I had the wonderful opportunity to act in a play produced by New Play Project. It was great to work with people who have a desire to bring value to the community. I love that New Play Project gives an opportunity to those who love theater and need a venue in which to grow. My only suggestion would be in marketing. The marketing could definitely be better. I think with better marketing the New Play Project will be able to grow and continue to offer opportunities to writers, actors, etc.
New Play Project is a perfect opportunity for new playwrights to see their works produced on a stage and modify their writing accordingly. Many wonderful playwrights contribute to the shows, and I love seeing the original works presented in such a friendly, professional atmosphere. I have performed for New Play Project multiple times and I have consistently been welcomed by the enthusiasm and kindness of the program directors. It is impressive to me how New Play Project continues to earn enough money to produce plays multiple times throughout the year. New Play Project is clearly invaluable to the rising film, acting, play writing and theater scene in Provo. This is obvious when you see the number of talented young individuals who work consistently with New Play Project.
I attended a night of one act plays written by locals and despite the sparse resources of the theater, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality, especially for the low ticket price. Great activity.
New Play Projects isn't only a unique and vital venue for young and upcoming playwrights, actors, and directors, it also consistently provides the best theater experiences I've had in Utah. It's a positively invaluable asset to the local arts scene.
I have attended many of the shows put on by New Play Project and they are phenomenal! Their work is clean and tasteful and through it they are able to open the eyes of community members. You can tell that it's a great opportunity for playwrights and actors to grow and explore new issues, but for the average non-artistic viewer like myself it is an incredible experience to go and share in the energy and meaning of the shows. I would recommend it to anyone.
I took a date to one of their shows and it was great. We watched several short plays related by a common theme. The plays were generally well done. Some of them needed some work, but I actually enjoyed being able to see plays at different stages of development. Most of all I enjoyed how members of the community came together to make original plays for other members of the community. This is an implementation of art that we don't get to see much.
This organization allows people to explore their talents in a comfortable and safe environment. I don't really classify myself as an actor, but I was able to do something I love without having to dedicate my whole life to it. Through the 3 short plays I participated in, I gained a deeper appreciation of both acting and play writing. The plays explored interesting relationships and inner struggles that occur everyday. This organization blesses the life of any who participates in it.
I found New Play Project online, and it was like discovering a gold mine of like-minded individuals seeking to develop new works from rough drafts to actual productions on stage. I've only attended a few productions and a few of their new play workshops, but have found the people there open to new people coming in and bringing their ideas. One of my favorite discoveries with the group is that the new play workshops are attending by actors and theater students, so the lines sound so much better than a flat reading that a group of playwrights alone might give it.
I first got involved with New Play Project because a friend told me to come watch him act in a show. A month later he told me they were looking for actors for their next show. I auditioned and was cast. As part of that show I found that they needed help doing the technical things, like building the set and organizing props and scene changes, so I helped with that. Then the Artistic Director asked if I wanted to be officially the Technical Director, a post which I have held for the last two years. What I love about New Play Project is that anyone and everyone can get involved and be involved as much or as little as they want to be. We've had people who simply come watch every show, we've had people who have acted in one show and then we've never seen them again, and we've had people who come see a show, then act in a show and then we can't get rid of them; they're always around helping out in one way or another! The best thing about New Play Project, though, in my opinion is that it gives practical theatre experience to people who would not normally have those kinds of opportunities. The only theatre experience I had when I started was acting in a few shows in High School, but thanks to New Play Project I learned first hand what it's like to manage and organize scene changes and sets and props. I even got to learn how to hang lights and design lights for a show. It was great experience that I will always be grateful for. And with their focus on 'values driven theatre', I knew that all of the plays that were performed would have good, moral messages, or at least be something I wouldn't be ashamed to invite friends to see. At times they pushed the envelope, just a bit, by showing things not typically shown in such a conservatively religious community, but those shows were always tastefully done and done to bring some issues to light that are not often talked about. All in all I have loved every moment I have spent with New Play Project, and I hope to be able to recreate something similar when I graduate from college and move to wherever I end up being.
New Play Project has helped me grow tremendously as a writer, producer, and director. I've seen some of the best plays of my life here, and I've had the opportunity to touch audiences and make them laugh and move them and make them think about life differently. I've been touched and laughed and moved and thought about life differently as an audience member. I've had chances to have my work produced as a writer, to act, to direct, to produce; I've learned, I've gotten better (I hope) at what I love to do. What's better than that?
