Rubber City Theatre is thrilled to announce the creation of the Discovery Series.  The Discovery Series is the home to our new works program launched with the 2018-2019 season. The goal of this series is to discover new works that might one day become classics in their own right. 

Current Projects

Directed by Dane CT Leasure
In Progress Reading
August 10, 2019

Workshop Production 
January 24-26, 2020

This world premier play re-imagines Shakespeare through the lives of LGBTQ+ characters is made possible through support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, as part of its Knight Arts Challenge. The Knight Arts Challenge funds the best ideas for engaging and enriching Akron through the arts. The first phase of a two-part project, this all-new show will be based on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night's Dream and will revolve around characters representative of the LGBTQ+ community.

Co-Writters

Amy Burgess is a composer, writer, and performer from New York City. Recent Theatre: ELEVATOR HEART, NYC premiere production with THML Theatre Co. and Access Theater (Spring 2019), University of San Francisco production (Fall 2018), NYC concert reading @ the Tank (Fall 2017), NYU Tisch New Musicals Workshop (Fall 2016), Queens Council on the Arts Grant (2016); STIR (music) with Basin Arts (Summer 2017) filmed for PBS; Under My Skin (words and music) with collaborator Joel Waggoner, choreography by Clare Cook, Dance Now NYC @ Joe's Pub (2014); SHOW ME REAL (words and music) with Clare Cook Dance Theatre at the New York Musical Festival (2012) and Tada! Theater (2012). Amy’s musical theatre work has been seen at Lincoln Center, 54 Below, Joe’s Pub, The Tank, Dixon Place, Berkshire Playwright’s Lab, Goodspeed Musicals, and many other NYC venues.
Choral and symphonic commissions (selection): for the Portland Symphonic Girlchoir: Upcoming Moon Dance: A Choral Fantasia (Spring 2019); We Will Speak (2017) international premiere @ St. Giles Church, Edinburgh, Scotland (Summer 2017); Look To This Day (2016); Dreamer of Dreams (2014) international premiere Beijing, China (Summer 2014). Other commissions: A Day In The Life for the Marian Singers, Portland, OR (2013); She Holds Fire in Her Hands and I Have Come To Cast Fire (for choir and orchestra) commissioned for Oregon's 150th Anniversary Celebration, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, OR (2009). Composer-in-Residence, Portland Symphonic Girlchoir (2014, 2016, 2017, 2019). Amy received her BM in Composition from Pacific Lutheran University and MFA from NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program.
Amy plays and sings in the indie folk band Two Sheets to the Wind with Joel Waggoner and works at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
composeramy.com  / follow on insta and twitter @composeramy

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Rachel Dean is a New York City-based composer and music director. She is a pianist for Hamilton and has collaborated alongside the likes of Luis Salgado, Brandon Uranowitz, Alysha Umphress, and Jennifer Jancuska. Recent music directing credits include Closer than Ever (NYU Steinhardt), Be More Chill (Acting Manitou), and the 2018 NYMF Gala. An ASCAP award recipient, Rachel has had her work performed in New York, Tokyo, Miami, Cincinnati, Phoenix, and New Jersey. Other musicals in development include Medusa (with Wes Braver), The Anxiety Project (with David Brush), and The Ballad of Janis Matthews and the Dodo Scouts (with Giancarlo Rodaz). Rachel is a member of ASCAP and Local 802.

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Previous New Works

2019 - Masked (working title) - The Shakesqueer Project: Musical (reading); Music, Lyrics, Book By Amy Burgess and Rachel Dean 
2019 - Tame - The Shakesqueer Project: Play; By Josy Jones
2018 - Tame - The Shakesqueer Project: Play (Reading); By Josy Jones
2018 - The Anxiety Project (Workshop Production); Lyrics and Book by David Brush, Music by Rachel Dean
2016 - A Christmas Carol (Mainstage production); Adapted by Dane CT Leasure and Casey Robinson

Submissions

At this time Rubber City Theatre is not accepting submissions for new plays. Please check back here to see any opportunities or information on open submissions.