Actors Theatre Playhouse Presents: 10 Minute Play Festival

Celebrating their 50th year, Actors Theatre Playhouse presents the 10-Minute Play Festival to open their 2025 season. "Ten-Minute Play Festivals are described as 'popcorn for the brain' and over the 15 years we've presented this festival, it has proven to be one of our most popular," says Jim Bombicino, producer of the festival. He explains that the scripts are the result of a national playwriting competition. This year, there are 24 actors who, along with five crew members, will put on the festival. According to publicity materials, the festival was established to encourage the production of new works from New England and national writers, while exposing actors and directors to the techniques and practices of working with playwrights producing new plays. Each year the winning scripts are selected by a committee of playhouse directors according to established criteria for quality 10-minute scripts. "We consider factors such as how well plays can be staged in our space, what scripts would work together for a balanced evening of theater and how well audiences might receive them," Bombicino adds. "This year, our directors are a veteran group, and the cast includes many actors whom our audience will recognize. The festival has been a training ground for new directors and actors many of whom have gone on to direct or act in Main Stage and Staged Reading productions," Bombicino adds. "This is the 15th year of the festival, but we took two years off for the pandemic when we were dark," Bombicino recalls. The company was founded by artistic director Sam Pilo and first opened at Brattleboro Center for the Performing Arts on Elliot Street and then moved to the Latchis Hotel Ballroom (now theatre #3 upstairs). It was there until the late 1980s and then it moved to the present home at The Actors Theatre Playhouse in West Chesterfield. The Actors Theatre Playhouse is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and they are raising money for the upkeep, painting and repairs of their home: the historic Citizens Hall. "Over the years our theatre has leaned towards literary works and some unusual plays. We've steered away from chestnuts and crowd-pleasing, mainstream theatre. We strive for quality performances and lengthy rehearsal processes," Bombicino says. Bombicino has been a part of this company since 1980, when he moved to Dummerston, Vt. "Right after we moved to the area, I was in the production "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." I've been producing the festival for seven years and as a producer I shepherd the process through. I'm also directing one of the 10-minute plays this year," he adds. When asked how they chose this year's 10-minute plays, Bombicino says, "They were chosen by a committee who read over 300 scripts. We have a ranking system. In August we post soliciting scripts in NYC Playwright Exchange and authors can submit two scripts." Last time they got over 900 scripts! They are only able to process about 300 for each season. "We have eight people on the committee. Some are in community theatre, some are academic people. Every play gets read by three to four people and we rank them. Then we take the top 30 or so plays and everybody reads those," he says. "From there I pull together eight directors and we give them 15 plays and ask which ones do you want to direct and they pick their first and second choices." Bombicino then calls the authors to congratulate them on the selection of their work. "I get the okay from the authors and then we hold auditions which are open to the public. Once they are complete, the directors get together and see which actors fit which plays and then we finalize their decisions." The criteria for the 10-minute plays are fairly strict. "You need something that tells a whole story and has a plot that can unfold in 10 minutes. We look for a character arc, a transition, conflict, resolution and something you can walk away with." At the Actors Theatre Playhouse, the audience will be dropped into eight very different moments. They may not have all the information the characters have in that moment, and they may not have all the information when the moment ends, but they will certainly begin to understand why 10-minute plays are challenging, popular and fun. In a 10-minute play, the audience is dropped into a single moment in time, like: Much to his chagrin, 13-year-old Caden becomes 'The Person in Charge' of his great-great-grandmother. In "Mirror, Mirror, Mirror," Meg looks for the perfect outfit to fit her "hard-to-drape-shape" and finds a whole new outlook in the process. A woman steps precariously close to the edge of the platform while "Waiting for the Train." Two people fall in love, begin a family, and the numbers start to change in 'Family by the Numbers.' A beautiful woman with a dark secret challenges a dedicated CPA in ways he never calculated in "Torrid Taxes." God asks Abraham for "Proof of Pure Devotion." Following the death of their mother, Gus and Raye come to unexpected revelations as they go through their Mom's effects in "Beads." A woman asks a ride share driver to take her to "A Better Place." "I would like to thank our stage manager Cherie Moran and our technical director Squeak Stone for their hard work. We are dedicating the festival to the late Mike Jerald this year, one of the former producers and directors, since he passed away last year," Bombicino adds. IF YOU GO: WHAT: Actors Theatre Playhouse 10-Minute Play Festival WHEN: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, June 6, 7 and 8 &emsp;&emsp;Friday, Saturday, Sunday, June 13, 14 and 15 &emsp;&emsp;Thursday, Friday, Saturday, June 19, 20 and 21 All Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:30 p.m. All Sunday shows are matinees at 2 p.m. WHERE: Actors Theatre Playhouse, Citizens Hall, 21 Main St., at the corner of Brook and Main, West Chesterfield. TICKETS: www.app.arts-people.com/index.php?ticketing=atpla (All tickets are $17. Reservations are strongly recommended) MORE INFO: www.atplayhouse.org