Drama/ 22 characters, all characters may be any race/ethnicity and gender, doubling possible and encouraged/ Full Length, Two Acts

Synopsis: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, adapted by Lee Wilson from Agatha Christie’s novel, is set in the tranquil English village of King’s Abbot, primarily at Fernly Park, the estate of the wealthy Roger Ackroyd. The story begins with the mysterious death of Mrs. Ferrars, rumored to have committed suicide after being blackmailed. Soon after, Roger Ackroyd is found murdered in his study. The local doctor, James Sheppard, discovers the body and narrates the events that follow. Sheppard’s sister, Caroline, is a curious and gossip-loving woman who contributes to the village’s speculation about the murder. The famous retired Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, is drawn into the investigation at the request of Flora Ackroyd, Roger’s niece, who is engaged to Ralph Paton, Ackroyd’s adopted son and the primary suspect, who has mysteriously disappeared.

As Poirot delves deeper into the case, he uncovers various secrets among the residents of Fernly Park. These include the housekeeper, Elizabeth Russell, who harbors a hidden connection to Charles Kent, and Ursula Bourne, the parlourmaid secretly married to Ralph Paton. Major Hector Blunt, a friend of Roger Ackroyd, and Geoffrey Raymond, Ackroyd’s secretary, also fall under scrutiny. The butler, John Parker, and Mrs. Ackroyd, the widow of Roger’s brother, add to the complex web of relationships and motives.

Poirot’s investigation reveals a series of deceptions and hidden truths. This adaptation maintains the suspense and drama of Christie’s original work, exploring themes of deception, justice, and the fallibility of perception, while challenging the audience with its narrative innovation and psychological depth.

About the Playwright: Lee is an Assistant Professor in Acting at The University of Windsor, School of Dramatic Art, Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Mr. Wilson holds Canadian, British and Irish citizenship.

In 2019, his production of A Fear and Loathing Actor in Dublin by Mark McCauley premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Theatre@36 in Dublin, Ireland. While living in Ireland, he directed the world premieres of Running with Dinosaurs by Nadine Flynn (The New Theatre); The Eurydice Project by Joanna Crawley (The Project Arts Centre Main Space); Fray by Margaret Perry and Pork by Nadine Flynn (Smock Alley); and The Sea Brothers by Padraig Colum/Joanna Crawley (O’Reilly Theatre/The Lir). In addition, his critically acclaimed production of East of Berlin by Hannah Moscovitch played to sold out houses at The Project Arts Centre in 2014/15. Lee was the Associate Director to Joe Dowling on Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge at The Gate Theatre, Dublin for the Dublin Theatre Festival in 2015.

His Canadian work includes being the founding artistic director of Resurgence Theatre Company in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada where he directed critically acclaimed productions of Hamlet, Twelfth Night and Romeo and Juliet. In 2013, he was nominated by his peers for the Christopher Plummer Fellowship Award for his outstanding contribution to the classics and Shakespeare performance in Canada. This award is administered by the Globe Theatre in England (Globe Centre in Canada) and recognized Lee as one of the most exciting young directors of Shakespeare in his native home of Canada.

His Canadian work includes being one of a handful of directors who participated in the Inaugural Michael Langham Workshop for Classical Directors at the Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario, Canada. As part of this program, he was the resident director to Des McAnuff on The Who’s Tommy and The Tempest film and stage production starring Christopher Plummer. Other credits at Stratford include assistant director to Antoni Cimolino on As You Like It and to Leon Rubin on Measure for Measure. He was the apprentice artistic director/artistic associate at the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario, Canada (2008/2009 season). In 2008, Lee was invited to The Old Vic in London, England to participate in a directing and writing workshop with the Peter Hall Company. He was an Intern Director at the Shaw Festival during the 2005/2006 season in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada; and the Resident Director in the Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre Training at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in 2004/2005. In 2003/2004, he was awarded the Urjo Kareda Residency Grant to study directing/artistic direction with Richard Rose at the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto, Canada. Lee started off his professional career as a member of the Inaugural Soulpepper Training Company studying acting, design, and directing with his mentor Robin Phillips.

Lee is an associate member of ADA (Association of Drama Adjudicators) in Ireland and holds an MFA in Directing from The Lir, Irelands National Academy of Dramatic Art, Trinity College, Dublin; and a BFA in Acting from Ryerson Theatre School, Toronto, Canada.

Drama/ 1 character, 1 woman any age/ One Act

Synopsis: My Own Personal Mermaid is a one-act, one-woman play (for an actress of any age) that navigates themes of loss, grief and renewal in a style of magical realism. The story is seen through the eyes of writer Mags Prescott as she reads a selection from her newly-published, autobiographical novel, that takes us back to when she was a brilliant eight-year-old living on Park Avenue, and about to lose her enchanted mother to cancer. Mag’s only coping mechanism is the extraordinary imagination that will guide her through her harrowing, heart-of-darkness journey, taking her from the furthest reaches of the Milky Way to the depths of the Boat Lake in Central Park, where salvation and a shimmering mermaid await.

About the Playwright: David Steven Simon (writer/director) is a TV/film writer/executive producer who has either run or staffed 16 sitcoms including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Mad About You, Sister, Sister, Full House, and My Two Dads. He co-created the series The Wayans Bros. His very first credit was for Norman Lear’s Fernwood Tonight. His newest series, There’s Johnny, (a behind-the-scenes comedy about the Johnny Carson Tonight Show years) which he co-created and co-wrote with Paul Reiser streamed on Peacock.

He co-wrote the story for the feature In The Mood with Robert Kosberg which starred Patrick Dempsey. His first play, Grave Doubts, originally premiered at Theater Harrisburg, and has since had staged readings in Los Angeles, starring Peter Onorati, and in New York starring Tony Danza and Andrea Burns. His award-winning comedy short, Dante and Beatrice, can be enjoyed at Danteandbeatricefilm.com. David began his writing career with exclusive overall deals at Walt Disney Studios, Universal Studios and Columbia Studios. He is also a graduate of New York’s High School of Performing Arts so is tickled to his Hokas to finally be writing for the theatre. Any additional information can be found on his profile on Match.com.

My Own Personal Mermaid was first produced at The Spark Festival, NYC, on March 17, 2024.

Life on the Moon
Detroit Repertory Theatre
Detroit, MI

Drama/ 4 characters, 2 women, 2 men/ Full Length, Two Acts

Synopsis: Life on the Moon is a family drama about Spencer, a young infantryman in the U.S. army, returning home for Christmas to visit his parents and Piper, his 18-year-old sister with autism. As Spencer and his parents struggle to celebrate the holiday, it’s Piper who notices what everyone else misses, but is unable to communicate her observations or frustrations.

…

From Encore Michigan: “Tatelman doesn’t shy away from portraying the challenges faced by a person with disability and those who live with her. This is not a sappy Hallmark story filled with tired and meaningless sentiment. She illuminates the tensions it causes in relationships—whether between spouses, siblings or parents and child. The characters she creates are all sympathetic—the antagonist in this story is not an individual, but the circumstances, the frailty of relationships and the difficulty of growth.”

“This play has a lovely combination of complex characters, timely issues, and great structure.” – Comment on the New Play Exchange

Most of Life on the Moon may be read by clicking on the “Read It Now” button above. To obtain a complete reading copy, contact the playwright at artatelman@gmail.com

Contact Information:
Amateur and professional rights:
Anna Tatelman
artatelman@gmail.com
Ph.: 360-399-6477

About the Playwright: Anna Tatelman (she/her) holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of New Orleans, where she studied both fiction and playwriting. She has also received formal training through Silver Glass Productions’ Experimental Writers’ Studio, the University of Iowa’s Young Writers’ Studio, and New York University’s undergraduate courses.

Anna had her professional debut as a playwright in 2022 with the Detroit Repertory Theatre. Other organizations that have previously produced her works include Femuscripts, As If Theatre, Big I Entertainment, Pacific Play Company, and Intramural Theatre. She has also received development for her plays through organizations like the Mid-America Theatre Conference, Aspire Repertory Theatre, Bonita Springs Center for the Performing Arts, and Drunken Owl Theatre.

Her play Life on the Moon was the 2017 winner of the Triad Shakes Theatre’s New Play Competition and of Southeastern Louisiana University’s Inkslinger Playwriting Competition. This play also was featured in American Theatre Magazine’s podcast The Subtext, had excerpts published in the online literary journal Wordgathering, received a semi-finalist award from Southwest Theatre Productions’ 2021 Play with a Male Lead contest, placed as a finalist in the 2023 Judith Royer Excellence in Playwriting award, and has an excerpt included in Smith & Kraus’ Best Male Monologues of 2023 anthology.

Anna was awarded the 2023 Seattle One-Act Play (SOAP) commission from Baker Theatre (in partnership with ACT Theatre and Hugo House) for her play Attention Must Be Paid. Other playwriting honors include receiving semi-finalist status for “More” from Stage It!’s 10-Minute Play Competition, becoming a semi-finalist for Meditative Writing’s Playwriting Fellowship, and getting finalist status for Fire and Brimstone from Playdate’s Apartment Plays Conference.

Anna is an active member of the Seattle theatre community who participates regularly in the new works groups run by Pacific Play Company and Centerstage; reviews theatre in the area for the Federal Way Mirror and NWTheatre.org; and helps bring new works by other playwrights to life as a reader, dramaturg, or director. At the national level, Anna serves the theatre community as a judge for both the Inkslinger Playwriting Contest and the Judith Royer Excellence in Playwriting Contest.

Anna’s fiction and non-fiction writings have appeared in numerous publications, including Brilliant Flash Fiction, Drunk Monkeys, The Bookends Review’s online magazine and Best of 2017 printed anthology, and GLASS Quarterly Magazine. Her short story How To Raise a Pet Raccoon was nominated for both a Pushcart award and a Best of the Net award. This story is also featured on the podcast Does This Happen To You?

Anna has worked as a literary agent assistant, tutor, editor, teacher, copywriter, and content marketer. She currently serves as the Annual Fund Manager of Inspire Washington, the statewide cultural advocacy organization.

When not posing as the female reincarnation of Tennessee Williams, Anna can usually be found drinking too much caffeine, befriending feral cats, and/or eating ice cream.

Life on the Moon was first produced at Detroit Repertory Theatre, Detroit, MI, USA, in November 2022.