Actors Theatre of Louisville Artistic Director Les Waters and Managing Director Kevin E. Moore have announced the 2017 lineup for the Professional Training Company’s “The Tens,” which will run Jan. 10 through 14 in the Victor Jory Theatre.
“The Tens” marks the third theater event in the Professional Training Company’s five-show season comprised entirely of new work, following the “Solo Mios” and “New Play Project." This evening of ten-minute plays features a lineup of seven new pieces culled from hundreds of submissions, including entries to Actors Theatre’s National Ten-Minute Play Contest.
The Actors Theatre’s National Ten-Minute Play Contest, established in 1989, is sort of like a training ground for the voices who will eventually go on to produce full-length plays for the annual Humana Festival of New American Plays.
Past ten-minute playwrights include Lucas Hnath (“The Christians,” “Death Tax”), Jordan Harrison (“The Grown-Up,” “Maple and Vine”), and Tasha Gordon-Solmon (whose “I Now Pronounce” premieres during the 2017 Humana festival).
Here’s what you can expect to see:
Gutted
by Carrie Barrett
directed by Luke Harlan
A young couple, Wright and Alisha, are looking for a clean slate and a new home. But what happens when they learn that a beautiful prospective condo might not be the killer deal they’re hoping for? If only a fresh coat of paint (and a couple of bad puns) could fix everything.
Love Languages
by Iris Dauterman
directed by Sammy Zeisel
Mark and Lily are the cutest couple, according to their friends, and in a bit of a rut, according to Lily’s subconscious. A series of lucid dreams explores the puzzle of Lily’s relationship, and the subtle ways that people can love and leave each other.
Midsummer’s Eve
by Emily Feldman
directed by Krissy Vanderwarker
On a perfect night in the middle of the summer, in the middle of the city, a pretty outdoor performance of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is interrupted by an ugly act of violence.
#Matter
by Idris Goodwin
directed by Lila Rachel Becker
A racially motivated misunderstanding on social media prompts a reunion between two old friends. The personal becomes political, and the past becomes present as they seek a common language to express their views of equality.
Home Invasion
by Krista Knight
directed by Krissy Vanderwarker
Two ghosts have lured robbers to an expensive apartment rented out on Airbnb. The robbers think they’ve outsmarted the absent tenants, but they’re about to fall into a trap themselves.
Seep
by Lexy Leuszler
directed by John Rooney
On a nostalgic midnight cruise through country roads, siblings Kelsey and Brandon find that the home they left is not the home they’ve returned to. A story told through sound, Seep is full of gravel, ghosts, and good ol’ boys.
Melto Man and Lady Mantis
by Eric Pfeffinger
directed by Luke Harlan
This play follows two unnatural fiends sharing one office suite -- because even monsters have meetings, and these taxes aren’t going to file themselves.
Tickets are free to the public but reservations for performances are required. More information about “The Tens” is available here.