The UCSB Department Of Theater And Dance Presents New Works Lab

UCSB's Department of Theater and Dance is proud to present the annual New Works Lab, a workshop production by six UCSB student playwrights. The production is split into two programs: Gold Bill and Blue Bill. Under the mentorship of Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig, Vickie J. Scott, Daniel Stein and Una Mladenovic, New Works Lab will be held May 10 through May 20 in the Studio Theater.

The six pieces are the products of rigorous and intensive yearlong revisions since their creation with continuous support from faculty and staff mentors. This year, the lab showcases new plays by undergraduates Michael Lin, Harry Davis, Brynn Johnson-Shrout, Jazmine Bang, Malique Guinn, and graduate student Alessandra Albanese.

The Gold Bill explores the dynamics of an older/younger brother, the intimacy and betrayal of teenage male friendships, and the concepts of late-stage capitalism through following shows: My Roll, My Role by Michael Lin, Soda Jerks by Harry Davis, and Fast Food Takeover by Brynn Johnson-Shrout.

My Roll, My Role follows Fay, a disheartened college student on the verge of graduation. The rejection from his family and school leaves him crippled beyond repair and now he's stuck in a fantasy limbo. "When I lost hope, it was my brother that granted me the tools, and imbued me with the determination to fight on - that's the story I'd like to tell, where one's role is determined by one's own rolls," says Michael Lin.

Harry Davis's piece Soda Jerks explores the friendship between Justin, a hopeless romantic and Sean, his cynical best-friend as they try to achieve the impossible: getting Justin a girl. Davis says "My goal with this piece is to explore the intimacy of teenage male friendships which can only be seen behind closed doors, and all the humor and betrayal that comes with those relationships."

Fast Food Takeover by Brynn Johnson-Shrout dives into a post-catastrophic world where Xander gets a job at the local McDonald's. However, Jerry, the sinister new general manager, makes it impossible for anyone to leave without being punished, or, in extreme cases, disintegrated. Johnson-Shrout wanted to explore "the effects of late-stage capitalism because many corporations exploit employees' need for a job. I want to know how people react when hell is on their doorstep when they get pushed too far, so to speak."

The Blue Bill presents Bad Blood by Jazmine Bang, The Sex Dungeon Speed Dating Spectacular by Alessandra Albanese, and Enamored with the Ephemeral by Malique Guinn. These stories follow the journey of finding and accepting one's identity as a bi-racial person, themes of alternative sexuality and female friendship, and the disturbing pursuit of fame and glory.

Jazmine Bang's Bad Blood revolves around Faye, a young woman who was born with a curse due to her parents mixing their races together. Bang says "my play takes the struggle every mixed person faces and externalizes them by using elements of absurdity, magic, and fun to tell a unique story."

The Sex Dungeon Speed Dating Spectacular by Alessandra Albanese challenges the BDSM world and brings it to life. Albanese aims to explore "themes or alternative sexuality and BDSM, consent and communication, and the fine line between friendships and relationships through the absurdity that is all too common in online dating."

Malique Guinn's Enamored with the Ephemeral ventures into the entertainment industry and the detrimental effects of one's pursuit of fame. Guinn says "this play is about integrity and the delicacy of one's navigation through the world in order to have a worthy legacy that is not detrimental to one's character." Guinn is a returning playwright from the inaugural New Works Lab where he developed Gang Sines and won The Kennedy Center Hip Hop Theater Creator Award.

Don't miss the opportunity to discover our budding playwrights as their stories resonate with the cultural and social issues found in our society today.