24 Hour Playwriting Project returns to The Laboratory Theater of Florida Nov. 17th

FORT MYERS, FL (November 7,  2018) – The 24-Hour Playwriting Project is back again at The Laboratory Theater of Florida on November 17th.
The premise is simple – take four playwrights, lock them the theater overnight to create a show that will be performed on stage the very next evening. They are given a series of items, costumes, sounds and lines that must be included, all before learning the overarching theme of the play. Following a sleepless night of writing, they meet their directors after breakfast for some edits and then their scripts are whisked away to be printed. At lunch they meet the actors who will be performing their work. A few hours later, the curtain rises.The winner is determined by both the audience and a panel of professional judges.
The project is coordinated again this year by past winner Char Loomis who says, “we are extremely thrilled for this year’s 24hour Playwriting Project. It is always exciting to see what the writers come up with from a simple, creative concept (Insert evil laugh here) I thought to myself – damn I wish I was writing one this year. Everyone is really going to enjoy it.”
This year’s playwrights include Laura Lorusso, David Matthew Chesebro, Darlyne Franklin, and Candice Sanzari.
Laura Lorusso has been a volunteer in the local theatre community since 2006. She has starred in several shows (Sherlock Holmes, Enchanted April, Lion in Winter), as well as designed the makeup for major products such as Rocky Horror Picture Show and Say Anything. Although she loves her time on stage and designing makeup, her latest endeavor his been in playwriting.  Her credits include Afterlife of the Rich and Famous, produced by the Studio Players, Scrooge TV, produced here at the Lab Theater, and her latest June and Jason’s Survival Guide to Divorce at The Naples Players in Naples
Dave Matthew Chesebro is an aspiring playwright who is a little stressed (but very excited) about this whole twenty-four hour thing. He would like to thank his beautiful wife Sage Meyers for all her love and support. He’d also like to thank his parents, Steven, Kayleigh, Maddy, Nick, Mae, Will, Eli, and everyone in the audience.
 
Darlyne Franklin was born and raised in Boston MA. She came to visit Naples 14 years ago – after being a snowbird, she decided to stay and become a resident. In 1992, she wrote and produced Joey & Maria’s Comedy Italian Wedding.  This show has enjoyed a tremendously successful run, being in continuous production for over 20 years. She also created additional interactive shows such as The Wake of Matty O’Malley, Wicked Real Housewives of the Mob and The Soprano’s Last Supper, which were performed in Las Vegas venues for over ten years. She is in mentioned in Webster’s online Dictionary under “dinner theater” and was featured in a question on the TV game show Jeopardy.
Candice Sanzari is a writer of prose, poetry, and scripts. While her passion for constructing stories places her mostly behind the curtain, she sometimes ventures out onto the stage. She has been an actor in two previous 24 Hour Playwriting Projects, along with some staged readings. Disguised as an acupuncture receptionist by day, Candice is constantly taking a stab at  composing the stories of unsung characters, while also throwing herself into Krav Maga lessons. In her spare time, she enjoys baking skulls of dark chocolate and crafting literary Hannibal-inspired pieces. Ultimately, she hopes to cultivate a career in film and television as a steady writer and perhaps even director. But first she will pursue travel, film school, and whatever else the winding road brings ahead.
Listed as one of Naples Daily News Must-Do Bucket List events, this production sells out every year.
Join us for a night of zany hilarity on Saturday,  November 17th at 8pm. Tickets are available online at http://bit.ly/2pwUF6h or by calling 239.218.0481
ABOUT THE LABORATORY THEATER OF FLORIDA
The Laboratory Theater of Florida, a 501(c)3 non profit organization, is dedicated to the promotion of the performing arts, through live performance, education, community outreach, experimentation, and the development of ensemble work. The company features ensemble productions, produces classic works, takes artistic risks, which both feature and challenge local performers. For more information visit www.LaboratoryTheaterFlorida.com or the physical location at 1634 Woodford Avenue, in the Fort Myers River District.