Fresh new plays harvested by Sisters Freehold
Sisters Freehold has made an outsized mark in its relatively brief three years of existence, and much of that has come through their signature play-development project, the Horticulture Playwrights Workshop. Dedicated to finding and fostering local, emerging playwrights through a year of crafting and rewrites from idea to actuality, HPW has already nurtured several creative cohorts and helped generate work making its way on stage in full productions.
This October brings Baltimore-area theatergoers a chance to catch the newest, next round still in their formative period with a series of staged readings of a pair of plays over the weekends of October 4th & 5th and October 18th & 19th.
First up is From East, Like the Sun by Karen Li and directed by Jalice Ortiz-Corral. This play asks how we can break the cycle of economic and social forces that compel immigrants to leave homes and families in search of security. It follows two generations of two families (and one 19th-century ghost) searching for the motherlode–whether it’s gold, hidden treasure, or stable housing in the impossible market of Marin County, California
This will be followed by Eat, Lolo, Eat by Momo Mullings and directed by MacKenzie River Foy. It follows the saga of Lolo–a young, fat, Black woman–who has been “good” all her life. She speaks when spoken to and smiles when smiled at; speaking up for herself isn’t something she knows. Until her best friend’s death and the sudden appearance of a demonic entity begin pushing her to satisfy more and more disturbing cravings.
A perfect pairing of spooky drama to get you ready for Halloween!
All the readings take place in the Fellowship Hall of Lovely Lane Methodist Church in Baltimore, with PWYW tickets available to reserve online at www.sistersfreehold.org/horticulture
You can hear my conversation with HPW’s director, Abigail Cady, on the air from WBJC or here online:
