The Sandra Seacat Virtual Theatre presents, Friday Night Readings

Friday, March 4th, 2021

7:30pm MST

  • Featuring Witch Play a new play by Erika Phoebus

  • 1563(-ish) Scotland(-ish). Anny Chapman and her husband arrive in a town ridden with salacious rumors and religious shame. Anny’s family has died from the plague, and if she doesn’t provide a child for her husband soon, she fears he’ll abandon the marriage. But her body isn’t cooperating. When word is whispered that the local alewife, Besse, has healing skills, Anny turns to her to get the help she needs. One clandestine fertility treatment after another, Anny is still not with child, and John Chapman’s growing fear of dying a bit with each sexual release pushes Anny to reveal to Besse the secret she so shamefully kept for so long — she has never had an orgasm, and every woman of the time knows she must orgasm to conceive. With a little help from the Virgin Mary, Besse surrenders and this ritual soon grows into a sacred bond between the women as they share their bodies and discover themselves. When one misstep leads to exposure and Besse is tried for witchcraft, Anny abandons the will to be good and prays that the town’s accusations are right, that there truly is a witch in every woman, for perhaps this would mean she had the power to save them both.

Arizona Actors Academy and Theatre Upstairs is proud to present a new regular series presented live and in person and directly to you in your home. Our Friday Night Readings series is devoted to supporting up and coming writers and the development of new works! Presented both in studio and through our Sandra Seacat Virtual Theatre we will read original works from playwrights and screenwriters across the country bringing some of the most timely, important, entertaining and compelling new works to audiences. These readings are informal and stripped down. Enjoy the latest theater and film in its early stage of development. Many of these will be live streamed and may feature a mediated talk back or an invitation to provide audience feedback to the author. Get on our weekly newsletter to stay up to date with this series, submit your own work or participate in the readings and to learn more about all the incredible programming brought to you by the Artists Corner and Arizona Actors Academy.

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To attend our event in person, we will require you wear a mask while inside. 

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Playwright: Erika Phoebus

Erika Phoebus is a NYC based playwright/performer/producer. Her plays have been developed or produced throughout New York City, including: Tony nominated Matthew Corozine Studio, New Ohio Theatre, Fresh Ground Pepper, Primary Stages ESPA, The Flamboyán Theater, So-Fi Festival co-produced with Torn Page, Theatre 4the People, Actors Theatre of NY, and with Tessa Faye Talent LLC. Her play RUSALKA won 5 Planet Connections Awards at the 2018 Planet Connections Theatre Festival in New York City, including Best Production and Best Script, and her play KISS IT, MAKE IT BETTER has caught the attention of Rattlestick and The Public Theater (who developed and premiered the Tony Award Winning musical Hamilton). She has taught playwriting across the nation, including at Bowie High School (Austin, TX), Westerly High School (Westerly, RI), and offers private playwriting workshops and script consultations online and in NYC. Her students have gone on to receive awards and scholarships from the Texas Education Theatre Association and Zach Scott Theater (Austin,TX), have since written alongside Oscar-winning screenwriters, and have received development opportunities and productions across the nation. B.F.A Creative Writing, Brooklyn College. William Esper Meisner Conservatory alumni. Member of the Dramatists Guild. IG: @ephoebs

AZAA is hosting a Virtual Playwriting Workshop with Erika on March 11th & 12th.

Erika's Playwriting Workshop

Selected Play:

Witch Play

1563(-ish) Scotland(-ish). Anny Chapman and her husband arrive in a town ridden with salacious rumors and religious shame. Anny’s family has died from the plague, and if she doesn’t provide a child for her husband soon, she fears he’ll abandon the marriage. But her body isn’t cooperating. When word is whispered that the local alewife, Besse, has healing skills, Anny turns to her to get the help she needs. One clandestine fertility treatment after another, Anny is still not with child, and John Chapman’s growing fear of dying a bit with each sexual release pushes Anny to reveal to Besse the secret she so shamefully kept for so long — she has never had an orgasm, and every woman of the time knows she must orgasm to conceive. With a little help from the Virgin Mary, Besse surrenders and this ritual soon grows into a sacred bond between the women as they share their bodies and discover themselves. When one misstep leads to exposure and Besse is tried for witchcraft, Anny abandons the will to be good and prays that the town’s accusations are right, that there truly is a witch in every woman, for perhaps this would mean she had the power to save them both.

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Contributing Actors:

Cast

Bessie Byrne—Tatiana Lee

Annie Chapman—Lizzy Woodworth

John Chapman—Mike Fisher

Aletaster/Judge—Jacque Arend

Patrik/Hangman—Scott Cable

Jasper—Massiah Traps

Colban—Lucas Garvey

Virgin Mary—Maren Mascarelli

Stage Direction—Avery Volk

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Enjoyment of this series is part of our greater mission to provide the highest calibre of free, affordable and open arts programming. Please consider making a donation in support of Artist’s Corner and our Friday Night Readings series.

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