REHEARSAL JOURNAL: COMPANY READ-THRU

Theater is the celebration of the idea. Nowhere does the “idea” reign more alive than at the 2010 Contemporary American Theater Festival. Our first day of rehearsal convinced me that this season’s Repertory embraces new ideas, dramatic stories and new works that are bold enough to reflect our present culture back to itself. This Repertory of five new plays speaks of: war, fear, neurosis, healing, forgiveness, relationships and redemption. And at CATF…ideas are still necessary. For 20 years the Theater Festival has found new work that keeps ideas alive and vital. We build plays. We nurture playwrights, we discover new and passionate voices. If you want to see what is on the minds of five American writers…if you want to see what you can learn from them…if you want to be engaged by ideas…if you want to be entertained…if you want to discover new American theater…then you must attend and experience the 2010 Contemporary American Theater Festival. We are relentless in our pursuit of the “idea.”

I was blown away yesterday as I listened to the CATF Acting Company read-thru these stunning new plays. The five plays presented this year reflect the American mood, for better and worse. They are a reliable barometer of our country’s mood presented live…on-stage…in the present moment. I promise you that the “idea” reigns at the Contemporary American Theater Festival.

Ed Herendeen