Off-Broadway's Primary Stages continues to expand its Primary Plus series, an online hub of programs aimed at helping artists connect with the theatre and with each other during the pandemic. Among the online offerings are free video master classes and lunch-and-learn workshops for playwrights, along with a newly launched virtual film club and play read-alongs hosted on Zoom.
The audience read-alongs will kick off April 26 at 3 PM ET with a Zoom reading of Kate Hamill’s adaptation of Little Women. Click here to RSVP and read a part, and for more information. The next read-along will be David Ives’ All in the Timing May 3 at 3 PM.
Another addition to the programming is the Tearjerkers Film Club, inspired by Charles Busch's Top Ten Tearjerkers Series and hosted by members of the company of Busch's The Confession of Lily Dare. On select Tuesdays, a member of the company will host a happy hour at 5 PM ET via Zoom to discuss a featured film. Links to the movies will be provided on the Primary Stages website; films include Now, Voyager (1942), Camille (1936), and Random Harvest (1942).
Primary Stages, which is a home to a vast network of playwrights through ESPA—the Primary Stages Einhorn School of Performing Arts—continues to support writers online through its twice-weekly lunch-and-learn meetings. The sessions, led by playwrights, are an hour long and feature writing prompts, guidance, and more. The April 15 session was hosted by Winter Miller, with Suzanne Bradbeer hosting April 17.
ESPA also offers online classes as an extension of its long-running curriculum covering writing, acting, directing, producing, and more. Click here to see prices and offerings, including new classes with Miller, Melisa Annis, Daniel Talbott, and more.
Primary Stages will move its Detention program, an evening of new and original pieces written, directed, and performed exclusively by ESPA artists, online May 8, 9, and 10. Celebrating the program's 50th performance, 50 Shades of Detention will feature monologues written from a series of prompts. Click here to RSVP and for more information.
