Finding comfort in the familiar, Paris Junior College opens a limited virtual run of the “Seventh New Works Festival: Pyro Playfest – A Few of Our Favorites” on Thursday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. The free festival will be available on the PJC YouTube channel until Sunday, May 2 at 5:30 p.m.
The playfest features original works that have not been previously performed. While in-person performances are not currently allowed due to the pandemic, each play has been filmed live on the Duane Allen Stage in the Ray E. Karrer Theater and compiled into a single video.
“What connects everything is that these playwrights have written for us in the past,” said PJC Drama Instructor and Festival Director William L. Walker. “We invited our favorites to come back and submit whatever they created and we picked a show from among the ones they sent us. Also, everyone involved is tied to PJC; they’re either PJC students, alumni, or supporters.”
Plays and associated casts include:
“Cheerleaders and Cheeseburgers,” by Rex McGregor
A coach encourages two cheerleaders to eat healthy, but she meets stern resistance.
Directed by: Hunter Anderson
Miss Jacobs – Annabel Doss
Amber – Sarah Elizabeth Cadle
Mandy – Maddy Stuckey
“Rememberance,” by Spencer O’Connor
Two people with a strange connection arrive too early for funeral services.
Directed by: William L. Walker
Man – David Forward
Woman – Annabel Doss
“The Weird Sisters Go Rogue,” by Dwayne Yancey
The witches from “Macbeth” start rehearsing a performance of Shakespeare’s play, then get different ideas.
Directed by: William L. Walker
First Witch – Robyn R. Huizinga
Second Witch – Lisa Martin
Third Witch – Amy Clark Braswell Burrows
“It’s Just Zoom,” by Donna Latham
Viv, owner of It’s Just Brunch, adapts to social distancing to connect her client Zoe with prospective dates. Adaptation and resilience for the win!
Directed by: Connor Kirkley
Zoe – Maddy Stuckey
Viv – Sarah Elizabeth Cadle
Todd – Kaleb Speakman
Crockett – David Forward
“Beautiful Strangers,” by Brad Nies
A docudrama that depicts the shocking murder that brutally outed closeted Hollywood legend Ramon Novarro. Warning: Play contains adult themes.
Directed by: Brandon McCormick
Edward Weber – Will Walker
Ramon Novarro – Daniel Martinez
“Birdseed,” by Matthew Weaver
Actual excerpts from actual reviews of actual birdseed on Amazon.
Directed by: Kaleb Speakman
#1 – Connor Kirkley
#2 – Hunter Anderson
#3 – Annabel Doss
Chorus – Brandon McCormick
“Curse of the Wagging Tongue” by Eoin Carney
A Private Investigator who struggles with privacy finds true love.
Warning: Play contains adult themes and some adult language.
Directed by: Robyn R. Huizinga
Private Dick – Connor Kirkley
Dame #1 – Brandon Mccormick
Dame #2 – Kaleb Speakman
Dame #3 – Hunter Anderson
PlayFest Crew: PJC drama scholarship students.
Videography and editing of the plays will be handled by Michelle Wood, Director of the Wesley Center at PJC.
For more information on the Playfest or drama scholarships at Paris Junior College, email drama@parisjc.edu. To see the limited-time video performance, go to https://www.youtube.com/c/parisjuniorcollegesince1924.
Photo cutline: In “Rememberance” by Spencer O’Connor, only the deceased at the funeral connects two strangers; shown from left are Kaleb Speakman as Man in Coffin (Francisco), David Forward as Man (Randy), and Annabel Doss as Woman (Ellen).
