The Richard P. Stahl Festival Of New American Theatre
The southwest’s premier new theatre works festival.
Trust us, it’s a process.
January 17, 2025 to February 2, 2025
Judith Hardes Theatre and Mezzanine Terrace
Hosted annually by The Phoenix Theatre Company, the Richard P. Stahl Festival Of New American Theatre amplifies new voices and expands the canon of American theatre. The 2025 Festival will continue honoring our longstanding commitment to the development of new works, playwrights, and performers and include a variety of events that allow artists of all kinds to see their work come alive onstage. Next year’s festival will run January 17th – February 2nd and will feature: a play reading, two musical readings, two Composer Lyricist Cabarets, Choreography Lab, and a return of the 24-hour Theatre Project. This is an opportunity to witness how a production goes from the page to the stage!
Judgment of the Eye
Play Reading
Written by Simon Bowler
Director Maren Maclean
Dramaturge Kirt Shineman
January 17 at 7:30pm, January 19 at 2:00pm | Judith Hardes Theatre
The play tells the true story of Han van Meegeren, a struggling Dutch artist in the 1940s who discovers he has an incredible talent for forging the paintings of Old Masters like Vermeer and Frans Hals. To make money, he creates dozens of fake Vermeers and sells them for millions to art experts and Nazi officials like Goering. After the war, he is accused of being a Nazi collaborator for selling a “national treasure” to the enemy. To escape execution, Han claims the paintings are clever forgeries he painted. He offers to paint another fake Vermeer to prove his
innocence. What follows is a tale about the subjective nature of art, a flawed man’s quest for aesthetic perfection, and an exploration of the contradictions between artistic genius and artificial deception.
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Friday, January 17, 2025 7:30PM
Sunday, January 19, 2025 2:00PM
The 24-Hour Theatre Project
Drawing January 17 at 7:00pm, January 18 at 7:00pm | Judith Hardes Theatre
A Festival favorite is back by popular demand. Four playwrights are randomly paired with a director and group of actors to write, rehearse, and memorize a short play to be performed 24-hours later. Join us for the drawing to see what artists will be paired together as well as the performance for an evening of brand-new short plays!
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Loch Lomond
Musical Reading
Music by Neil Douglas Reilly
Book and Lyrics by Maggie Herskowitz
Director Jeff Whiting
Music Director Jeff Kennedy
Dramaturge Mace Archer
January 24 at 7:30pm, January 26 at 2:00pm | Judith Hardes Theatre
OH, YE’LL TAKE THE HIGH ROAD
AND I’LL TAKE THE LOW ROAD
These Scottish lyrics have been sung the world over for hundreds of years, but few know the legend behind them. Through a Celtic-inspired modern musical theater score, the new musical Loch Lomond breathes stunning life into a fable previously lost to time.
1745. The height of the Scottish Jacobite rebellion. When two Scottish rebel brothers are captured by the English, they are faced with an impossible choice, a ticking clock, and the end of their heroic ambitions. With only six hours left until their fate is decided, brothers Lyle and James must reconcile their desire for freedom and glory with their loyalty to each other… and their love for the women they leave behind. At once a sweeping tale of rebellion and an intimate family portrait, Loch Lomond will take you beyond the lyrics and into the heart of a universal struggle for freedom and love that stands the test of time.
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Friday, January 24, 2025 7:30PM
Sunday, January 26, 2025 2:00PM
New Works Design Panel – Loch Lomond
January 25 at 4:00pm
Mezzanine Terrace
This Festival event puts a spotlight on the work of designers and their role in establishing the world and aesthetic of a new work. This will be an informative panel with lighting, costume, and scenic designers. This panel is also in conjunction with the reading of Loch Lomond. The artists will talk about their creative process and design ideas for a fully produced version of this musical.
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Genius
Musical Reading
Book by Michael Heitzman and Ilene Reid
Music by Ilene Reid
Director Michael Heitzman
Music Director Alan Plado
Dramaturge Max Plata
January 31 at 7:30pm, February 2 at 2:00pm | Judith Hardes Theatre
Genius is a hilarious romp set in the Esquavil-groovy sixties, starring the most selfish, irresponsible charmer ever to moon an Oscar audience: Leander Starr, is a Hollywood director in the tradition of Orson Welles, whose artistic aspirations soar as high as his checks bounce.
Fleeing creditors, the IRS, and miscellaneous ex-wives, Starr escapes to Mexico with his faithful-to-a-fault valet, only to discover his hacienda is run by the bombshell from his first film, and inhabited by an ex-collaborator he cheated — Patrick Dennis, legendary author of Auntie Mame, who proceeds to skewer Starr and his hangers on with wit as dry as a gin martini. When sad-sack IRS Agent Guber shows up with handcuffs, Starr hatches a plan to pay off all his debts in one fell swoop: join forces with an unscrupulous exiled Hollywood producer and make a movie starring everyone from the wreckage of his past.
But it is Starr’s estranged daughter, Emily, a sheltered debutant who brings Starr’s genius plan to its full fruition—causing him to behave, for once, unselfishly.
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Friday, January 31, 2025 7:30PM
Sunday, February 2, 2025 2:00PM
Composer Lyricist Cabaret
Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond – January 25 at 12:30pm, January 26 at 6:00pm
Maiga Vidal – January 25 at 6:00pm, January 26 at 12:30pm | Mezzanine Terrace
The Composer Lyricist Cabaret is returning to this year’s Festival, and we will be featuring two different cabarets. This year we will highlight the work of Composer and Lyricist Maiga Vidal and Composer and Lyricist team Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond. Each performance will feature a 45-minute set of music and will be followed by a talkback.
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Saturday, January 25, 2025 12:30PM – Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond
Saturday, January 25, 2025 6:00PM – Maiga Vidal
Sunday, January 26, 2025 12:30PM – Maiga Vidal
Sunday, January 26, 2025 6:00PM – Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond
Choreography Lab
February 1 at 12:30pm and 6:00pm | Judith Hardes Theatre
Modeled after and inspired by the New York Theatre Barn event of the same name, this offering will showcase how movement and dance can elevate and expand storytelling in new musicals. This event will feature two different choreographers, Paul Pedersen and Cydney Trent, setting movement on four dancers to the same song from a new musical. The two interpretations will be presented in tandem to show the iconic mark a choreographer can leave on a musical. This event will be followed by a talkback.
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Saturday, February 1, 2025 12:30PM
Saturday, February 1, 2025 6:00PM
First Draft Series: Young Playwrights (in collaboration with Spotlight Youth Theatre)
February 1 at 11:00am, February 2 at 11:00am | Mezzanine Terrace
Through a collaboration with Spotlight Youth Theatre, we are presenting a special iteration of our First Draft Series featuring young playwrights. This free event will feature sit down readings of four different one-act plays which competed and won Spotlight Youth Theatre’s 2024-2025 Playfest, their annual playwriting competition for young adult playwrights.
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Saturday, February 1, 2025 11:00AM
Sunday, February 2, 2025 11:00AM
Play Submissions
We are overwhelmed by the interest for play submissions and unfortunately we have already reached our cap of 300 submissions. We are still welcoming submissions for musicals and songs!
24-Hour Theatre Project
Please review the submission guidelines for playwrights and directors for the 24-Hour Theatre Project here.
FAQs
Please find Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Festival of New American Theatre and the 24-Hour Theatre Project here.
