The 11th Annual
November 9th-10th 2024 at Civic Theatre, Tallaght
2024 Program
Second Skin by Krystal Sweedman
Deirdre stays connected to her lover through the Alternaverse, but her politician daughter, dealing with waves of people displaced by climate flooding, needs to get her out of her VR fantasy – and out of her house, in this futuristic, thought-provoking tale about obsession, self-determination and what’s real.
Starring: Tim Casey, Gina Costigan, Megan Day, Paula McGlinchey & Niamh McPhillips. Directed by Ashley Steed
On the Other Line by Fiona Kelly
Single mum Debbie quits her job at the checkout to follow her dreams of working in radio. But in the cut-throat world of The Vince Varian Show, how far will she stretch her morals and squeeze her friends for juicy stories, in this engrossing backstage drama about the seductive power of the media.
Starring: Laura Kelly, Michael Mullen, Paul Nugent, Maureen O’Connell, Eoin O’Sullivan, David Ryan & Laura White. Directed by Kathleen Warner Yeates.
And Then by Colette Cullen
Fiona and Rachel are divorcing, but they’ll stay friends for the kids. Yet they can’t seem to stay out of each other’s business – their health scares, therapy sessions, sex lives … in this funny and heartfelt story of the complexities of love.
Starring: Fiona Lucia McGarry, Anna Nugent & Emmanuel Okoye. Directed by Esosa Ighodaro.
5 x 10 by Denis Burke, Darren Donohoue, Brendan Griffin, Conor Matthews & Treasa Nealon
Five new 10-minute plays hot off the presses by Irish playwrights.
Ensemble: Tim Casey, Gina Costigan, Megan Day, Laura Kelly, Fiona Lucia McGarry, Paula McGlinchey, Niamh McPhillips.Michael Mullen, Anna Nugent, Paul Nugent, Maureen O’Connell, Eoin O’Sullivan, Emmanuel Okoye, David Ryan, Laura White. Dramaturg Krystal Sweedman. Directed by Anna Buchmueller & Paul Nugent.
About The Festival
NEWvember is a festival of rehearsed readings of new plays that takes place over one weekend at venues across Dublin, produced by AboutFACE Ireland. There is no fee for submissions and all plays are read blind of name or gender by our panel. The spirit of NEWvember is to provide a dynamic, interactive and comfortable place where writers can hear their plays read by professional actors, and discuss their work and creative process with the audience.
2019 marked NEWvember’s third year in Dublin after 5 years in New York. AboutFACE co-created and co-produced NEWvember at the Carpenter Shop Theatre in the village of Tivoli in upstate New York, with our partners Tangent Theatre, from 2011 to 2015. During this time, NEWvember was highly successful – drawing large audiences, including breaking the box office record for the venue on successive nights; and finding massive interest from writers – by its fifth year, submissions reached nearly 500 plays a year and rehearsed readings of new work by over 30 playwrights had been presented, while several plays developed at the festival have gone on to Off-Broadway and regional American productions.NEWvember then moved to Dublin, Ireland, where the festival was held in 2017 at Belvedere House, in 2018 at The New Theatre and in 2019 at Smock Alley and The Civic. 2020’s festival during the pandemic took place online.
From NEWvember, many plays have gone on to further success, including recently:
- The Gods of the Ozarks by Matthew Cole Kelly was given its world premiere by AboutFACE in 2019 at The Civic in Dublin.
- Extremophiles by Fergal O’Byrne has since been awarded the prestigious Eamon Keane Playwriting Award at the 2018 Listowel Writers’ Week and had its world premiere production in Denmark in 2020
- Deanna and Paul by Dagney Kerr and The Paper Hangers by Emily Brauer Rogers were produced together at Stages Theatre in California in March 2020
- Charlotte’s Letters by Jennifer O’Grady has won the Henley Rose Award
- Holy and Unruly by David Beardsley had its world premiere in the 2022
Playwrights featured at past NEWvembers:
Cohen Ambrose, Melisa Annis, Will Arbery, David Beardsley, Jeanne Beckwith, Jessica Bedford, Emily Bohannon, Hal Borden, John Bray, John Cariani, Ronan Carr, Conor Patrick Carroll, Shawna Casey, Samantha Charlip, Jim Connell-Moylan, Denis Dennehy, Michael DeVito, Elias Diamond, Ned Dougherty, Fengar Gael, Joanna Garner, Josepha Gutelius, Steven Haworth, Karen Howes, Matthew Kelly, Meghan Kennedy, Dagney Kerr, Kieran McGowan, James McLindon, Nicholas Makin, Aleks Merilo, Jessica Moss, Fergal O’Byrne, Jennifer O’Grady, Dan O’Neil, Kristen Palmer, Peter Papadopoulos, Aidan Parkinson, Jacob Perkins, Craig Pospisil, Shannon Reed, Fiona Rose Stout, Emily Brauer Rogers, Jan Rosenberg, Jennifer Skura, Caitlin Saylor Stephens, Seamus Scanlon, Neil Sharpson, Ryan Sprague, Aaron Weissman, Rachel White.
Past Playwrights Say
“The NEWvember festival is an exciting week of new plays created by the highest caliber collaborators. AboutFACE is 100% class, and if you’re lucky enough to participate, get ready for a fun, professional, beautifully organized and received experience in a strong, supportive community of theatre artists.”
– Emily Bohannon
Looking at the Sun (NEW’19 – Development Spotlight)
“The AboutFACE reading was a fantastic experience.”
– Nicholas Makin
I Poured the Tea (NEW’19)
“NEWvember was one of the best playwriting experiences I’ve had. I received invaluable feedback that helped my play grow significantly!”
– Emily Brauer Rogers
The Paper Hangers (NEW’19)
“The 2018 NEWvember Festival was one of the most gratifying experiences I’ve had as a playwright.”
– David Beardsley
Holy and Unruly (NEW’18)
“I have had the privilege of participating in many developmental readings of my work, and my experience with AboutFACE Ireland was, hands down, among the best.”
– Matthew Kelly
The Gods of the Ozarks (NEW’18)
“NEWvember was a fantastic experience, and it was such a delight to hear my work interpreted by such a talented ensemble of actors.”
– Neil Sharpson
The Caspian Sea (NEW’18)
“To me this event is a leading light for the theatre sector.”
– Fergal O’Byrne
Extremophiles (NEW’17)
“Last year’s NEWvember festival was as exciting and involving and happy an experience as any I’ve had in theatre, and I’ve had a few.”
– Jeanne Beckwith
The Late Rosie Callaghan (NEW’17)
Past NEWvembers
2022
November 5-6
Smock Alley Theatre Dublin 2, Ireland
Plays & Playwrights
The Patriarch Shayne Kennedy
Purgatory Intermediate Room Ned Dougherty
Dear Viggo and the Blue Haired Woman Doc Andersen-Bloomfield
Daniel (Development Spotlight) Catherine Higgins-Moore
Company
Actor Vivian Birungi
Actor Alan Buckley
Actor Tim Casey
Actor Neltah Chadamoyo
Actor Gina Costigan
Actor Hilary Cotter
Actor Megan Day
Actor Darina Gallagher
Actor Aidan Jordan
Actor Grace Keelin
Actor Ryan Kelly
Actor Brigid Leahy
Actor Laurence Lowry
Actor Kevin O. Lynch
Actor Ciaran McGlynn
Actor Helen McGrath
Actor Niamh McPhillips
Actor Eoin O’Sullivan
Actor, Director, Producer, Artistic Director Anna Nugent
Actor, Director, Producer, Artistic Director Paul Nugent
Actor Ann Russell
Director Ashley Steed
Actor Carmel Stephens
NEWvember Dramaturg Krystal Sweedman
2020
November 5-8
& May 15, 2021
Plays & Playwrights
Beachfront Cohen Ambrose
Haste Ye Back Conor Patrick Carroll
Hitch James McLindon
Strange Time Kieran McGowan
Tracks John Bray
Company
Actor Laura Brady
Actor Alan Buckley
Actor Daricel Calcano
Actor Gerry Cannon
Actor Hannah Carnegie
Actor Luke Dalton
Actor Adele Gribbon
Actor Brandon Jones
Director Caitlin Langstaff
Designer of the 2020 Playwrights Pen Award Alessia Licate
Technical Manager Dermot Marrey
Actor Paula McGlinchey
Actor Tara McKeever
Actor Emma Moohan
Actor Tad Morari
Actor Lizzy Morrissey
Actor Caoimhe Mulcahy
Director, Producer, Artistic Director Anna Nugent
Actor, Producer, Artistic Director Paul Nugent
Actor Maureen O’Connell
Actor Dáithí O’Donnell
Actor Eoin O’Sullivan
Actor Emmanuel Okoye
Actor Sthiti Padhy
Technical Assistant Tara Perry
Actor Helen Roche
Actor David Ryan
NEWvember Dramaturg Krystal Sweedman
Actor Fiana Toibin
Actor Yvonne Ussher
Actor Tana Walsh
Actor, Director Kathleen Warner Yeates
2019
November 1-3
Smock Alley Theatre Dublin 2, Ireland
The Civic Theatre Studio Tallaght, Ireland
Plays & Playwrights
Bloodshed, Screaming and Monsters Aidan Parkinson
I Poured the Tea Nicholas Makin
Looking at the Sun (Development Spotlight) Emily Bohannon
Telemachus Unbound: A New American Myth Ned Dougherty
The Paper Hangers Emily Brauer Rogers
Company
Stage Manager Faith Boucher
Actor Alan Buckley
Actor Carla Burke
Actor Gerry Cannon
Actor Tim Casey
Actor Megan Day
Actor Patrick de Montfort
Actor Conor Duffy
Actor Kit Geraghty
Actor Stephen Gorman
Company Member, Designer Charlie Kranz
Actor Laurence Lowry
Actor Paula McGlinchey
Actor Ciarán McGlynn
Actor, Company Member Tara McKeever
Actor Seán McManus
Actor Declan Mills
Actor Lizzy Morrissey
Actor Caoimhe Mulcahy
Actor Michael Mullen
Actor, Director, Producer, Artistic Director Anna Nugent
Actor, Director, Producer, Artistic Director Paul Nugent
Actor Gerry O’Brien
Actor Maureen O’Connell
Actor Matthew O’Donnell
Actor Eoin O’Sullivan
Actor Caitriona Pattison
Musician Paddy Quigley
Actor Fiona Rose Stout
Company Member Noni Stapleton
NEWvember Dramaturg Krystal Sweedman
Actor Mark Tankersley
Actor, Director Yvonne Ussher
Actor, Director Kathleen Warner Yeates
Director Eric Weitz
2018
November 8-10
The New Theatre
Temple Bar, Dublin, Ireland
Plays & Playwrights
Deanna and Paul Dagney Kerr
Holy and Unruly David Beardsley
Split Fiona Rose Stout
The Caspian Sea Neil Sharpson
The Gods of the Ozarks Matthew Kelly
Company
Actor Michelle Audrey
Actor Ian Blackmore
Actor Carla Burke
Actor Shane Connolly
Actor Megan Day
Actor Patrick William de Montfort
Actor Andy Gallagher
Actor Steve Hartland
Actor, Company Member, Director Charlie Kranz
Actor Laurence Lowry
Actor Megan McDonnell
Actor Ciarán McGlynn
Actor, Company Member Tara McKeever
Actor Tad Morari
Actor, Director, Producer, Artistic Director Anna Nugent
Actor, Director, Producer, Artistic Director Paul Nugent
Actor Maureen O’Connell
Actor Aaron O’Neill
Actor Brian Robinson
Actor David Ryan
Actor Laoisa Sexton
Actor, Company Member Noni Stapleton
NEWvember Dramaturg Krystal Sweedman
Actor Mark Tankersley
Actor Fiana Toibin
Actor Yvonne Ussher
Actor Tana Walsh
Actor, Director Kathleen Warner Yeates
Actor Helena White
Actor Joe Wright
2017
November 16-19
Belvedere House
Dublin, Ireland
Plays & Playwrights
The Barber of Moville Ronan Carr
The Bull: Death of a Ladiez Man Jim Connell-Moylan
Charlotte’s Letters Jennifer O’Grady
Extremophiles Fergal O’Byrne
Festival Denis Dennehy
The Late Rosie Callaghan Jeanne Beckwith
Company
Actor Michelle Audrey
Actor Jonathan Byrne
Actor Lynette Callaghan
Actor Hilary Cotter
Actor Megan Day
Front of House Cillian Flood
Actor Tana French
Actor Maria Guiver
Actor, Director Liam Hallahan
Actor John Hogan
Actor Barry Kelleghan
Actor, Company Member, Director Charlie Kranz
Actor Laurence Lowry
Actor Ciarán McGlynn
Actor, Company Member Tara McKeever
Actor Tad Morari
Actor Lizzy Morrissey
Actor, Director, Producer, Artistic Director Anna Nugent
Guest Liaison Hugh Nugent
Actor, Director, Producer, Artistic Director Paul Nugent
Actor Gerry O’Brien
Actor Maureen O’Connell
Actor Brian Robinson
Actor David Ryan
Actor Laoisa Sexton
Actor, Company Member Noni Stapleton
Actor Mark Tankersley
Front of House Niamh Tennyson
Actor Fiana Toibin
Actor Kathleen Warner Yeates
2015
November 5-8
Carpenter Shop Theater
Tivoli, NY
Plays & Playwrights
The Mongoose Will Arbery
The Orange Garden Joanna Garner
The Other Genius Steven Haworth
Last Flight of the Mercenary Karen Howes
LOVE, LOVE: Last Stand at Helm’s Deep Peter Papadopoulos
The Third Rail Jacob Perkins
Company
Director Melisa Annis
Actor Brendan Burke
Actor Tom Byrn
House Manager Tracy Carney
Actor Summer Corrie
Actor Ben Fundis
Actor Meghann Garmany
Actor Sam Hoeksema
Actor Jacob Horstmeier
House Manager Erica Kane
Assistant Stage Manager Jesse Lessner
Actor, Director Amy Lemon Olson
House Manager Suzy Morris
Actor, Producer Paul Nugent
Actor, Director, Producer Anna Nugent
Actor Brenny Rabine
Actor Audrey Rapoport
Producer, Producing Director Tangent Theatre Company Andrea Rhodes
Actor, Director, Producer, Artistic Director Tangent Theatre Company Michael Rhodes
Assistant Stage Manager Lyndsay Robbins
Actor Amie Tedesco
House Manager Toby Teiger
Stage Manager Andrea VanSwearingen
Actor Steven Austin Young
2014
November 6-9
Carpenter Shop Theater
Tivoli, NY
Plays & Playwrights
Strong Force Shawna Casey
Futurama Samantha Charlip
Next to Him Jessica Moss
Do Not Leave Unattended Jan Rosenberg
The Soldier’s Daughter Ryan Sprague
Two Men Missing in the Hudson River Caitlin Saylor Stephens
Company
Actor Rosalind Ashford
House Manager Tracy Carney
House Manager Angela Cole
Actor Summer Corrie
Actor Ben Fundis
Actor Sam Hoeksema
Actor Jacob Horstmeier
Actor Kelsey Landon
Director Amy Lemon Olson
Actor John Charles McLaughlin
Actor Teresa Meza
Actor, Director, Producer Anna Nugent
Actor, Director, Producer Paul Nugent
Actor Brenny Rabine
Actor Jared Reinmuth
Producer, Producing Director Tangent Theatre Company Andrea Rhodes
Actor, Director, Producer, Artistic Director Tangent Theatre Company Michael Rhodes
Actor Amie Tedesco
Stage Manager Andrea VanSwearingen
Actor Steven Austin Young
2013
November 7-10
Carpenter Shop Theater
Tivoli, NY
Plays & Playwrights
Keep Calm & Carry On Melisa Annis
Reveille Jessica Bedford
A Position of Relative Importance Hal Borden
The Park Bench Hero Elias Diamond
Westward Mutations Kristen Palmer
Drag the Past Shannon Reed
The Long Wet Grass Seamus Scanlon
Brutal Selfish Rattlesnake Aaron Weissman
Company
Actor Rosalind Ashford
Actor Brendan Burke
Actor Summer Corrie
Stage Manager Emily Crescitelli
Actor Ben Fundis
Actor Jacob Horstmeier
Actor Conor McIntyre
Actor Teresa Meza
Actor, Director, Producer Paul Nugent
Actor, Director, Producer Anna Nugent
Director Amy Olson
Actor Ann Osmond
Actor Brenny Rabine
Actor Audrey Rapoport
Producer, Producing Director Tangent Theatre Company Andrea Rhodes
Actor, Director, Producer, Artistic Director Tangent Theatre Company Michael Rhodes
Technical Director Vin Roca
Actor Tim Ruddy
Actor Amie Tedesco
Actor Steven Austin Young
2012
November 8-11
Carpenter Shop Theater
Tivoli, NY
Plays & Playwrights
Love/Sick John Cariani
The Prediction Michael DeVito
Comes a Faery James McLindon
The Widow of Tom’s Hill Aleks Merilo
How the Dog Runs Dan O’Neil
Green River Rachel White
Company
Actor, Director Brendan Burke
Actor Jacob Horstmeier
Actor Laurence Lowry
Actor, Director, Producer Paul Nugent
Actor, Director, Producer Anna Nugent
Actor Amy Olson
Producer, Producing Director Tangent Theatre Company Andrea Rhodes
Actor, Director, Producer, Artistic Director Tangent Theatre Company Michael Rhodes
Technical Director Vin Roca
Actor Cara Search
Actor Jennifer Skura
Actor Amie Tedesco
Actor Jill Van Note
Actor Steven Austin Young
2011
November 10-13
Carpenter Shop Theater
Tivoli, NY
Plays & Playwrights
The Cat Vandal Fengar Gael
One Hand Josepha Gutelius
A Bright Wind Over a Bent World Meghan Kennedy
Dissonance Craig Pospisil
Pirate Jennifer Skura
Broken Wing Rachel White
Company
Actor Stefanie E. Frame
Actor Gabe McKinley
Actor, Director, Producer Anna Nugent
Actor, Director, Producer Paul Nugent
Actor Ann Osmond
Actor Audrey Rapoport
Actor Jared Reinmuth
Producer, Producing Director Tangent Theatre Company Andrea Rhodes
Actor, Director, Producer, Artistic Director Tangent Theatre Company Michael Rhodes
Technical Director Vin Roca
Actor, Director Greg Skura
Actor Jennifer Skura
Actor, Director Steven Austin Young
For more information on previous festivals visit our website NEWvemberFestival.com.