Back in February friend and fellow playwright Alan Olejniczak reached out to let me know about a new festival happening in San Francisco that I should apply for, Z Space‘s brand new Problematic Play Festival. The submission information for the festival requested scripts that were grappling with “off the table topics” and I knew right away that I had to send RIPPED their way. RIPPED balances on a tightrope as the play moves back and forth in time to untangle a night its main character, Lucy, cannot remember. It’s a play about consent and rape, a play that asks of its audience instead of telling, a play that inspires conversation and contemplation, a play that terrifies me to write and develop, but it’s also the play that I’ve felt the most urgency to get out in the world.
RIPPED will also have its first college production this weekend with Case Western Reserve University's student theater club, Players’ Theatre Group, all the way over in Cleveland, Ohio (thank you (for the millionth time) to the New Play Exchange!).
There's a lot of interest in the play, I hope this is the first college production of many, and that after Z Space's festival RIPPED will land (and keep) a World Premiere. I want audiences around the country to experience Lucy's story, as hard as it is to see.
The reading of RIPPED will be directed by Z Space’s artistic director, Lisa Steindler. Our cast is: Nicole Apostol Bruno, James Oh, and Daniel Chung.
Details:
What: A reading of RIPPED by Rachel Bublitz
Where: Z Below – 470 Florida St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Date: Saturday, October 13th
Time: 8pm
Tickets: Free, but RSVP’s are strongly encouraged. RSVP here: http://www.zspace.org/ripped/
And if you're not so close to the Bay Area, give RIPPED a read on the New Play Exchange, (if you like what you read feel free to leave a recommendation too!): https://newplayexchange.org/plays/70552/ripped
Happy Tuesday! See you in TWO DAYS San Francisco!