Celebrating 20 years!
A Letter from our Artistic Director...
Welcome to LAUNCH PAD!
LAUNCH PAD began in 2005 and we are proud to have supported so many talented playwrights and plays on their journey from incubation to professional world premiere.
Our 20th season opened with the Preview Production of "Strange Birds" by E. M. Lewis, award-winning playwright, lyricist, book writer, and opera librettist. Set in a small, rustic cabin in the woods, "Strange Birds" is about women and wolves... and sisters... and secrets, looking into what we owe to the systems that oppress us and how we escape from something we carry inside us.
The concept of a "Preview Production” is unique in the American theater: a fully realized and professionally designed and directed production that stays in previews throughout the run of the show allowing the writer to revise their work through the final performance. Bringing together talented students, faculty artists, and professional guest artists to work on these dynamic new plays is the hallmark of our program.
Our celebration continued on April 25/26 with the AMPLIFY Reading Series Festival, bringing together an exciting slate of diverse playwrights, directors, dramaturgs, and actors to showcase their new works.
This 20th season concluded with the Summer Reading Series, featuring three dynamic weeks with acclaimed writers Louis Bayard, Melinda Lopez, and Lia Romeo.
If you have any questions about LAUNCH PAD, please reach out to us at LAUNCHPAD@theaterdance.ucsb
All my best,
Risa
Upcoming Events...
In The News...
Sara Sadjadi receives the 2025 Shirley Jo Finney Excellence Award
Our dear friend and colleague, Shirley Jo Finney, passed away on October 10, 2023. Shirley Jo was a bright light in our lives. She first came to direct for the Department of Theater and Dance in 2014. Over the next eight years, she returned several times to teach and direct. Her final project with us was the LAUNCH PAD Preview Production of Candrice Jones' A Medusa Thread. Shirley Jo was a wonderful teacher and gifted director. She brought out the best in absolutely everyone. Those who had the honor of knowing Shirley Jo miss her dearly. We’re proud that her legacy lives on in the Shirley Jo Finney Excellence Award honoring a deserving acting or directing student who exemplifies Shirley Jo’s joyous spirit, generosity, and talent. This year’s recipient is Sara Sadjadi.
Sara Sadjadi is a 2025 UCSB graduate with a BFA in Acting and a minor in Iranian Studies. Sara performed beautifully in many roles at UCSB, including Ashlee in Dance Nation, Lou in LAUNCH PAD's Strange Birds, and Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing with Naked Shakes. Throughout her time at UCSB, Sara was an outstanding student who took great pride in meticulously preparing every assignment and every performance. The joy, generosity of spirit, and dedication to her art mirrored the many great qualities of Shirley Jo. We are excited to share that Sara will be in the Acting Apprentice Company at Milwaukee Repertory Theater for six months starting in the Fall, and will continue her acting career in Chicago immediately following. We wish her much success!
Shirley Jo Finney in rehearsal for The White Card at UCSB.
Sara Sadjadi. (photo credit: Chris Orwell)
Read about the 2025 LAUNCH PAD Amplify Reading Series Festival
The Current, April 23, 2025 / Article by Shelly Leach
Summer Series Playwright Lia Romeo
2025 Outer Critics Circle Awards Nominee
(John Gassner Award)
Congratulations, Lia!
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Dramatic Publishing: publisher
and exclusive licensing of
LAUNCH PAD’s Alone, Together Festival
of short plays and monologues!
If you are interested in licensing the Alone, Together compilation,
please contact CustomerService@dpcplays.com or visit their website.
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