Columbia University School of the Arts International Play Reading Festival
OCTOBER 6–23, 2021
Featuring Asiimwe Deborah Kawe (Uganda), Nick Makoha (United Kingdom), and Dima Mikhayel Matta (Lebanon).
Co-founded by Carol Becker, Dean of Columbia University School of the Arts, and David Henry Hwang, Theatre Program, this annual festival presents readings of three plays by living international playwrights. Now in its fourth year, the 2021 edition of the festival will be held as a series of podcasts and listening parties.
Listen to the trailer here or using the links below:
Listen to individual podcast episodes at the links below.
© 2021 by the Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Plays
“We are very proud to support the work of emerging playwrights from multiple societies, all of whom are engaging the complex, painful, and often absurd issues of the historical moment. Adapting to the rigors of the pandemic, we once again are working in the medium of podcasts, having found that this format gives the writers an easily distributable global platform from which to tell their always surprising, poignant, and beautifully crafted stories of daily life.”
– CAROL BECKER, DEAN COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
“Though theatre is fundamentally a live experience, we learned in 2020 that a virtual festival allowed us to share these amazing works with a truly international audience. While we look forward to gathering in person once more, holding the festival virtually again in 2021 reminds us that the pandemic will not be over until the whole world is safe.”
– DAVID HENRY HWANG, FESTIVAL DIRECTOR
Festival Directors
Carol Becker, Professor of the Arts and Dean, Columbia University School of the Arts
David Henry Hwang, Concentration Head, Playwriting, Theatre MFA Program
Selection Committee
Susan Bernofsky, Director, Literary Translation at Columbia, Writing MFA Program
David Henry Hwang, Concentration Head, Playwriting, Theatre MFA Program
Morgan Jenness, Theatre MFA Program
Kate Loewald, Theatre MFA Program and The Play Company
Christian Parker, Theatre MFA Program
Nominating Bodies
John Eisner, The Lark
Michel Hausmann, Colony Theatre/Miami New Drama
Joanna Lee, Museworks
Roberta Levitow
Nophand
Bill Rauch, The Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center
Mark Russell, Under the Radar (Public Theater)
Ken Smith, Financial Times
Camilla Villegas
Mfoniso Udofia
Production
Andrew Agress '22, Literary Manager
Natalie Layne Baker, Sound Editor
Gavin Browning, Director of Public Programs and Engagement
Jessi Cotter '16, Production Manager
Tiffany Davis, Communications Manager
Caroline Eng, Sound Designer for The Dark & Appointment with gOD
Jordan Fleming, Student Producer
Jim Petty & Five Ohm Productions, Audio Engineering & Recording
Zoe E. Rotter, Casting Director
Kristina Tate, Interim Director of Communications
Kanika Vaish (student), Literary Manager
Daniel Vaughn '17, Stage Manager for The Dark & Appointment with gOD
Ada Westfall, Sound Designer for trailer and This… Story
Cowbird Creative, Design
Columbia University makes every effort to accommodate individuals with disabilities. Please notify the office at least 10 days in advance if you require closed captioning, sign-language interpretation or any other disability accommodations. Alternatively, Disability Services can be reached at 212.854.2388 and [email protected].