Readings and Spring News

Happy May everyone!

Some exciting news on my end:

-My play THE WORST MOTHER IN THE WORLD was a semi-finalist for the 2017 O'Neill National Playwrights Conference! 

-I was thrilled to write a monologue for the lovely Kristen Krak for Mariah MacCarthy's fabulous festival o'Feminism PUSSYFEST V (Caps Lock Theater) at the Access Theater on April 20th. Also, my first time back at the Access since PAPER CRANES opened back in 2011!

-Because I am a lucky gal, I got to go back to the Access to hear a full length reading of my NPC Finalist play THE OCEAN THOUGHT NOTHING, as part of Team Awesome Robot's That True Reading Series on April 25th. Many thanks to Brittany Ayers for her skillful direction.  Despite it having done well in the submissions game, this was my first time hearing the play in front of an audience and it was really a joyful experience. Here's hoping for a future life! 

-My short play THERE'S ALWAYS A CHOICE was featured in NYMadness - FUTURE BABY MADNESS! - at the Kraine Theater on April 30th. Many thanks to Judith Leora for asking me to be a part of it, Michele Travis for her great direction, and Stacey Raymond and Daniela Thome for their kick ass acting. Was a fun experience and I hope I can come back to play with these folks again.

-And, to round things out, I had the first public reading of my new play WENDY AND THE NECKBEARDS at Jimmy's 43 in the East Village, directed by Kristin McCarthy Parker. It was a blast and I'm really excited about this play. I hope I get to share it further really soon. 

Interviewed for AMERICAN THEATRE Magazine!

Hi all,

My friend and amazing playwright Leah Nanako Winkler was kind enough to interview me for this feature in American Theatre Magazine about class and income in the theatre. Having grown up in a working class background and having times where I was poor af trying to cobble together a theatre career, I was grateful to get to speak on this issue. Also, some other amazing playwrights like Nikole Bekwith, Patricia Ione-Lloyd, and Jose Rivera are interviewed. Check it out!

http://www.americantheatre.org/2017/01/24/how-to-make-it-as-a-poor-theatre-artist-in-new-york-city/

Hope everyone is surviving okay in Trump's America...

KBQ

 

 

 

 

Graduation and more

I am proud to announce that as of this May, I graduated with my MFA in Playwriting from Hunter College! It marks the end of a long, crazy journey and all my thanks are with Tina Howe, Arthur Kopit and Mark Bly for their mentorship and guidance over the past two years. Also, huge thanks to my classmates Daniel McCoy, David Hilder and Stacy Osei-Kuffour for being the best friends and colleagues I could ask for.

I am also proud that my thesis play, PREPARED, was the winner of the 2015 Rita and Burton Goldberg Prize, was a semi-finalist for PlayPenn, and was an Honorable Mention on this year's Kilroys List! If you are interested in reading the script, it is on my New Play Exchange page for download. More information about the play here.

PREPARED - 2015 MFA Hunter Playwrights Festival

Prepared
a Hunter College MFA workshop production
by Kari Bentley-Quinn
Directed by Sherri Eden Barber

Thu 2/19 & Fri 2/20 @ 7:30pm
Sat 2/21 @ 2:00pm
Frederick Loewe Theatre
68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues
$12 general / $5 seniors & students / FREE with Hunter ID
Box office 212.772.4448

A teenage boy has closed himself off to the world, opting for only computer games, darkened windows, and a steady diet of homeschooled lessons from his survivalist mother, Lydia. His gradual estrangement from his father and brother – coupled with Lydia’s loosening grip on reality – creates a dangerous atmosphere of fear and isolation at home. A series of events push mother and son to a breaking point, testing their delicate alliance like never before.

Featuring: Kyle Doherty, Brian Kelley, Noah Lee Margetts, and Samantha Rosentrater.

The Unlikely Ascent of Sybil Stevens

I have the luxurious privilege of having a full production of my play, THE UNLIKELY ASCENT OF SYBIL STEVENS, opening Feb 6th at the Secret Theatre. I had a workshop of the play there last year through the New Voices project, and I’m so proud and honored to have been chosen as the first New Voices play to reach full production.

Tickets are on sale and information is below.

The Secret Theatre presents:
THE UNLIKELY ASCENT OF SYBIL STEVENS
by Kari Bentley-Quinn
directed by Christopher Diercksen
produced by Leta Tremblay
February 6-23, 2014
4402 23rd St. Long Island City
E/M/7/G to Court Sq.

Press Representation by Lanie Zipoy (lanie.zipoy@gmail.com)

Featuring
Yeauxlanda Kay*, Jennifer Gordon Thomas, Jordan Tierney, Samantha Fairfield Walsh, and Sean Williams.
*Appearing courtesy of the Actors’ Equity Association.

Sybil Stevens, a Chicago-based flight attendant, finds her life completely changed when she is the sole survivor of a devastating plane crash. Sybil, still suffering physical and emotional ramifications from the crash, agrees to do a talk show at the urging of her young, publicity hungry nephew. When Joe, the man who saved her life, makes a surprise visit to Chicago, Sybil finds herself having to deal with the unexpected aftereffects of both the crash and her newfound fame. Can she survive being a survivor?

(also I am starting my second semester of grad school on Monday. SEND HELP AND ALSO WINE)