2023 Summer Staged Reading Series Press Release – July 1, 2023
Six Plays. Two Days.
[NAPA, July 2023] – Valley Players is thrilled to continue its Summer Staged Reading Series with six more intriguing plays. This series promises to engage audiences with thought-provoking comedies and dramas, vibrant characters, and powerful storytelling with topics ranging from the complexities of relationships to prom dates for ‘seniors’. These staged readings take place at CrossWalk Community Church in Napa on July 7th and 8th.
The featured plays in the Summer Staged Reading Series on July 7th at 7pm:
The Next Move by William Ivor Fowkes
Something’s not quite right as Donald and Roberta, an elderly couple, prepare to entertain company one Sunday afternoon.
Eat Dessert First by Dana Leslie Goldstein
An estranged daughter comes to know her late mother, a cookbook writer, through the recipes and cooking tools she left behind.
Neighbor Jane by Tina Esper
Jane is a 73 year old woman with a terrible secret. Her husband has threatened to kill her if she tells anyone about it. But Jane can’t live in fear another day so she sneaks out to knock on her neighbor’s door, where Philip and Margaux are having a romantic evening together. Is tonight the night someone finally helps her?
The featured plays in the Summer Staged Reading Series on July 8th at 2pm:
The Lucky Ones by Lia Romeo
Vanessa and Janie are best friends… until a devastating diagnosis forces them to consider what that friendship means and how much it matters. Vanessa is sick, and getting sicker, while Janie is embarking on a new love affair. As Janie’s role as a caretaker starts to conflict with her dreams for her own future, the cracks in the friendship begin to emerge.
The Way It Works by Marsha Roberts
Nigel’s the smartest guy in the room. And he’s practically the only guy in the room, thanks to the glass ceiling. It’s a woman’s world where female arrogance and confident ignorance trump male intelligence and hard work. The game is rigged. But Nigel’s had it with the game. He’s going to turn it on its head, fight for his rightful place at the top. Will he be successful, or is this just the way it works?
The Grandparents Are Alright by Samara Siskind
Prom night. Two silver singles. One overprotective grandson. Seniors rule.
The Summer Staged Reading Series offers you a unique opportunity to experience the early stages of these new plays. With minimal staging elements, the focus remains on the creativity of the scripts and the performances of the cast.
Directed by Rhonda Bowen, the actors hail from Napa and Solano Counties: Krisi Pilkington Adams, Ginna Beharry, Paul Cotten, Carlene Coury, Bridget Folan, Lauren Haugan, Linda Howard, Lu Kenmonth, Luke Myers, Cata Parkhurst, Bryan Pro, Kathleen Puntillo, June Alane Reif, Jessica Romero, Daryl Roberts, Beverly Shotwell, Bob Silva, Randi Storm, Keith Thompson and Paige Whitney.
Reservations are requested, but not required and can be made online at valley-players.com/events. There is a $10 suggested donation that can be made at the door.
Look for more plays in the Summer Staged Reading Series on August 4th & 5th.