SILVER SPRING STAGE 2019 ONE-ACT FESTIVAL
ANNOUNCES ITS SUMMER LINEUP AND CALL FOR DIRECTORS

Silver Spring Stage is seeking directors for the 14 diverse and highly entertaining short plays selected for its 2019 One-Act Festival. The Festival will take place on the weekends of August 15-18, August 22-25, and August 29-September 1, with a different program each weekend.

Interested directors should email oneacts2019@ssstage.org no later than May 10 with the following information:

  • Your name and contact info
  • Your directorial or theatrical resume
  • A statement of interest including the types of plays you would like to direct (dramas, comedies, etc.). You may express interest in a specific play based on the descriptions below but are not required to do so.

Silver Spring Stage is an all-volunteer community theatre. Productions will be adjudicated. Directing, acting, and writing awards given as determined by the Festival judges at the conclusion of the Festival. The top one or two shows may be sent to the Maryland Community Theatre Festival and/or the Eastern States Theatre Association Festival.

Some additional details to keep in mind as you consider participation in the Festival:

  • We will hold a director orientation sometime in May or early June
  • Auditions will be held June 8-9. If you are not available these dates, we can help you make arrangements to have a proxy cast your show.

WEEKEND 1: COMING OF AGE
Sam Feals
by Julia Harris
Sam is a teenage girl diving headfirst into a new school year. With the help of her senses of Passion, Wonder, Anxiety, and Peace—personified by other actors—she learns to navigate homework, crushes, and the challenges of growing up.  Light drama.

Express
by Diane Nichols
Young Ed runs away from home to join the Pony Express, despite the pleas of her close friend Frannie. Ed’s plans are threatened when another rider realizes that Ed is a girl, but then a crisis comes along that only she can help resolve.  Drama.

The Birthday Gift
by Elizabeth Douglas
Stephanie meets her parents for dinner to celebrate her 21st birthday, completely unprepared for the surprise that they have planned: they’re starting a new life that doesn’t include room for Stephanie and her siblings.  Comedy.

Last Night at the Arcade by Kay Ellen Bullard
A desperate kid hatches a plan to save a shuttered arcade, only to be dismissed by the elderly owner. After the owner’s son arrives, the three come to understand the challenges facing their generations and the difficult relationships between fathers and sons.  Drama.

The Closet
by Steffi Rubin
Sisters Caroline and Ruth stare at a closet full of shoes, the final step before they can begin a long-overdue night out. A disagreement about footwear opens the door to long-simmering sibling rivalry, as they struggle to understand and accept each other’s life choices.  Comedy.

WEEKEND 2: LIVES AND DEATHS
Best Friends Forever
by Diana Lee Woody
Genevieve and Molly use a Ouija board to reach out to their friend Amanda, who passed away in a random accident a year ago. But when they succeed in making contact with her spirit, they don’t expect Amanda to ask them to join her!  Dark Comedy.

Prisoner of Love
by Keith Whalen
Hal wakes up from a nap to find that his wife, Sophie, has handcuffed him to their couch.  With him unable to escape, Sophie forces Hal to answer a series of self-help questions designed to get to the heart of their dysfunctional marriage.  Comedy.

The Rockefeller Special
by Ryan Stevens
A history professor and an ensemble of players interrupt the evening to present an irreverent, no-holds-barred story about a dead rich white man. It’s the definitive recounting of the life of John D. Rockefeller, “an American F—ing Asshole.”  Comedy.

The Elimination Round
by Carl L. Williams
A wealthy man hires a contract killer to murder his wife so he can marry his new love, but it turns out that the hitman is open to better offers. The four of them end up in a battle of wits, bribes, and negotiations to determine who wins and who dies.  Comedy.

Miss Peddy & Grace
by William Ivor Fowkes
Miss Peddy is a caretaker to the elderly with a history of manipulating her charges for her own financial gain. But is she prepared to handle Grace, a cunning old woman with a penchant for schemes of her own?   Drama.

WEEKEND 3: MODERN LOVE
Yalu River
by Nan Gatewood Satter
Zach and Lys are world travelers, trapped in an airport terminal as they wait for their flights. The two pass the time by flirting through stories of great adventures and failed relationships, forging a possible connection in the process.  Comedy.

Help Wanted
by Agyeiwaa Asante
After Deana’s chronic pain makes it impossible for her and her husband, Prince, to have sex, the two hire Sadira, a college professor who doubles as a sex worker, for help.  The together, the three navigate delicate issues of love, intimacy, and support. Drama.

Gone Fishin’
by Steve Langley
In the wake of Rodney Dixon’s untimely death, his father and his roommate, Clay, meet at a secluded fishing hole to talk. When Clay reveals that he and Rodney actually were a romantic couple, Mr. Dixon struggles to accept truths about the son he never really understood.  Drama.

The Mysterious Life, And Even More Mysterious Death, Of That Guy Who Lived Below Max And Beth
by Mark Staufenberg
As police comb over the apartment beneath them, Max and Beth try to figure out what happened to their now-deceased neighbor. After Beth sneaks in via the fire escape for a closer look, she and Max become the prime suspects in an absurd crime story.  Comedy.