ABOUT THE
NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT RESIDENCY
Theatre Nova is dedicated to championing new plays and playwrights. We empower playwrights through initiatives like the Michigan Playwrights Festival and by staging World Premieres. Establishing an in-house residency marks a natural progression and a fitting celebration of ten years fulfilling our mission.
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A play’s journey begins with a playwright and a pencil, but bringing it to life requires collaboration. Our New Play Development Residency offers Michigan playwrights a comprehensive workshopping process without the pressure of a performance. Playwrights collaborate with a dramaturg, director, and actors to refine scripts in a supportive environment.
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Our residency prioritizes script development, allowing playwrights to refine their work without the constraints of traditional production schedules. By nurturing Michigan playwrights, we aim to fill a gap in the theater community, providing a supportive space for new voices to flourish.
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2024 INAUGURAL RESIDENCY
July-August 2024
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​Eclipsed: The Sun, The Moon, and Gladys Atkinson Sweet by D. L. Patrick
On the night of September 9, 1925, Gladys Atkinson Sweet was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, along with her husband, Dr. Ossian Sweet, and nine other African Americans following the attack on her Detroit home by more than 700 white neighbors. Although much has been written about Dr. Sweet and the two Sweet trials, litigated by Clarence Darrow, this play imagines the perspective of Gladys Sweet and the women who populated her life. It is about what women do, and have always done, in the shadows.
Directed by Lynch Travis
Dramaturgy by Olivia Kiefer
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Cast:
Princess Jones- Gladys Atkinson Sweet
Diriest Crowell-Buffington- Rosella Mitchell
Shanice Davis- Edna Butler
Emily Wilson-Tobin- Madame Curie/Ruby Darrow
Deborah Carter- Dora Sweet
Darius Franklin- Walter White
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Join us for a staged reading at the Michigan Playwrights Festival on August 24, 2024, and for the World Premiere at Theatre Nova in April 2025.