Five years removed from tragedy, Jack Ian Batchelor), an agoraphobic online teacher has perfected his video game playing skills but severely neglected his hygiene, mental health and dwindling number of personal relationships. At left is Anthony Blatter. (Photo by Morgan Sophia Photography)
After ten seasons of Theatre Lab’s New Play Festival, the professional resident company of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton has introduced the “Owl” New Play Festival.
“Theatre Lab is partnering with the Department of Theatre and Dance to take the annual New Play Festival to the next level,” said Matt Stabile, producing artistic director of Theatre Lab.
“What began as a weekend-long series of readings of new plays, will now become a three-week festival incorporating two full productions. The official start of the 2025 “Owl” New Play Festival began on Saturday, April 5 with Theatre Lab’s world premiere production of “The Impossible Task of Today”by Jeff Bower, directed by Stabile.
The premiere continues at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday through Sunday, April 19.
Vaishnavi Sharma, Anthony Blatter, and Ian Batchelor in Theatre Lab's "The Impossible Task of Today" by Jeff Bower, directed by Matt Stabile running through Saturday, April 20 at Florida Atlantic University. (Photo by Morgan Sophia Photography)
An audience favorite from Theatre Lab’s 2023 New Play Festival, the play uses humor and hope to explore issues of gun violence, mental health and the dangers of social media with a reminder that the only way to move through difficult times is together.
Five years removed from tragedy, Jack, an agoraphobic online teacher has perfected his video game playing skills but severely neglected his hygiene, mental health and dwindling number of personal relationships.
When the grocery delivery guy is one of your best friends, something's got to give, and with the arrival of a home gym, everything will change. Jack truly believes it –even if no one else does. Performances are in the Theatre Lab, Heckscher Stage.
On Friday, April 11, Margaret M. Ledford, artistic director of City Theatre Miami directs a workshop production of “The Frankenstein Project” by E.M. Lewis by the Department of Theatre and Dance.
Following Theatre Lab’s 2022’s hit World Premiere production of Lewis’s play Dorothy’s Dictionary, the award-winning playwright returns to the FAU campus with her newest creation. In 1816, Mary Shelley grieves for her lost child and conjures a creature that looks a lot like her beloved husband.
In the present, Mary Lattimore tries to write a paper about Mary Shelley’s book for her high school English class but gets distracted by the new friendship she begins with an AI robot her father has created and brought home.
“The Frankenstein Project” is about the monsters we battle, the monsters we create, and the monsters we (sometimes) are.
Performances at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday through Sunday, April 20 with a 2:30 p.m. matinee on Saturday, April 19, are in the Marleen Forkas Studio One Theatre.
A collaborative project, produced in conjunction with Theatre Lab, the FAU Department of Theatre and Dance, and New Neighborhood Theater, “The Happiness Gym” opens on Saturday, April 12. Created by playwright Ken Weitzman in collaboration with New Neighborhood Theatre, “The Happiness Gym”is a non-traditional theater experience which combines scientific principles and theatrical imagination to introduce participants to elegantly simple exercises and experiences that are proven to boost happiness. Since the early 2000s, there’s been a large and successful movement in psychology to study happiness.
Despite the huge number of books, apps, websites, toolkits, seminars and podcasts on well-being, many, many people find themselves struggling to attempt or continue practices which have been empirically proven to boost happiness. One major reason is that the burden of it ultimately rests on the individual-as something like exercise often does. But what if we created more of a communal venture?
Ian Batchelor and Nicole Perry in Theatre Lab's "The Impossible Task of Today," now playing at Theatre Lab, Heckscher Stage at Florida Atlantic University. (Photo by Morgan Sophia Photography)
According to Stabile, “The Happiness Gym” is an interactive, experiential, immersive event that theatricalizes empirical research on well-being and happiness.
Over the course of 90 minutes, participants are welcomed into a theatrically designed space and guided through elegantly simple exercises and experiences which are scientifically proven to boost happiness.
Developed and first piloted at Stony Brook University, this first professional production of the project is a collaboration between playwright and educator Ken Weitzman, New Neighborhood, a theater company specializing in socially interactive installations, Theatre Lab, and the Florida Atlantic Department of Theatre and Dance.
“The Happiness Gym”is recommended for ages 16 and up and requires participants to interact with one another, handle lightweight objects, and maneuver throughout a space. Theatre Lab asks that participants take these requirements into consideration prior to booking the experience.
“The Happiness Gym” opens Saturday, April 12 and runs through Sunday, April 201, 5 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, 1 and 3:30 p.m., Sunday. Tickets are $30. Limit of 16 participants per session in the Brandstar Studio.
Nicole Perry, Ian Batchelor and Kaelyn A Gonzalez in Theatre Lab's "The Impossible Task of Today" by Jeff Bower, directed by Matt Stabile running through Saturday, April 20 at Florida Atlantic University. (Photo by Morgan Sophia Photography)
“This year’s inaugural festival features two very different plays which deal with remarkably similar themes and issues,” said Stabile about “The Impossible Task of Today” and “The Happiness Gym.”
“Both plays focus on the difficulties of processing and moving through grief and how some of the new tools available, including social media and AI, can both assist and potentially destroy us. Ultimately, both remarkable stories remind us of the paramount importance of real human relationships and the power of hope, love and resilience. With two plays centered on technology and well-being, it was only natural to include an event conceived from scientifically proven methods to boost happiness and authentic human connection.”
In addition to the three main events, during the final two weekends of the festival, selected readings of new works will be offered, including the first public reading of the winner of the 2025 Fair Play Initiative, a commission and development program for LGBTQ+ plays and stories made possible with support from Our Fund Foundation. Readings are presented free-of-charge (donations encouraged) and are in The Marleen Forkas Studio One Theatre.
Saturday, April 12; 2:30 p.m.:“Donner: An American Musical Tragedy” by Cait Siobhan Kiley and Joel Rodriguez
Sunday, April 13; noon: Original work from high school students in Theatre Lab’s LabRATS program
Wednesday, April 16; 7 p.m.: Original short plays, scenes, and monologues from students in FAU’s Playwriting 101
Saturday, April 19; noon: “The Last Queen of San Domino” by Chandler Hubbard; 2025 Fair Play Initiative Commission
“With our 10th anniversary season, we wanted to make a splash and this was the natural next step in our growth as a new play center,” said Stabile.
“Folks can come to Boca for a weekend in April and be fully immersed in the world of new plays. The goal is to continue to expand this annual event, establishing Theatre Lab and FAU as a premier national destination for new play development and production.”
Individual tickets range from $25 to $60 depending on date, event and seat selection, and are now on sale. A discounted “Main Events” Package, allowing purchasers to choose their dates and times for all three ticketed events, is available for $90.
For tickets or more information, visit www.fauevents.com or call 561-297-6124.
