Today was the final day of the 5^th Annual Colorado New Play Summit.   What a journey!

Our day started with a moving  reading of The House of Spirits by Caridad Svich.  This play, based on the novel by Isabel Allende, looks at four generations of political and social upheavals in Latin America through the powerful lens of memory.   After the reading we heard from actor Randy Moore and the playwright herself, Caridad Svich:

Next we took a break for lunch followed by the Panel Discussion in the Seawell Grand Ballroom where members of the American Theatre Critics Association discussed the relationship between new works and the critics.  Here, Charlie talks to critics John Moore, Jeffrey Eric Jenkins and Chris Jones:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwA0w65HXpo

For our last theatrical event of the summit, we attended Eventide in The Stage Theatre.  Read at the New Play Summit last year, this companion piece to Plainsong is based on a book by Kent Haruf and adapted for the stage by Eric Schmiedl.  The play had the audience in tears of sorrow and joy at the end – a great way to end the Summit.

Following the play, a bittersweet Closing Reception commenced in the Seawell Grand Ballroom.  What a great festival.  We hope to see you all next year for the 2011 Colorado New Play Summit.  Also, stay tuned for the announcement of the Denver Center Theatre Company’s 2011 Season next month, which is sure to feature some of the plays read at this year’s Summit.

We’ll wrap things up with some comments posted on Facebook and Twitter this week about the Summit:

Carole Healey The Play Summit rehearsals have begun and I am doing the wonderful new play, Map of Heaven. We read through Michelle Lowe’s gripping script and then, Scott Schwartz, our director led us through a fascinating discussion of themes, characters and we opened up a discussion of topics ranging from health care to art and it…’s meanings…It is going to be an intense week, full of discovery. This is why we love the theatre. Carole Healey

cars21  (answering the question “What was your favorite reading at the Summit and why?”) @DenverCenter HOUSE because it paints a landscape I want to see fully realized & introduced us to a family I want to learn more about.

xagoeson  “Eventide” @DenverCenter was really, really good. You have 2 more weeks. Go see it.

bestplays  After one fully staged production, three play readings and s playwright’s slam, it’s clear that DCTC exists in no other theater’s shadow.

corteseatwork 7th inning stretch for Ken Weitzman’s THE CATCH at the New Play Summit! First act was knocked out of the park!

corteseatwork Full house for EVENTIDE tonight, the final event of the New Play Summit; some great theatre packed into these past few days!

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