15th Annual New Works Festival

This August, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will gather playwrights and composers from across the nation for its 2016 New Works Festival at Palo Alto’s Lucie Stern Theatre. Audiences are invited to attend performances, participate in a panel discussion with the artists, and share in the journey of developing new works. TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s Director of New Works Giovanna Sardelli has announced this year’s festival line-up, which includes two plays, three musicals, and a next generation musical event. Highlights include a new drama by Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph that explores the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and a romantic drama based on the life of Pablo Neruda by rising playwright Dipika Guha. In addition to viewing and providing comments on the readings, festival-goers will have the opportunity to interact directly with the writers in a Meet the Artists Panel.

The plays being presented include a new drama exploring the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand by Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph, and a romantic drama based on the life of Pablo Neruda by rising playwright Dipika Guha. The musicals will include Min Kahng’s adventure that brings Japanese graphic novel manga to the stage, in a tale of immigrants acclimating to America; an innovative musical by Kate Kilbane and Dan Moses that follows the inner and outer lives of a boy who wants to save the world; and a chilling adaptation of a Ray Bradbury novel, by Drama Desk nominees Neil Bartram and Brian Hill. The festival also includes a time traveling musical about a modern physicist who heads back in time to 1666 to meet up with young Isaac Newton. This special Next Generation presentation was created by Joel Chapman, Weston Gaylord, Matt Herrero, Jessia Hoffman, and Ken Savage. In addition to viewing and providing comments on the readings, festival-goers will have the opportunity to interact directly with the writers in a Meet the Artists Panel.

WHEN: August 12 – 21, 2016

WHERE: TheatreWorks at Lucie Stern Theatre

1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto

TICKETS: For Festival Passes ($65; $49 for season subscribers) and single event tickets ($10-$19), the public may call (650) 463-1960 or visit theatreworks.org.

For full event information and schedule, please click here.