville that was co-founded by the translator. Producer/Director: Lydia Sbityakov. At the Cary Arts Center ‘Paul Cooper room’. Click here for pictures!
• Feb: Town of Cary Lazy Daze grant awarded – $750
• Jan/Feb: ‘Winter Writing Workshops‘ at the Cary Arts Center (6 week ‘Introduction to Screenwriting’)

2015:

• Nov: ‘Celebration of NC Songwriting’ – Co-production with Kirk Ridge & Friends band, at The Cary Theatre (122 E Chatham St.). “Five of North Carolina’s celebrated songwriters come together for a festive evening of original music. Playing in an entertaining full-band format, the show features a wide range of musical styles that will keep you smiling and moving in your seats.”
• Nov: ‘Fall Writing Workshops‘ at the Cary Arts Center (‘The Art of Adaptation’, ‘Comedy Tonight’)
• Sep: United Arts Council grant awarded – $1590
• Sep: ‘Bar Plays’ – An evening of 5 locally-written (NC authors) short plays that each take place in a watering hole. Performance venue was Cary’s “Mac’s Tavern” (1014 Ryan Rd.). “Come grab a drink at your local bar and watch a variety of plays unfold right before your eyes! Some will be over before you finish your drink; others will have you calling for another round. All are guaranteed to leave you buzzed.” Pictures, a video (of ‘Blind Date’), and more pictures! We also took two of the pieces to the SPARKcon ‘Straight Play’ Showcase!
• Jul: Town of Cary general grant awarded – $1650
• Jun: ‘Jane Austen Drinks the Young Wine’ – We tricked twelve playwrights into adapting “Pride and Prejudice” … they didn’t know what show they were writing until it was done.  With live original music written and performed by the Kirk Ridge & Friends band. Click here for Austen-tatious pictures!

2014:

• Dec: ‘The Finish Line’ – Playwriting with Ian Finley – a 6-session workshop for writers who have a nearly-complete draft of any length, that explores the craft of revision.
• Nov: ‘Tar Heel Tales‘ –  A full production and world premiere of six original short plays by North Carolinians with live original music written and performed by the Kirk Ridge & Friends band! The first live theatre event in the new ‘The Cary‘ moviehouse! Click here for pictures and movie trailer! (DVD available for purchase!)
• May: ‘Staged Reading of New Works‘ – Featuring eleven local playwrights, across two nights, each evening with different plays! Performed at the Paul Cooper Room at the Cary Arts Center. Click here for pictures! Here is the program for one of the two.
• Feb: ‘Playwriting Workshop with Mark Harvey Levine‘ – In association with the Cary Players production of his works, each participant’s short play is discussed and feedback is given by Mr. Levine, a master of the short play form.   Click here for pictures!
• Jan: ‘24 Hour Play Festival‘ at NRACT (North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre) – Six Playwrights! Six Directors! And only 24 hours to create six new plays for 21 actors! Thanks to Kirk Ridge and Friends Band for performing original music during the show! Click here for pictures!

2013:

• Oct: ‘Close Encounters: Tales of Space, Ghosts & Blood!‘ – Staged reading at the Paul Cooper Room in the Cary Arts Center. The show included two ‘plays of the day’ contributed by passers-by at our CPF booth at Cary’s Lazy Daze! Click here and here for pictures!
• Sept: ‘Fracturing’ – Working with the Roving Readers of the Triangle,  a reading of the 2010 Off-Broadway play at Carolina Meadows to benefit the Sierra Club.
• August: ‘Threads’ – A summer showcase of short plays in the Marcus Dry Room at the Cary Arts Center. These plays were developed through our playwriting workshop taught by Jesse Lowe at Carolina Preserve, an active adult community, to assist the development of new playwrights in our community.
• Mar: ‘The State I’m In‘ – A collaboration with Owl Tree Theatre, a fully-staged series of plays at the Paul Cooper Room at the Cary Arts Center. Click here for pictures!
• Mar: ‘Spring Forward! Tales of Life, Love, and Rebirth‘ – A staged reading at the Paul Cooper Room of the Cary Arts Center. Click here for pictures!

2012:

• Nov: ‘Storytelling‘ – A staged reading at the Triangle Wine Company and Cary Arts Center.
• Sept: ‘Pitfalls and Promises’ – Partnered with WinterWorks Productions in presenting this new one act musical play.
• Jun: ‘Summer Evening of Original Plays‘ – Our first fully-staged production on the main stage at the Cary Arts Center! Click here and here for pictures, and here for a video of Bachebaze! Here is the program.
• Jan: ‘Winter Festival of Short Plays’ – A staged reading at the Cary Arts Center. The plays: Gondola Fare by Phil Lewis, Sight by Don Quiett, A Very Bad Western by Laura E. Towne, Inspiration From A Spider by Catherine Thoits, Off the Beaten Path by Nancy Young, The Tennessee Waltz by Patti Merz. Here is the program.

Late 2011

• November 2011 – ‘Taking Care of Mimi’ – a staged reading of Marilynn Anselmi’s play at the Cary Arts Center.

2010-2011 Season

• December 2010 – 6th Staged Readings at the Page-Walker House
• June 2011 – An Afternoon of 8 Short, Original Plays presented at Bond Park Community Center

2009-2010 Season

• June 2009  – 3rd Staged Readings at the Herb Young Community Center
  • Here is the program.
• January 2010 – 4th Staged Readings at the Herb Young Community Center
  • Here is the program.
• June 2010 – 5th Staged Readings at the Page-Walker House
  • Here is the program

2008-2009 Season

• June 2008 – First Staged Reading of New Works – at the Herb Young Community Center
  • Here is the program
• December 2008 – Holiday Journeys
  • 2nd staged readings at the Herb Young Community Center
  • Here is the program.