In the Works~In the Woods (ITW) is back for its fourth year, bringing together theater enthusiasts, creators, and supporters to celebrate the thriving world of performing arts.
Under the leadership of Franklin Trapp, Producing Artistic Director for the Forestburgh Playhouse, and Broadway veteran Matt Lenz, Festival Artistic Director and Director of Creative Development, this year’s event promises to be more exciting than ever. The festival will be held from September 6 through 8, marking a significant milestone, highlighting the festival’s growth, increased visibility, and expansive reach within the theater community.
A Year of Remarkable Growth
ITW continues to be a beacon for theatrical innovation, boasting over 150 play and musical submissions and attracting more than 500 actor submissions. This remarkable growth underscores the festival’s reputation as an emerging platform for new talent and groundbreaking productions.
Showcasing Accomplishments and Launching New Shows
The festival has a proud history of launching shows that go on to achieve critical acclaim and success. This year’s highlights include:
- El Otro Oz: This production has taken the theater world by storm, with performances at the Atlantic Theater Company, an Off-Broadway Alliance Award, a CTG/LA production, and a Theaterworks tour. Jaime Lozano, a recipient of the prestigious Jonathan Larson Grant, continues to make waves with this standout show.
- Walking With Bubbles: Extended Off-Broadway on 45th Street, Jessica Hendy’s performance earned her a Drama Desk Award nomination, showcasing the festival’s role in spotlighting exceptional talent.
- Bottle Shock!: Premiering last year at the California Center for the Arts, this production has set the stage for future successes.
- Invisible: This compelling show has been optioned for Broadway, promising to bring its captivating story to an even broader audience.
- Stage Mother: Currently in development with renowned producer Kevin McCollum, known for hits like “Rent” and “Doubtfire.”
Exciting New Productions This Year
This year, ITW introduces a slate of innovative and engaging productions:
- Palimpsest (Sept 6th-7th)– a new play by Alix Sobler, Directed by Kimberly Senior Palimpsest is a self-referential, meta-comedy about who gets to tell what story, what it means to create art based on real events, and what we owe each other when it comes to telling the truth.
- Rebel Genius (Sept 7th-8th)– Book, Music and Lyrics by Matthew Punkett, Directed by Noah Himmelstein. Rebel Genius crashes physics and love into one another as Albert Einstein and Mileva Maric fall madly in love, risking everything to find a perfect theory of the universe. The show is a contemporary exploration into the heart of a genius torn between ambition and love.
- Roja (Sept 7th-8th)- a nueva musical for young audiences written by Jaime Lozano and Tommy Newman. Directed by Florencia Cuenca. Fusing traditional Mexican folk music and Mestizo folklore, Roja offers a new twist on the Little Red Riding Hood story. At the edge of the desert in Northern Mexico, Roja rescues a mischievous, magical coyote who offers her the chance to see her father again. What follows is an enchanting journey of love, loss and resilience.
- I Want To Be Good (Sept 8th)- a new solo play written and performed by Michael Mastro and directed by Jack Cummings III. In the summer of ’75, a quirky but enthusiastic small town altar boy with Broadway dreams struggles to balance two relationships: one with God, and the other with the superstar priest who’s just arrived at Sacred Heart Church. I Want To Be Good is a spiritual journey both humorous and poignant.
Catskills Cab Lab (September 7th-8th)
Dedicated to developing unique, dynamic cabaret experiences featuring emerging solo performers, the Catskills Cab Lab features Tony Award nominee Sidney DuPont (Paradise Square) and TikTok sensation Alyssa Payne. Sidney DuPont serves as a guiding voice through the life and legacy of icon Sammy Davis Jr. in “I Gotta Be Me,” directed by Greg Kamp. Alyssa Payne will present “Extra Crispy” – humor and heart collide in this cabaret showcasing original musical theater songs by Alyssa Payne – a deliciously entertaining feast for the soul, directed by Robin Levine.
Off The Cuff: Industry Insights and Highlights
One of the Festival’s popular events is “Off the Cuff,” featuring prominent theater professionals in impromptu discussions about their careers and the creative process. This year’s special guests include Joan Marcus, celebrated Broadway photographer, awarded a Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre; Bill Berloni, renowned animal behaviorist and trainer, known for training the original Sandy in “ANNIE” and the author of “Broadway Tails”; Rick Elice, writer and former actor and Broadway advertising executive, known for works like “Jersey Boys” and “The Addams Family.”
Join us in celebrating the transformative power of theater at the In The Woods Festival where creativity, innovation, and community come together to create unforgettable experiences.
