Playwright Brian James Polak

The Road Theatre Company Proudly Presents

The Eighth Annual
SUMMER PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

8 Days! 30+ plays!
Receptions and live music nightly!

This year’s festival will include a 50/50 parity of male and female playwrights and runs Sunday, July 3Oth through Sunday, August 6th at The Road on Lankershim, in the Historic Lankershim Arts Center in North Hollywood at 5108 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood  and at The Road on Magnolia at 10747 Magnolia Blvd, North Hollywood  at the NoHo Arts Colony!

 We will feature spotlights on all the playwrights of full length and one act plays over the next few weeks. This week the spotlight shines on Brian James Polak, author of the full-length play Henry and the Hippocampus*.

What is your familiarity with The Road and the Playwrights Festival? If you have been here before how would you rate your experience? If not, why did you choose to bring your play here? Have you seen work produced here?

 I love The Road. They select excellent plays to produce, and they do them consistently well. The company is full of awesome people who are great to work with. I have seen many plays at The Road over the years and have had plays in previous Summer Playwrights Festivals. This is my third consecutive year with a play in the festival. I have been blown away by the sheer volume of work The Road is capable of producing in these festivals. I love seeing their dedication to new work, diversity, and gender parity. 

What is your process for writing and rewriting? Anything you care to share here as advice for other playwrights would be welcome.

There comes a point in the writing process when you’ve put down everything you had in your head. Now there is the piece that is trying to be a play. This is the moment when you have to shift gears and become a listener. Listen to the play tell you what it needs. Listen to the people you asked to read the play. Give as much credence to criticism as you do to praise. They are equally meaningful. 

What is the value of having your work done here at The Road in 
California? What are your expectations and hopes for your play for the future?

The Road is one of the quintessential Los Angeles theaters. If you’re an LA playwright, this is one of the places you want producing your work. The hope is to have that one play that inspires the company enough for them to give it a full production. That isn’t to say anything short of production is failure, because there is much to gain simply being part of the summer festival. It’s a great opportunity to meet actors and directors and possibly develop new artistic relationships. 

Remember: The Road on Lankershim is located in the Historic Lankershim Arts Center in North Hollywood at 5108 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood  and The Road on Magnolia at 10747 Magnolia Blvd, North Hollywood  at the NoHo Arts Colony! There is street parking available in both locations, but come early, at least a half hour before curtain.

Because SPF8 is a fundraiser, tickets are by donation only and are only available at the door! Suggested donation for a single performance is $15 –or this year, try a weeklong festival pass for the suggested donation of $50! 

*Henry and the Hippocampus  plays Saturday August 5  on Lankershim at 8 pm.