Welcome to LAUNCH PAD
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. We are so happy to be bringing professional and student artists together to collaborate in person once again!
This year's Preview Production of "A Medusa Thread" written by Candrice Jones and directed by Shirley Jo Finney was presented May 18-25. The "Preview Production”, a concept unique in American theater, is a fully realized and professionally designed and directed production. The play stays in previews throughout the run of the show so the writer can continue to revise throughout the run. Watching our talented students, faculty, and professional guest artists work side by side makes for an enriching experience for all...especially the audience!
This summer, we welcome four playwrights to campus for our Summer Reading Series. Please join us for the readings of these new works by Four Seasons playwright Franky Gonzalez and LAUNCH PAD favorites Idris Goodwin, christopher oscar peña, and James Still July 10-28, 2022.
Thank you for being part of the LAUNCH PAD family. As we continue to bring you fresh, timely, provocative, and entertaining new plays, we also wish you good health and look forward to seeing you in person very soon.
- Risa Brainin, Artistic Director
Upcoming Events...
Summer 2022
Summer Reading Series
July 10, 14, 21, 28
Join us this summer when we welcome back three esteemed LAUNCH PAD alums
Idris Goodwin, christopher oscar peña, and James Still, with their new plays
and welcome first-time playwright-in-residence Franky Gonzalez,
who visits us through our partnership with Tofte Lake Center.
Thank you to everyone who brought this powerful play to life!
A Medusa Thread
by Candrice Jones
directed by Shirley Jo Finney
Once an academic year, LAUNCH PAD presents a Preview Production, a concept unique in the American theater.
As a fully-realized production without the pressures of the commercial world, the new play stays in previews
throughout the run of the show, and the writer continues revising as the piece evolves through performances.
This year, we welcomed back playwright Candrice Jones and director Shirley Jo Finney with A Medusa Thread,
which was one of the six plays featured in our 2021 BIPOC Reading Series Festival.
In The News...
Congratulations Candrice!
A Medusa Thread was this year's LAUNCH PAD Preview Production,
presented in UCSB's Performing Arts Theater May 16-25, 2022.
The prestigious Yale Drama Series Prize for emerging playwrights
announced Candrice Jones and her play, A Medusa Thread,
as one of eight contenders for its first-ever short list.
Congratulations Kareem!
Playwright Kareem Fahmy
(with American Fast) is the
2022-23 Woodward/Newman Award Winner.
American Fast was featured in
LAUNCH PAD's 2021 BIPOC Reading Series Festival.
Congratulations Stephanie!
Playwright Stephanie Kyung Sun Walters and
Acetone Wishes and Plexiglass Dreams
wins 2022 Terrence McNally Award.
Stephanie received this award for the final part of her Koreatown Trilogy,
Acetone Wishes and Plexiglass Dreams, which was featured in
LAUNCH PAD's 2022 BIPOC Reading Series Festival.
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.
For updates on the LAUNCH PAD Program like us on Facebook!
Take a moment to flip through the LAUNCH PAD brochure!
A new play by Franky Gonzalez
(Date TBD)
As part of our partnership with Tofte Lake Center in their role with the 4 Seasons Residency,
Franky explores a new play through one of our Reading Programs.