Happenings

“If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it.”

Following the Jonathan Winters credo, I am pleased to share the following:

 

Upcoming:

Dear Friends, Family and Colleagues,

I hope you don’t mind if I share some news about my most recent theatre happenings.   While I lost out on what would have been one of my most notable productions (an outdoor adaptation of Alice in Wonderland with a Marx Brothers/Monty Python vibe), I have been churning forth in other ways…and so has my wife Barbara.

Here is what’s up for me and Barbara:

  • PUMPHOUSE PLAYERS (Cartersville, GA). On September 4 and 5th will produce Hank’s Early Morning Appointment,” a 10-minute play.  Kartee waits for a service delivery call she hopes won’t affect the rest of her day….and possibly the rest of her life.  For more information, https://pumphouseplayers.com/event/natl-be-late-day-shorts/
  • SPEAKEASY READERS THEATRE (Raleigh, NC). Part of North Carolina State University, this traveling troupe has been doing Zoom readings of “Early Morning Appointment.”
  • LAKESHORE PLAYERS (White Bear Lake, MN). Barbara’s splendidly funny short play “Four Stars” will be produced virtually on September 4, 2020.    lakeshoreplayers.org/10mpf  I highly recommend getting the video link for this.  This is a prestigious 10-minute play contests.  Out of 800 submissions, they chose 10 plays. Barbara’s play is one of them.
  • SMITH SCRIPTS: Four of our scripts have now been published on this English-based on-line catalogue. Available at smithscripts.co.uk
    • Confessions of A Hit Man – full length (Hank)
    • Divided Among Themselves – full length (Hank)
    • Hank’s Holiday Shorts – compendium (Hank)
    • Reconstruction – one act (Barbara)
  • MOLECULE LIT MAGAZINE: In their September 15 issue, they will publish Hank’s six-word play “Worrying About It.”   Yup, six words. I’ll explain more about that below.
  • THE TEMPLE (Atlanta, GA): Hank’s short play “Father-Son Outing: The Trip To Northlake Mal,” will be part of a High Holiday Drama event on September 19. This will part of the Temple’s Rosh Hashanah offerings.  Available on-line.  the-temple.org  This short father-son play is a modern-day depiction of the binding (sacrifice) story, but think of me and my son rather than Abraham and Isaac.
  • ACADEMY THEATRE (Hapeville, GA): As part of their Tapas program, they will be soon producing and presenting via Zoom a recording of Hank’s monologue:  “A Passover Eulogy:  A Fifth Question.”  academytheatre.org
  • THE ALLIANCE FOR JEWISH THEATRE: Please note that our virtual conference will occur from October 25-27, and, as the Board President of this organization, I am steeped in making this event a success.  alljewishtheatre.org   Please join me if you can.
  • JEWISH REPERTORY THEATRE (Buffalo, NY): In December, they will be doing an extended run of Hank’s Holiday Shorts, a compendium of short comic holiday plays. I’ll be sending out more information closer to the December 10-23 run. https://www.broadwayworld.com/buffalo/article/Jewish-Repertory-Theatre-Announces-2020-2021-Season-a-Selection-of-Five-Staged-Readings-20200709
  • ARTS ATL: I will soon be featured in “In Our Own Words” feature, a new series where artists and arts leaders have been asked to share their thoughts about the impact of racism and the pandemic on their practices and institutions. https://www.artsatl.org/
  • NEW PLAY EXCHANGE: For a full listing of my plays (and then some), please check out my profile at the  New Play Exchange: org/users/2311/hank-kimmel   This site is more updated than my web site:  www.hankkimmel.com
  • REPORTING 101: This full-length play has been incubating since 1986, and I’ve finally had the time to start and finish a draft of this.   Perhaps I can find life for this somewhere. Premise:  Not wanting to fall prey to the trappings of The Greed decade (1980s), 23-year-old Harold impulsively jumps into a job at a dysfunctional Manhattan weekly and stalks a worldwide drug cartel as he tries to sort out what’s real and what’s not.
  • SIX IN THE CITY: In what I’m not sure is a sign of discipline or craziness, I’ve had other playwrights join me in the “Six in the City” challenge, where we strive to write a six-word and a six-line play every day. I’ve been going strong since March, and I’ve written more than 150 six-word plays and more than 150 six-line plays.  If you’re interested in seeing any of them, I’d be glad to share.  They are short.
  • WORKING TITLE PLAYWRIGHTS: As the Board President, I am amazed and thankful by our staff’s resilience, vision and execution.  Please check out workingtitleplaywrights.com to see how our organization continues to both grow and respond the crisis of our times.

 

Thanks for the indulgence of letting me share, especially in this less personal form  As always, I will aim to be sparing in the sharing of my news  — although I suppose circumstances (or perhaps lack thereof) make it easier to obey this command.

I hope you are all safe and well.

Peace,

Hank Kimmel
Atlanta, GA