Accepted to new Sundance TV Writing workshop

I’m very excited to be a part of Sundance Co//ab, a new platform launched by Sundance Institute to advances their mission to discover, support, and inspire independent artists from around the world. I’ve been accepted to join the inaugural “TV Writing: Core Elements” course, and will be developing my pilot script, Zone of Silence. I’m loving both the solo work, and the bi-weekly Zoom “office hours” with Sundance course guide and the other program participants.

Following one family across three centuries and two countries, my series idea combines 19th century Mormon pioneers in Mexico; mysterious (and possibly supernatural) desert visions and events; a 21st century multi-level marketing ‘wellness’ company in Utah County; the intersections of sexuality, identity, and religion; and the roots of white Christian Manifest Destiny that run through it all. It’s a story about Faith and Belief; about how they are both powerful, but are not the same thing. And, really, it’s a story about how love and imagination may just be the most powerful of all. (P.S. Think Breaking Bad meets Big Love meets X-Files)

I wrote both fiction and plays extensively through high school and undergrad, then let my writing get moved to the back burner…until it kind of fell off the stove. It’s been really exciting and satisfying to get things boiling again!

Zooming into the New Reality of New Play Development

Thank you to actors Deepti Gupta, Grace Hunt, Kathryn Metzger, Lara Mielcarek, and Gail Rastorfer for bringing Vince Delaney’s new play “The Wheel Woman” to life last night. And it seems fitting that a play about Annie Londonderry - the first woman circle the globe on a newfangled contraption called a bicycle - came together via new technology and with actors spread across three time zones!

Vince’s play is a smart, funny and very theatrical exploration of the exploits of Annie ‘Londonderry (née Chopkovsky), told by an all female-identifying ensemble playing multiple roles. Through an uncanny blend of chutzpah, perseverance, marketing and media savvy, and plenty of flat out lying, Annie re-wrote the rules of Victorian femininity and became a major global celebrity - yet she’s almost unknown today.

Last night’s reading was just the first step on Annie’s next journey!

Find me on Amazon!

Now, amongst the millions of things you can find on Amazon ( chicken walking harness or Cheeto-dust finger protectors, anyone?), you can find ME!

Amazon has updated the listing for Steven Dietz: Four Plays for Family Audiences to reflect the authors of contributions made to the anthology’s forward, including my autobiographical essay about Steven. It was an honor to be asked to write this, as well as a bit of literary kismet: when I was an undergraduate I wrote a one act play which was selected as the winner of a student play competition that Steven created! I even got a lovely hand-written note of congratulation, which I still have.

I highly recommend these plays, but you can also read my essay on the UT Press website by clicking “Excerpts.”

TWELFTH NIGHT opens at WVU

Congratulations to the cast, crew, faculty and staff of West Virginia University on a wonderful opening last night! It was a joy to work with this group of graduate and undergraduate actors and designers to bring big 80s hair and big Shakespearean heart to this production. The show runs through December 8th in the Gladys G. Davis Theatre at the Creative Arts Center. Tickets are available on campus at the Creative Arts Center Box Office (Mon. - Fri. 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.), by calling 304-293-SHOW and online at ticketmaster.com.

Directing Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT

I’m pleased to be guest directing a cast of 19 (!!!) graduate and undergraduate student actors at West Virginia University. Twelfth Night is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays and we’re having a blast exploring the humor and heart of this early comedy. Links to a couple of articles about the project and process are below!

WVU Presents “Twelfth Night” by William Shakespeare Nov. 21-22 and Dec. 3-8

School of Theatre & Dance Brings in New York Guest Director for "Twelfth Night"