CFCArts and FTA Will Present THE FIRST ACT Theater Reading Series

Central Florida Community Arts (CFCArts) and Florida Theatrical Association (FTA), have announced a new initiative to promote new theater works with THE FIRST ACT. This collaborative endeavor is a year-long program that will feature monthly readings and workshops of selected local plays and musicals. Each reading or workshop will be hosted at The MEZZ in downtown Orlando.

The first announced selection is THE LIGHTWEIGHT, written by Willi Carlise. The one-woman show featuring Lindsay Taylor, promises "Two Gloves. One Super-Nerd. A Whole Lotta Redemption." The workshop of THE LIGHTWEIGHT will be presented March 2 and 3 at 7:30 pm at The MEZZ. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at www.cfcarts.com/lightweight or by calling 407-937-1800. Subsequent shows will be announced at a later date.

"We're excited to further broaden our partnership with FTA with the new THE FIRST ACT, which will expand on the work we're doing to foster and develop new local works," says CFCArts' Director of Theatre, Donald Rupe. "We have so many talented playwrights in the Central Florida community, and we hope that this new collaborative project will help them in taking their work to the next level," added FTA's Executive Director Larry Watchorn.

For more information about the THE FIRST ACT, or to submit your play for consideration, contact the CFCArts Theatre team at theatre@cfcarts.com.

Please keep the following guidelines in mind when submitting:

At the beginning of the script, please include a cast list with character descriptions, as well as a brief synopsis of the piece.

Seeking new plays that have not yet had an extensive run in Central Florida.

Preference will be given to local playwrights, though out-of-town submissions are also encouraged. Please include your local address with submission.

Selected plays will be given a director, who will cast the project with volunteer performers in Orlando, Florida.

A small royalty will be paid to the selected playwright.

Each submission will be shared with a reading committee, who will preview the first 10-15 pages of each script. If the committee feels the play may be an effective choice for participation in THE FIRST ACT, the scripts are then read in full and added it to the list of scripts for final consideration.

Scripts will be accepted on a rolling basis.

ABOUT CENTRAL FLORIDA COMMUNITY ARTS

Central Florida Community Arts (CFCArts) is a nonprofit organization that exists to build and serve the community through the arts. Besides producing seasonal concerts, the heartbeat of CFCArts is to give back to the community by providing affordable arts experiences for all ages and abilities. Visit CFCArts.com

for more information.

ABOUT FLORIDA THEATRICAL ASSOCATION

Florida Theatrical Association, the non-profit presenter of Broadway in Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, strives in its mission to educate and develop new theater audiences, while encouraging and preserving the presentation of touring Broadway theater. Since 1989 Florida Theatrical Association has presented more than 1,000 Broadway performances and distributed more than $1.5 million in scholarships and grants to arts organizations across the state of Florida. For more information, visit www.FloridaTheatrical.org.

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