The play's the thing 

[
      {
        "name": "500x250 Ad",
        "insertPoint": "5",
        "component": "15667920",
        "parentWrapperClass": "",
        "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
      }
    ]

A conversation between a bee and a flower. A dysfunctional couple that treats an umbrella like a human baby. An adaptation of a Dorothy L. Sayers short story featuring an obsessive sculptor and a Hollywood star.

These are just a few of the eclectic offerings at the Rochester Community Players’s Playwrights Showcase, which takes place at MuCCC from Oct. 9 – 13 and features staged reading performances by 10 local writers.

Since it was founded in 1925, Rochester Community Players has undergone much growth. Over the past decade, they’ve settled into a pattern of alternating between their Shakespeare program, which presents Shakespeare in the Park at Highland Bowl, and their Irish program, which features contemporary and classical Irish playwrights.

While finalizing their 100th season, the group realized they had an empty slot reserved at MuCCC. Should they do another Shakespeare? Eugene O’Neill? Board member and Showcase organizer Lizz K.d. had another idea.

With the goal to “get as many plays out there as we can,” the Playwrights Showcase features staged readings of original, brand new plays by local writers. With 80+ roles to fill, the scripts-on-stage format allows actors to take on multiple roles and encourages people who might be otherwise intimidated by memorizing lines to make theater.

“We’re all really motivated to have our season become representative of a fuller community, not just the people who like the Shakespeare and Irish stuff,” K.d. said. “It’s very accessible. You get to come in and play.”

K.d. worked with co-production manager Edward Byrne to put out a call to local playwrights. They were blown away by the range of more than 40 submissions, which included everything from monologues to full length plays.

“There were some people who were very established writers,” K.d. said. “And then there were people who were like, ‘I made this weird thing and I don’t know what to do with it.’ And we went, ‘well, it’s actually really good and we want to figure out what to do with it.’”

The showcase includes artists who are relative newcomers to theater, including musician and multi-disciplinary artist Seth Faergolzia, who wrote one-minute plays that can be performed as loops.

There are also more established playwrights whose other work has been presented locally recently, including G. Tristan Berlet (with Penfield Players) and Martha Schermerhorn (with a reading at MuCCC). Maria Brandt, who teaches English and creative writing at Monroe Community College, will be featured, as well as her former student, Misty Yarnall.

While Brandt has enjoyed many of the Shakespeare and Irish productions, she’s excited to see Rochester Community Players present new works that offer a specificity about our present times that can only come from living writers.

“They’re trying to touch the pulse of now in new and exciting ways,” she said.

Her piece “Thirteen Ways,” set around a backyard campfire in Rochester, explores the nuances of fighting with a spouse through 13 variations on a deceptively simple argument. Brandt has been closely involved with the rehearsal process, using discoveries from rehearsal to learn more about her script. Some writers are expanding their skills by directing or reading in others' plays.

“I love going through the process of writing a play because it’s so collaborative," said Brandt. "You’re always learning and feeling in an unexpected way. It’s this generous thing, all these people agree to pretend together.”

Two of the plays involve music. Doug Waterman has written original music and will accompany singing actors on guitar for his one act “Churchbells,” about two sons going through their childhood belongings in their parent’s home. “We are the Volcano” by Chris Woodworth, a comedic take on the end of the world, has K.d. playing the banjo as the cast sings traditional folk songs. Some of the readings will also involve talkbacks and opportunities for the audience to share their reactions or hear from the artists.

“Different playwrights from our city have different things to say,” said Brandt. “There’s going to be something for everybody at the festival. If a person went every night, they would be completely entertained the whole week.”

Tickets are $10 per session or $30 for a full festival pass, available at the Box Office or MuCCC website. A full line up of readings is available at Playwright Showcase – Rochester Community Players.

Katherine Varga is a contributor to CITY.