‘By Request,’ Short Works from Local Playwrights Opens Friday

September 2—3 and 9–11 at 7:30 p.m. at The Grange

by Doug Bechtel

We are excited to present five performances of short and somewhat longer works from our well known Orcas playwrights. The nine pieces to be read range from monologs to stories to character sketches. We’ve decided to call this show “By Request” because our audiences continue to ask us for more locally written works.

Each spring, our festival of locally written plays is the most popular show of our season. This year we brought five of these playwrights together to show some of their works that are not suitable for the playfest due to profanity, adult language or are monologs rather than plays or are part of the play writing process rather than part of the play itself. These plays are not suitable for pre-teens or those offended by such material.

This short format allowed playwrights to pursue a more edgy,  adult format than what is normally seen during the PlayFest.

From Elsie McFarland we have “Zalina” the story of a beautiful African heiress facing a major change in her life. In “Highest Honor,” Lin McNulty takes us inside the mind of a soldier about to receive our nation’s highest medal. Michele Griskey takes a tongue-in-cheek look at one of our well known political figures and Doug Bechtel shares part of a longer play about growing up Catholic.

Bill Westlake will share three character studies he prepared for a longer play he is currently writing. Most playwrights prepare character studies for the major characters in a full length play, but few share them. These character studies will give you an insight into his upcoming play.

Many of these pieces will be read by the playwrights themselves and others will be read by some of our best known local actors including John Mazzarella, Norm Stamper, Bev Leyman, Nick Hershenow, DD Glaze, Zach Knight, Lin McNulty, Dove Dingman, Freddy Hinkle and Katie Zwilling.

Three additional pieces written by Bechtel, McFarland, and McNulty will round out the evening.

The five performances will be at the Grange on September 2nd and 3rd and 9th, 10th and 11th at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $10 and are available at Darvills Book Store, on line at www.orcasactors.com or at the door.

For more information, call Doug Bechtel at 317-5601.