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Link to company quotes from WordBRIDGE '97

WordBRIDGE expanded outwards this year into a public forum. There was a feature article in the St. Petersburg Times about WordBRIDGE. Also two presentations, the family musical, Tiny Fiend and the String Ball, by Maria Headley, and the Romantic Comedy, Marry Me, by Thea Cooper, were read before an audience open to the general public. The variety in styles continued; plays ranged from Robert Ford's gothic Munny's Version, to Dreams of Irish Kings, written in verse by Cheryldee Huddleston. More people than ever attended this year as WordBRIDGE continues to grow.  The project received the greatest number of scripts to date and seven scripts were selected. The 50 member company, consisting of national, Florida, local and student artists, included Kimberly Scott (Tony-nominated actress), Joan Darling (Emmy and Directors Guild winner), and Patrick Tovatt (Cal on As The World Turns). An opening night program,Tribute to Playwrights, was inaugurated, and the Guest Artist Series and the final staged readings attracted increased public participation due to greater media and public relations efforts. The WORDBRIDGE spring production,TINY FIEND AND THE STRING BALL, a children’s musical by Maria Dahvana Headley, drew a large audience. Community support, especially in the area of housing, volunteers and in-kind support, continued to be increasingly significant. A St. Petersburg Cultural Arts grant, the first which WORDBRIDGE has received from local government, provided the funds to hire a short-term, part-time coordinator.

WordBRIDGE Company 1997
(click on photo to enlarge)

Marry Me by Thea Cooper -- University of Iowa

What happens when three Americans in pursuit of happiness catch up to it? A hopeful romantic, an aspiring novelist, and a mobster with six months to live make a grab for the brass ring

Jupiter's Green Daisy by Ben FitzSimons -- New Mexico State University

Mason, a disheartened screenwriter, argues with his wife and his boss on his cellular phone while standing on a ledge about to jump when he is interrupted by Santosha, a mysterious, blood-splattered woman.

Munny's Version by Robert Ford -- University of Texas{Austin}

Poe scholar Janice Berry seeks to unravel the secrets behind a mysterious letter delivered to Edgar Allan Poe by an African slave named Munny.

Perfect Women by Barbara Goldman -- University of Iowa

Barbie and her stone butch lover Midge team up to rescue Mona Lisa from the clutches of misogynist art thieves in an adventure seen through the eyes of Rosie, a young girl coming of age.

Dreams of Irish Kings by Cheryldee Huddleston -- University of Nevada

Appointed Ambassador to Great Britain, Irish-born Patrick Byrne plots to place his son in the Presidency. Byrne's ambitions, however, are imperiled by the ghost of his beloved Maryanne, who holds the secret to his past.

Tiny Fiend and the String Ball by Maria Dahvana Headley -- New York University

In this children's play with music, Lobelia, Jimi-Jami and Duhickey climb to the moon to reclaim their ball of string from the net of the moon spider and the clutches of baby sister Tiny Fiend.

Yonder, When Hogs Fly by Erik Ramsey -- University of Nevada

Would-be artist Lane and his brother Ryan steal from vacationing Las Vegas doctors while gambling on alien visits, unplanned pregnancy, and dreams of a Kawasaki that can fly.