Now in its thirteenth year, the At First Sight New Works Festival will feature the always popular At First Shorts evening of new short plays, a series of panels hosted by M.F.A. Dramaturgy students featuring theatre makers from the Indiana community, and playwriting workshops with special guests. Students are joined by industry professionals who provide their insight and expertise throughout the weekend.

FREE ADMISSION TO ALL EVENTS

 AT A GLANCE

Friday, January 24th

5:00 PM  At First Sight Opening Night Party Celebration

Saturday, January 25th

7:30 PM  JAM SESSION: Together On Earth

Sunday, January 26th

7:30 PM  Workshop reading of the play “Silent Shadows” by Golsa Sohrabi

Monday, January 27th

11:15 AM Ralph L. Collins Memorial Lecture, Lynde Rosario (Playwrights’ Center)

3:00 PM Conversation with Ken Cerniglia—Writer, Dramaturg and Creative Executive—ONLINE EVENT

7:30 PM  Workshop reading the play “Bite-sized” by Wren Latham

Tuesday, January 28th

11:15 AM  Lecture by Greg Allen, Founding Director of The Neo-Futurists and  creator of Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind

7:30 PM Workshop reading of the play "of dreamers and desperados" by Julia Cerqueira

Wednesday, January 29th

1:00 PM Emerging Regional Playwrights Initiative

3:00 PM Playwright’s Cookie Time: an informal conversation with guests

5:30 PM Industry Night Celebration @ Constellation Stage & Screen

7:30 PM  Concert reading of “A Brief History of Terrible Advice Given To and By Me,” a new play by Annalise Cain

Thursday, January 30th

3:00 PM IU Emerging Playwrights’ Mentorship Program

7:30 PM  The Black, Brown, & Beige Theatre Troupe New Work Showcase

Friday, January 31st

11:00 AM  “Theater & Climate Justice: What Now?” – Panel discussion with Theresa J. May (U. Oregon);  Chantal Bilodeau (Arts & Climate Initiative); Molly Braverman (Broadway Green Alliance)—ONLINE EVENT

7:30 PM  At First Shorts

To Follow  At First Sight Closing Celebration

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS

Friday, January 24th

5:00 PM At First Sight Opening Night Party, Celebration

Join us for food and socializing as we kick off the 13th annual At First Sight New Works Festival. Meet with the festival curators and producers, learn more about the upcoming events, and get some bites to eat!  

Location: 

Art Gallery—Mezzanine area of the Lee Norvelle Theatre Center    

Saturday, January 25th 

7:30 PM JAM SESSION: Together On Earth 

An evening of improvisation open to artists from all disciplines! Writers, dancers, movers, performers, directors, designers, musicians, composers, filmakers: join us for this evening of creative exploration in honor of the planet we inhabit. 

This is a collaboration between the playwriting, dance, and music composition programs. 

(IU Theatre & Dance | Jacobs School of Music)  

Facilitated by Ana Carneiro, in collaboration with Annalise Cain.

Location:  

Studio Theatre—Lee Norvelle Theatre Center, 2nd floor

Sunday, January 26th 

7:30 PM Workshop reading of the play “Silent Shadows” by Golsa Sohrabi 

Mina, Andrew, and Jessie navigate love, identity, and power in a polyamorous relationship. When secrets are revealed, the delicate boundaries between connection and control are challenged. 

M.F.A. playwrights reading series.

This is a free, non-ticketed event to be held on a first-come, first-served basis. House opens at 7:00 PM; reading begins at 7:30 PM, with a talkback to follow. 

Location:  

Studio Theatre—Lee Norvelle Theatre Center, 2nd floor 

Monday, January 27th 

11:15 AM Ralph L. Collins Memorial Lecture, Lynde Rosario (Playwrights’ Center)

IU Theatre & Dance is pleased to bring in distinguished artists and scholars for its Collins Lecture series, providing insight, history, and the creativity of professionals to our students and the greater Bloomington community. 

Lynde Rosario (she/her/hers) is a dramaturg and the Director of Fellowship Programs at the Playwrights’ Center. She is also a past president of the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas. She holds a B.A. in Drama from Hofstra University and a M.F.A. in Dramaturgy from The American Repertory Theatre/Moscow Art Theatre Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University. 

Location:  

A201—Lee Norvelle Theatre Center, 2nd floor. 

3:00 PM Conversation with Ken Cerniglia—Writer, Dramaturg and Creative Executive—ONLINE EVENT

Ken Cerniglia is a veteran dramaturg, writer, and creative executive. He dramaturged the innovative Broadway hits Hadestown (8 Tony Awards, including Best Musical) and Peter and the Starcatcher (5 Tony Awards). As resident dramaturg and literary manager for Disney Theatrical Productions for 16 years, he developed over 60 titles for Broadway, touring, international, and licensed productions. He is the immediate past president of Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA), co-founder of the American Theatre Archive Project, and artistic director of Two Turns Theatre Company. He graduated from UC San Diego, The Catholic University of America, and the University of Washington, earning a Ph.D. in theatre history and criticism. 

Location:

Zoom link: https://iu.zoom.us/j/88222083468?from=addon 

Meeting ID: 882 2208 3468

7:30 PM Workshop reading the play “Bite-sized” by Wren Latham 

Secrets unfold as four women fight to escape their picture-perfect hometown. Strange things are happening in Elysium Hills. 

M.F.A. playwrights reading series. This is a free, non-ticketed event to be held on a first-come, first-served basis. The house opens at 7:00 PM; the reading begins at 7:30 PM, and a talkback will follow. 

Location: 

Studio Theatre—Lee Norvelle Theatre Center, 2nd floor 

Tuesday, January 28th 

11:15 AM Lecture by Greg Allen, Founding Director of The Neo-Futurists and creator of Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind 

Greg Allen is the Founding Director of The Neo-Futurists and creator of Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind (30 Plays in 60 Minutes), which has been running 50 weeks a year in Chicago since 1988 and in New York since 2004. Mr. Allen teaches at the University of Chicago, DePaul University, the Actors Theatre of Louisville, the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Center, The Neo-Futurarium in Chicago, and in residencies all over the world. 

Location: 

A201—Lee Norvelle Theatre Center, 2nd floor 

7:30 PM Workshop reading of the play “of dreamers and desperados” by Julia Cerqueira 

As time passes and their visa expires, a group of immigrants do what they must to survive their circumstances (and each other) in pursuit of the American Dream—whatever that means. 

M.F.A. playwrights reading series. This is a free, non-ticketed event to be held on a first-come, first-served basis. House opens at 7:00 PM; reading begins at 7:30 PM, with a talkback to follow. 

Location: 

Studio Theatre—Lee Norvelle Theatre Center, 2nd floor 

Wednesday, January 29th 

1:00 PM Emerging Regional Playwrights Initiative  

Workshop launching a program that nurtures emerging playwriting talents in Indiana. Invited playwrights: Allie Hernandez Roulet, Emily Worrell, Paige Scott.

Location: 

A262, Lee Norvelle Theatre Center, 2nd floor

3:00 PM Playwright’s Cookie Time: an informal conversation with guests

Andy Black, Minka Wiltz, Patricia Krankhe, and Paul Ugbede share their insights about new works while eating cookies!  

Location: 

A262, Lee Norvelle Theatre Center, 2nd floor

5:30 PM Industry Night Celebration @ Constellation Stage & Screen 

Join artists based in Bloomington, Indianapolis, and the wider Mid-West area in this joyful party to get to know each other and celebrate theatre.  

Location:

John Waldron Arts Center—122 S Walnut St, Bloomington, IN 47404 

7:30 PM Concert reading of “A Brief History of Terrible Advice Given To and By Me,” a new play by Annalise Cain

Something happened to Celly’s voice, and the only way she’s been able to get it back is by doing drag as her mentor/father figure/mom’s ex-boyfriend/rockstar/old friend Wardo. Then he shows up on her doorstep, begging her to go back on tour with him.

Annalise Cain is a local Bloomington playwright and IU MFA alumni. This is a free, non-ticketed event to be held on a first-come, first-served basis. House opens at 7:00 PM; reading begins at 7:30 PM.  

Location:

John Waldron Arts Center—122 S Walnut St, Bloomington, IN 47404 

Thursday, January 30th 

3:00 PM IU Emerging Playwrights’ Mentorship Program

IU playwriting talents join Ana Carneiro and M.F.A. playwrights to develop their works.

Location: 

Art Gallery—Lee Norvelle Theatre Center, Mezzanine area 

7:30 PM The Black, Brown, & Beige Theatre Troupe New Work Showcase 

Join us for a showcase of short scenes and monologues, written and performed by The Black, Brown, and Beige Theatre Troupe and collaborators. 

Location:

Studio Theatre—Lee Norvelle Theatre Center, 2nd floor 

Friday, January 31st  

11:00 AM “Theater & Climate Justice: What Now?” – Panel discussion with Theresa J. May (U. Oregon);  Chantal Bilodeau (Arts & Climate Initiative); Molly Braverman (Broadway Green Alliance)—ONLINE EVENT

Moderated by Ana Carneiro 

Interlocutors: Teresa Kovacs (IU German Dept.) & Kevin Rittberger (German playwright and director)

Location:

 Zoom https://iu.zoom.us/j/83009553786?from=addon  

 Meeting ID: 830 0955 3786 

 7:30 PM At First Shorts  

Join us for a night of new short works by the undergraduate students at IU Bloomington. 

Location:

Studio Theatre—Lee Norvelle Theatre Center, 2nd floor 

To Follow At First Sight Closing Celebration  

Celebrate the end of another wonderful week of new work at IU. 

Join us after At First Shorts for celebratory food and drink.  

Location:

Studio Theatre—Lee Norvelle Theatre Center, 2nd floor