SONOMA COMMUNITY CENTER WELCOMES PLAYWRIGHT IN NEW STUDIO ARTIST RESIDENCY
Earlier this year the Sonoma Community Center launched its new Live Exploratory Arts Department (music, movement, theater, “and more”) under the leadership of Creative Programs Manager Eric Jackson. This new department is now proud to welcome Bay Area playwright Jenna Brady as the new department’s Studio Artist. Brady’s 6-month residency will include a summer reading of her theatrical work-in-progress, and then culminate in a performance of this completely original play written and workshopped in conversation with Sonoma, California.
“As we develop a new branch of creative programming, we hope this residency helps foster an appreciation for the creative process that is necessary in theater,” Jackson states. “Hopefully this will spark curiosity and interest among our community to try it themselves.”
Jenna Brady, a writer and director born and raised in New York City, currently lives and creates in the Bay Area. She combines her love for both cinematic and stage art in an effort to create new innovative mixed-medium work. As a producer, writer, and director, Brady has participated in NYC’s Winterfest play festival, Take Ten short play festival, and has produced short films with Human Pincushion Productions.
“I believe in art as a way to give, what is so often silenced, a voice,” Brady explains. “Because of this, I seek out work that opens up a conversation with viewers and creates an impact that extends beyond the work itself.”
The Center will host a free Artist Talk with Jenna Brady on Thursday, April 14 from 5:30 – 6:30pm, when the Residency officially launches. Attendees will be able to hear a moderated discussion of Brady’s artistic experiences and goals, watch a performance from her past theatrical writings, and participate in a Q & A. Brady will also discuss and reveal her plans for the type of play that she hopes to write for Sonoma in the next 6 months.
The public will once again be invited back on July 23, to be the first audience to hear a reading of Brady’s work-in-progress, participate in a post-reading discussion, and give impressions and feedback. This will lead to a fully produced world premier performance of Brady’s original play at the Center the weekend of October 14-16.
One of the major goals of this residency is to involve the community in the creation of new works. To meet this goal, Brady will also host monthly playwriting workshops called “The Playwrights’ Room” for anyone curious about the art of playwriting. Writers will meet on the last Monday of each month, from April to August, to hear each other’s scenes, written in response to a prompt given by the resident artist. Playwrights are required to pre-register by 5:00pm on the Friday prior to each workshop in order to receive that month’s weekend writing assignment. Non-writers can also participate in the fun as either readers or audience members.
