The End of (517's) History

By August what was to be the future Midway Festival of Plays was in the making. Directors had been selected for each of the plays. Among the directors were both Bob Singleton and Jim Betts. Also among the directors were Leif Erickson Rigney who agreed to direct two plays (and act in a third), Ross Carter, Lillie Ruschell and Scott Turner.

September found the plays cast with some of the areas finest local actors and also with a member of 517 Playwrights, Bruce Williams who was in Leon Kaye's MORE PASTA.

September was also when the Kentucky Playwrights' Workshop, Inc. was incorporated with the Kentucky Secretary of State's Office as a non-profit. The purpose of the KPW, Inc. was to establish a nonprofit that could produce the Midway Festival of Plays and future productions of plays either written by members of 517 Playwrights or selected by them for production.

October was production time in the Bluegrass: the Midway Festival of Plays opened on Friday Ocotber 9th with a nearly full house. The following two performances on Saturday and Sunday were full houses. Not bad for a first production.

When all was said and done nearly 220 people came to the Thoroughbred Theatre in Midway, Kentucky for the Festival of Plays and the organization made about $500. It was a small profit, for a small production, in a small theatre (capacity was about 85), in a small town but it got our organization off to a BIG start.

Looking forward: we are seeking new members with new plays and lots of ideas about where and how we go forward from here. We need to do a lot of "paperwork:" writing a mission statement, bylaws and all the rest. We need a board of directors. We may need an advisory board. We do need a direction for the next year year. Would Stephen Colbert, of The Colbert Report, want to sponsor a 10 Minute Play Contest? Would you, or the company you work for?

Mostly, what 517 Playwrights and the Kentucky Playwrights' Workshop, Inc. needs is YOU! We need your plays, your ideas, your enthusiasim.... you. Come join us. Be part of our future; make us part of yours.