ROCKFORD NEW WORDS

HEALING + HOMAGE

STAGED READING | Jan 19, 20, 21, 2023 | 7pm

Ten plays, poems, monologues, and stories were presented in a staged reading at 7pm on January 19th, 20th, and 21st at The West Side Show Room in Rockford.

Accepted forms included spoken word poetry, raps, plays, storytelling, and monologues and were written to the theme “Healing + Homage.”

HEALING + HOMAGE

As we navigate life, we carry with us great generational traditions— but we must also break free from their curses. This year we are asking writers to explore the ways in which we pay homage to— and heal from— the actions of those who came before us.

OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

The Perfect Sweet Potato Pie | Play
Nena Monroe (Rockford, IL)

Spider in the Labyrinth | Poem
JP Rindfleisch IX (Rockford, IL)

srinivas | Monologue
Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj (Brooklyn, NY)

New Year’s Purun | Play
Justin P. Lopez (San Francisco, CA)

The Gettysburg Redress | Poem
Eileen Byrne (Wilmette, IL)

Kill The Beast | Play
D.A. Mindell (New York, NY)

Photobombed | Monologue
Anne Valentino (Rockville, MD)

Father’s Day Of Silence: A Healing Hymn In Words | Poem/Monologue
Cris Eli Blak (Louisville, KY)

Letter to Mamá | Monologue
Linda Zuba (Rockford, IL)

Second Act | Storytelling
Savanna Mapelli (Yardley, PA)

WRITERS

Nena Monroe

Nena Monroe is a native of Rockford, IL.  She is a poet, actress, entrepreneur and loving mother. Nena began writing at a very young age but made her public debut in 2016 showcasing the art of spoken word at "Soul Lounge", an event in her hometown. Since then, Nena has performed on many different stages, continuing her spoken word journey, as well as acting in stage plays, commercials, and creating social media content.  In addition, her candle company "The Feels Candles" was highlighted in her hometown's local newspaper for the way she creatively uses her writing to present her products in a fashion that touches the hearts and souls of her customers. This is Nena’s first play and she looks forward to sharing many more in the future.

Anne Valentino

Anne Valentino earned a PhD in Literature from Temple University and has, over the past twenty years, been a professor, freelance writer, ghostwriter and podcast producer. Now as a recovering academic, she’s begun her ‘second act’ as a playwright. Her plays include Kind Human, Nick Goes to a Drag Show and Sublime Transgressions: A ‘Sloppy Morality’ Play. She’s been a finalist in the Baltimore Playwrights Festival as well The RiverStage Community Theatre One-Act Play Festival. When not writing plays, she’s a theatre critic for the Maryland Theatre Guide. She lives in the Washington DC area with her fiancé and the two most untrainable dogs on the planet, Tibby and Athena. 

Eileen Byrne

Eileen Byrne is currently a graduate student at Northwestern University studying Secondary English for a degree in secondary Education because she believes in teaching about the healing power of writing. She is the recipient of the 2022 Brink Residency Award for her solo show “Running With Coffee.” Other award-winning pieces include “Snowglobal Warming,” (2020) “Wingman” (2019) and “Allegations”--produced in a MeToo Festival (2018)

D.A. Mindell

D.A. Mindell (he/him) is a playwright and educator based in Harlem, in New York City, where he is pursuing his MFA at Columbia University. His work has received recognition from the Kennedy Center's American College Theater Festival, the Georgia Theater Conference, the Powerstories Voices of Truth Theater Festival, the Jewish Plays Project, and the Atlanta Shakespeare Company. As an educator, he has worked with the Alliance Theater, as well as SOJOURN, through which he is the creator of the Quest Ed podcast. He would like to thank Lynn Nottage and his MFA cohort for their unwavering support during the development of this play.

Justin P. Lopez

Justin P. Lopez (he/him) is a mixed-race Indigenous, Latino, and Asian actor, singer, writer, and boba-milk-tea enthusiast, who is passionate about new works and loves finding true connection and humanity in each script. As an actor, recent credits include the world premieres of Kiss My Aztec! (Berkeley Repertory Theatre) and Unbreakable by Andrew Lippa (SFGMC). As a writer, Justin's work has been recognized by the Bay Area Playwrights Festival, Ashland New Play Festival, and many organizations around the country, including PlayGround SF, Custom Made Theatre Company, and Town Hall Theatre. Find out what else Justin is up to at www.justinplopez.com

Cris Eli Blak

Cris Eli Blak is an emerging Black playwright whose work has been produced Off-Broadway and around the country; on university stages; as well as in London, Australia, Ireland, and Canada. He is currently the artist-in-residence at The State University of New York - Oswego, the recipient of the Emerging Playwrights Fellowship from The Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre and a resident playwright with Yonder Window Theatre Company and Pipeline Theatre Company. His past residencies include Fosters Theatrical Artists Residency, Paterson Performing Arts Development Council; the Michael Bradford Residency from Quick Silver Theatre Company; and he was in the inaugural class of fellows for the Black Theatre Coalition.

Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj

Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj is a multi-disciplinary American Theater Artist, Administrator, and Cultural Activist who investigates the complexities of narrative, perception, identity, political, social, and community storytelling, through research driven work that explores BIPOC narratives that have been historically bypassed in the American Theatre. Mr. Maharaj was twice hailed in The New York Times as a Critics Pick for his work in the American Theatre. His playwrighting residencies include the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, New Orleans Writer’s Residency, Alliance Theater, Arkansas Repertory Theater, Crossroads Theater, Amas Musical Theater, Triskelion Arts, the Resident Playwright of the Letter of Marque Theatre, is an alumnus of Theater Now’s Virtual Musical Theater Writer’s Group, a Season Finalist in The Downtown Urban Arts Festival in New York City, the inaugural playwright for the Theatre Raleigh New Works Reading Series, and a finalist for the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference. He is the recipient of the Negro Ensemble Company Cutting Edge Playhouse Playwriting Residency.

Linda Zuba

Linda Zuba is a Rockford, IL attorney, community activist and human rights advocate. She has been involved with numerous organizations in the Rockford area that improve lives as well as organizations at the southern border and across the border that help asylum seekers. For the last 2 years, Linda’s primary focus has been healing from complications following a severe COVID infection. In 2019, Linda’s play, Rainbow Warriors, about her work with asylum seekers and the stories she promised she would share, was selected for the Rockford New Play Festival. Linda is unapologetically Latina, proud to have been born in Colombia and a proud U.S. citizen. IG@lindamzuba

Savanna Mapelli

Savanna Mapelli is a resident of Bucks County, Pennsylvania. In addition to several short plays, she has written one three act play called "To Be Frank" (tobefrankplay.com) which has merited a vibrant table reading directed by Victoria Buda on Zoom. She has published scholarly works on a variety of human rights topics through the Human Rights Special Interest Group she co-founded in her career as an attorney. She teaches International Humanitarian Law for the American Red Cross and is trained by the Mark Morris Dance Group to teach Dance for PD® (Dance for Parkinson’s). Her blog is on Medium @SavMap.

JP Rindfleisch IX

JP Rindfleisch IX is a writer, editor and podcaster from Rockford with a persistent desire to network and build communities for writers. If they could sum up their writing into one tagline, it would be "Curator of things Dark, Strange, and Queer." The moment they attribute as the launch of their writing career was when they took the leap and ended up in the basement of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, crafting a story world for an apocalyptic anthology with a collection of amazing indie authors. Since then, they have discovered an amazing community of writers, and now they want to bring that excitement to Rockford. You can find out more about JP here: jprindfleischix.com

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Claudia Consuelos

Claudia Consuelos was raised in Rockford, IL and graduated from Rock Valley College with an Associates of Arts and Associates of Science. She then transferred to Illinois State University where she earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Sociology and Pre-Med. While in college, Claudia helped increase voter registration, lobbied for institutional funding, and pushed for accessible scholarships among holding different executive positions in extra curriculum organizations. After college, she returned to work in Rockford. Through her education and professional career, Claudia’s passions are demonstrated through bringing awareness to different topics such as Mental Health, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, LGBTQ+, First Generation Students, and other underrepresented groups. Claudia implemented and led the first Latinx Graduation at Rock Valley College, assisted in creating different DEI statements and initiatives, and connects individuals and organizations to important resources.

Claudia currently works as the Director of Workforce Development for Comprehensive Community Solutions, Inc. (CCS). Claudia oversees two youth workforce development programs- YouthBuild Rockford and RockForWork. Claudia also organizes marketing for CCS, write grants, conducts different fundraising initiatives, and forms partnerships with community organizations and members. Claudia believes in the mission of CCS and is passionate to help young adults with personal and professional development.

In the community, Claudia currently serves as the Artistic Director for the Rockford New Words Festival. Claudia also serves in the Board of Directors for the Rockford Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She is a member of the Coalition for Latino Leaders and is happy to volunteer for different organizations and events. Claudia is also trained to be a Safe Zone trainer, does presentations on marginalized groups, community success, workforce development, cultural competence, inspirational and personal growth, and other topics.

COVID SAFETY

AUDIENCE MEMBERS MUST WEAR MASKS

Masks are not required in our lobby, but we ask everyone to please wear a mask during the show. You may bring your drinks into the theater.

Any questions? contact@wssr.org

SPONSORS

ROCKFORD NEW WORDS 2023 is made possible by a generous grant from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois.  

The mission of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois is to inspire endowment and promote philanthropy for the current and future needs of the people of Northern Illinois. Since its founding in 1953 CFNIL has granted more than $80 million for charitable purposes. 2023 is CFNIL's 70th anniversary: learn more about CFNIL’s history, grantmaking, and commitment to endowment at www.cfnil.org.

ROCKFORD AREA ARTS COUNCIL

ROCKFORD NEW WORDS 2023 is made possible by a generous grant from the Rockford Area Arts Council. 

The Rockford Area Arts Council supports, promotes, and develops the arts for everyone in the Northern Illinois region.

CAST

Ashleye Armelin
ValMarie Black
Carolyn Cadigan
Yazmin Jones
Silas Morales
Linda Zuba

RNW STAFF

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Claudia Consuelos

ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTORS
Martin Rodriguez
Rachel Boge

PRODUCER
Epic Jones

Marketing Coordinator
Elijah Lowry

ROCKFORD NEW WORDS FOUNDERS
Sharon Nesbit-Davis, Nathan Alan Davis, Mike Werckle