Shortly after last month’s Boston Marathon, author Allegra Goodman made a striking statement in a blog post comparing long-distance running with novel writing: “As I write,” she said, “I like to imagine my readers running with me.”
As an artist, it can be reinvigorating to spend a concentrated period of time with others who truly are running a similar path to yours: fellow artists engaged in the arduous but rewarding process of creating new work.
Two upcoming events offer the opportunity: first, the Massachusetts theatre community gathers for a concentrated day(+) of new plays in the Boston Theater Marathon, and a couple of weeks later, a conference exploring issues in creating media work, Making Media Now.
Boston Theater Marathon, Sunday, May 20, 2012, Noon-10 PM
The Boston Theater Marathon: 50 new 10-minute plays (actually, it’s 53, this year) by local playwrights, performed by local companies, over the course of one day. Proceeds go to the Theatre Community Benevolent Fund, a non-profit that benefits theatre artists in times of need. The Boston Playwrights’ Theatre runs the event – read an intriguing perspective by participating playwright and BPT alum Ronan Noone.
The day is preceded by “Warm-up Laps,” free readings of new plays by local playwrights. This year, Steven Bogart‘s (Playwriting Finalist ’09) The Last Skywriter in the Universe will be read, along with plays by Joshua Faigen and James McLindon (May 19, 2012, readings start at noon).
Both the Boston Theater Marathon and the Warm-up Laps take place at the Calderwood Pavilion of the Boston Center for the Arts.
Making Media Now, Friday, June 8, 2012, Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Filmmakers Collaborative‘s signature event, Making Media Now, is a conference that brings together “industry professionals and thought leaders from across the country for an unparalleled day of hands-on learning and networking.” This year’s theme is “Thriving in a Changing Landscape,” with sessions including crowdfunding, new distribution models, and the popular “Art of the Pitch,” where funders and industry professionals critique real filmmaker pitches. Learn more.
The Making Media Now conference is part of a weekend-long focus on new media work that continues with the Boston Documentary Summit (June 9-10, 2012).
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