Cadence Theatre Names Pipeline Writing Fellows
Cadence playwright fellows, clockwise from top left: Djola Branner, Liv Wilson, Olivia Luzquinos, Eva DeVirgilis, M. Mary Sullivan, Juliana Caycedo, and Andrew Gall.
Originally published by American Theatre
By American Theatre Editors
Fellows will create new work under the mentorship of industry professionals with the goal of having a fully developed piece by the end of the program.
RICHMOND, VA: Cadence Theatre Company has announced the 2023-24 Pipeline New Works Fellows for Playwriting and Screenwriting. Fellows will create new work under the mentorship of industry professionals with the goal of having a fully developed piece by the end of the program.
The playwriting cohort, led by David Lindsay-Abaire, will include Djola Branner, Juliana Caycedo, Eva DeVirgilis, Andrew Gall, Olivia Luzquinos, M. Mary Sullivan, and Liv Wilson. All reside in the Virginia/D.C. metro area, but come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.
Djola Branner is an interdisciplinary artist/educator/administrator who combines movement, sound and light to create compelling portraits of American life for the stage, focusing on those historically absent from theatre. He is currently the director of the School of Theater at George Mason University.
Juliana Caycedo began writing out of necessity during the pandemic when avenues of performance were clogged. She is fascinated by the way other people experience life, consuming art, conversation, and writing as a way to process what she sees and hears.
Eva DeVirgilis turns towards playwriting for the opportunity for connection, after an explosive TEDxRVAwomen talk about the apology reflex of women. Her work strives to create unapologetic spaces where we can safely celebrate, laugh loudly, boast, reflect, connect, forgive and feel worthy.
Andrew Gall has worked in the theatre industry for 30 years and has a wealth of experience as a multidisciplinary artist and administrator. Turning his focus to writing, Andrew is currently getting his MFA in Playwriting/Screenwriting from Augsburg University and is enthusiastically looking forward to close collaboration within this fellowship.
Olivia Luzquinos is currently finishing a B.A. in Musical Theatre with a minor in Screenwriting from American University, coming off of a recent engagement at SigWorks with her play, Damn Things Will Kill Ya. Olivia’s writing builds off dialogue between complex women and authentic queer relationships, deciphering what exactly she wants to say about the world.
M. Mary Sullivan, who works in the mental health field, observes how people interact with humor after walking through horrendous life situations. He writes for the different parts of ourselves; the young parts, old parts, rebellious teenage parts, the parts we wish we could return to. He notes that while the pursuit of writing may seem lonely, the end result is always a feeling of not being alone.
Liv Wilson is a dramaturg, playwright, librettist, and theatremaker who writes to make sense of the world, themselves, and the relationship between the two. They wrestle with the frustrating anomaly of trying to pin down play, an action inherently unencumbered, unscripted, and ephemeral.
For the first time, the Pipeline New Works Fellowship will also include a cohort of screenwriters, led by Clay McLeod Chapman. The screenwriting fellows will include Rusty Baldwin, Adrian Belman, Jordyn Caldwell, Abigail Chase, Marcus Dowd, and Kathryn Thompson.
The program begins in January with monthly cohort meetings, Q&As with professional writers, and individual mentorship check-ins as the fellows work through drafts of their new works. Fellows’ work may be considered for a commission for further development.
Cadence Theatre Company is a performing arts organization in Richmond, Va. The company aims to inspire, transform, and educate the community by developing talent and presenting contemporary theatre and film works that uplift the spirit, challenge the mind, and honor both our individuality and our shared humanity. As of 2020, Cadence had an estimated budget of $287,000.