SquareWrights Playwright Group Celebrate Publication
See a Play – Buy a Book
Sunday, December 5th from 5 to 7 p.m.
Book to Benefit Sterling House Community Center
Sterling House Community Center and SquareWrights Playwright Group will celebrate the publication of Resilience Plays, a collection of eight original short plays by SquareWrights members on Sunday, December 5th at 6 p.m. in the all-purpose room at Sterling House Community Center, 2283 Main Street.
The anthology features five works by Stratford playwrights:
“For the Violin” by Beatriz Allen,
“Zoomed Out” by Mark Lambeck,
“Sarabelle Sriracha” by J. Sibley Law,
“Last Breath” by Steven Otfinoski and
“The Bright Side” by Orna Rawls.
In addition, it includes:
“The Portia Cruiser” by Rachel H. Babcock of Branford,
“Prisoner 16670” by Jack Rushen of Bridgeport and
“Happier Days” by Jennifer Ju of Milford.
The plays, written during the height of COVID-19, explore various aspects of human resilience in the face of isolation and the challenges of physical and emotional health.
The evening will include remarks from the organizations’ leadership and the presentation of three staged play readings published in the collection, directed by Beatriz Allen and Tom Rushen of Stratford, and Robert Watts of North Haven.
SquareWrights was happy to engage local artist Michael Bonaffini of Derby, who painted a modernized rendition of the Sterling House. A reproduction of the painting is on the cover of the book that will be on sale that evening. The original painting will be presented to Executive Director Amanda Meeson. Proceeds from the sale of Resilience Plays will go to Sterling House.
Reflecting on the upcoming event, Meeson said, “We are lucky to have this partnership with SquareWrights as they uplift the arts in our town while helping fight food insecurity, exactly the social responsibility Sterling House is all about. We are grateful for their generosity and look forward to showcasing Michael’s beautiful portrait in the House. We hope our community will purchase the book and find strength in the stories as we continue to move forward as a ‘Resilient Stratford.’”
Books will be on sale at the event and available to purchase online after November 18th, 2021 for $15. A meet-and-greet book signing with the playwrights will immediately follow the performance.
The event is free, however, reservations are required due to limited seating under COVID restrictions. Proof of vaccination and masks are required. Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for donation to the Sterling House food pantry.
For more information and reservations, contact SHCC Special Events Manager Emily Shufrin at eshufrin@sterlinghousecc.org or register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/squarewrights-one-acts-on-resilience-tickets-208641330837 .
