Playwright Erik Gernand

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 plays over the next few weeks. This week the spotlight shines on Erik Gernand, author of A Place in the Woods*.

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 had a reading of my play "The Beautiful Dark" at the festival last year but was unfortunately unable to make it out from New York. I did, however, have a terrific experience at another reading at The Road in December 2015. I'm excited to be coming out this year for the festival!

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

Seems like everyone I talk to has a different process. I tend to work very intensely on a specific project until a draft of it is finished. I then like to take a break from it so I can visit it again later with fresh eyes. I'm a big reviser also. I spend a lot of time tweaking and rethinking my writing, sometimes for months or years on a script.

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?

Everyone I've met at The Road has been amazing! I first met Laura Gardner at The Last Frontier Theatre Conference in Alaska and she was my initial connection to the company. My play "A Place in the Woods" had an initial production in Chicago and I'm hoping to find a West Coast home for it as well as other future productions. Working with talented actors and a director like at The Road is immensely helpful in moving a play forward.

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! 

*To be read Monday July 31 at 8 pm at Lankershim.