Join us August 1, 2020 at 7:00 PM for a staged reading of Georgia playwright Laura King’s new play Some Mirth and a Little Matter.
ABOUT THE SHOW
A summer-stock Shakespearean company gathers on the first day of rehearsals at the Old Garden Theatre in Connecticut in 1935. In an attempt to keep the struggling theatre afloat, the director has hired a Hollywood heavyweight to fill seats. But when the movie star falls for the leading lady and is sabotaged by the understudy, much to the consternation of the stage manager, who is irritated that her ex-lover has returned, rehearsal never seems to get off the ground. As the actors and technicians struggle to come together as a company, they fall into the familiar traps of gender that weave through Shakespeare’s original Much Ado About Nothing.
This reading will be directed by Mallory Holder and will feature performances by Cal Silvers, Stacey Bern, Duane Ellis, Dave Boggess, Kelley Gray, Laurel Ann Lowe, Ashley Elliott, Scott Starkweather, Ian Gibson, Aaron Brasher, Joel Rose, and Cathy McDaniel.
ABOUT OUR STAGED READINGS
At our staged readings, the dialogue and stage directions are read aloud so that the audience can hear what the play will sound like. Each of our staged readings has benefited from different levels of movement and physicality to paint a mental picture of what the full show will look like. The performance helps the playwright spot potential areas for strengthening their work in the future.
After the performance, there is a brief intermission followed by an optional talkback, moderated by Charlie Monroe. The audience has an opportunity to answer some simple questions about the show, as well as provide their general feedback on the show. This process is essential for new play development! Now is your chance to be a part of creating new art!
ABOUT PLAYWRIGHT LAURA KING
Laura King is a playwright, dramaturg, editor, and director. She holds an MFA in playwrighting (with a concentration in dramaturgy) from Hollins University and a master’s in English from Northwestern University. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild and currently serves as a Dramatists Guild ambassador for the Southern Georgia region. She is the chair of the Playwriting Committee and a member of the Publications Committee for the Southeastern Theatre Conference. Laura also serves as a Literary Associate for YouthPLAYS, which has published many of her plays for young audiences, and as a dramaturg for Working Title Playwrights. For more information about Laura’s work, see laurakingplaywright.com.