ROCKFORD NEW WORDS

STAGED READING
FEB 2, 3, 4, 2024
7pm

The West Side Show Room presents Rockford New Words 2024!

Ten plays, poems, monologues, and stories by writers from Rockford and beyond will be presented in a staged reading at 7pm on February 2nd, 3rd, and 4th at The West Side Show Room in Rockford.

This year, we asked writers to dig deep into their personal lives and consider what, if any, positives or humor they might have gleaned from what is perhaps the most difficult part of any relationship.

GET TICKETS

THEME

WHAT I LEARNED FROM MY EX:

You know who we’re talking about. They used to be the center of your little cosmic world— but now they’re gone gone gone! Ex-romantic partners, ex-family members, ex-friends, ex-pets— they all had to go! This year, we are asking writers to explore the laughing lessons your doomed relationships left behind.

OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

Easy Does It | Play
Jake Alexander (New York, NY)

Love Passion Desire | Poem
Marjorie Conn (New York, NY)

Moose | Monologue
F. J. Hartland (Johnstown, PA)

Exit Interview | Play
Keely Herrick (Atlanta, GA)

The Moment I Knew | Story
Annie Hose-Ryan (Rockford, IL)

Performance Review | Play
Taylor Leigh Lamb (Baltimore, MD)

Jukebox | Play
Jena Rashid (Orlando, FL)

The Dating Pool | Play
Arianna Rose (Delray Beach, FL)

A More Beautiful Reflection | Play
Scott C. Sickles (Forest Hills, NY)

My Former Selves Play
Keith Skaggs (Rockford, IL)

WRITERS

Jake Alexander (he/him)

Jake Alexander is Connecticut-born playwright and theatre artist. His work has been produced by Equity Library Theatre, Christopher Newport University, Soop Theatre Co., the Player's Theatre of the West Village, Jakespeare Virtual Theatre Co., Chestnut Street Playhouse, Broward College, NY Theatre Festival Summerfest, and Emerging Artist Theatre Co. Jake has been published in Qu Literary Magazine and Literature Today Webzine. He is a 2014 graduate of Boston College and works in the School of Journalism at NYU.

Marjorie Conn (she/her)

Marjorie Conn (Actor / Playwright / Ventriloquist) made her acting debut with the late, greyt Ethyl Eichelberger as his leading man playing Aegisthus to his Klytemnestra with her lover, the late, incomparable Katy Dierlam as Electra. She was given an award by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force for her contributions to Queer Theatre in Provincetown, MA. Marjorie is most known for her portrayal of Lizzie Borden (ax murderess) and Lorena Hickok (Eleanor Roosevelt's lover). These plays which she wrote are published in Lost Lesbian Lives. She founded the Provincetown Fringe Festival in 1994, which relocated to Asbury Park, NJ in 2007. Currently she is a full-time New Yorker living in Hell's Kitchen with a plethora of rescue animals. She will be appearing as the Masked Woman in The Home directed by James DeMonaco, starring Pete Davidson.

instagram.com/magicmorningstar

facebook

F. J. Hartland (he/him)

F. J. Hartland started writing plays when Santa Claus brought him a typewriter for Christmas when he was 13. Since then F.J. has earned an MFA in Playwriting from Carnegie-Mellon University (where he was a Shubert Fellow), won the Samuel French OOB Short Play Festival twice and made a record-setting eighteen appearances in the Pittsburgh New Works Festival, winning Best Play four times. His play Across a Crowded Room was the winner of the national Little Theatre of Alexandria One Act Play Competition. He has been published by Concord Publishing, United Stages, Original Works, Next Stage Press, Literature Now, Exposition Review, The Good River Review, and The Louisville Review. He is a past recipient of a Playwriting Fellowship from the Pittsburgh Council on the Arts. Also, F. J. is an experienced stage director and has been a member of Actors Equity Association since 1991.

Keely Herrick (she/her)

Keely L. Herrick is a writer based in Atlanta, Georgia. She studied playwriting at New York University and holds a BA and a JD from NYU. In addition to writing dark and twisty comedies, she is a trademark attorney with her own firm. She has had short plays produced at several theaters around Atlanta, and her one-act play, The Dollar General, will be performed as part of The Little Theatre of Alexandria’s One-Act Playwriting festival in the summer of 2024. Back in the day, she wrote for Soap Opera Update, so she has very liked interviewed all of your grandmother’s favorite soap stars.

instagram.com/insomniacorsage

kherricklaw.com

Annie Hose-Ryan (she/her)

Annie Hose-Ryan has been sticking up for marginalized people since she became a literal adult at 18 and served on her hometown Lutheran church board. Her story The Moment I Knew is when she finally stuck up for herself in a bad marriage. And of course it was dramatic. A former Christian Nationalist circa 1999-2003 and a former member of the Unitarian Universalist church of Rockford, she holds a M.A. in politics and Government from Illinois State University. She hasn't won a writing contest since community college. "Writing doesn't make a living," her dad would tell her. She's a fierce mental health advocate and presented at NAMI Illinois this past October. She dreams of quitting her survival job, moving into a Skoolie built by her son, and traveling the country writing her first book and scooping litterboxes at cat rescues across the country with her emotional support ginger boss Helen Pauline.

Taylor Leigh Lamb (she/her)

Taylor Leigh Lamb is a Baltimore-based writer and theatre maker, originally from Virginia Beach. The power of art as a tool to impact social change is something Taylor strongly believes in. Following that value has led her to working in the regional theatre industry, writing and editing for publications, playwriting, producing independent web series, and more. Taylor’s short plays have been featured in the Rapid Lemon's 18th Annual Variations Project, as well as Two Strikes Theatre Collective’s Productions: This Crown Is Mine and the Juneteenth Playwrights Showcase. Her play You Too? won third place in the Henley Rose Playwright Competition for Women and a book-in-hand performance of the play opened The Strand's 16th season.

Jena Rashid (she/her)

Jena Rashid is a Pakistani, female-identifying playwright who is currently based in Orlando, FL. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a BA in Theatre Studies and a minor in music in 2021. She has worked as a stage manager, director, playwright, actor and other roles throughout her career. Since she graduated, she has interned at Orlando Shakes and Florida Studio Theatre and currently works with Jobsite Theater as a Producing Associate and with the Orlando Shakes as the Producer-in-Residence. In addition, she still writes plays when she can, and her works can be found on the New Play Exchange. Her plays have been workshopped and developed since 2018. Most recently her plays The Ultimate Cheeseburger and Therapy were professionally workshopped and her plays The One with the Ghost and Dinner Date received world premieres.

Arianna Rose (she/her)

Arianna Rose is an award-winning playwright and musical theatre writer, produced in thirty-three states and eight countries to date. The recipient of the MAC Song of the Year Award, the York Theatre NEO Award, and playwright awards from Theatre Odyssey, Town & Gown Theatre, Tree City Playhouse, Mixing It Up Productions, the Know Theatre, Studio 1 Theatre, Third Citizen Theatre Company, South Baldwin Theatre, Veterans Repertory Theatre and Clocktower Theatre Company. Participant: 2022 Kennedy Center Playwriting Intensive, 2022 William Inge Play Festival, and the 2019-2021 Miami-Dade Playwright Development Program, moderated by Kia Corthron. Published by Applause Books, Smith & Kraus, and Theatre Odyssey Publications. A professional dramaturg, Arianna teaches “Writing the Short-form Play” for the Dramatists Guild Institute.

Scott C. Sickles (he/him)

Scott C. Sickles is an LGBTQ/neurodivergent/biracial Korean American writer whose plays have been performed across the U.S., and internationally in Canada, Australia, Europe, and Asia. Full-lengths include Nonsense and Beauty (Rep St. Louis; Theatre 22, Seattle); Playing on the Periphery (Whim Productions, KCMO); Marianas Trench (O’Neill Finalist; Leviathan Lab, NYC), others. Short plays collections/cycles Demon Bitch Goddess (Amazon); Hellish Delights (Next Stage Press); and TARTARUS. Other published one-acts include: murmurs (Samuel French Festival Plays #21), Beautiful Noises and Drain (S&K's Best 10-Minute Plays...), Up on a Roof (5-Minute Plays, Applause), and Turtles and Bulldogs (Best American Short Plays 2015-2016, Applause). Other short plays are available on the New Play Exchange and can be requested at scottcsickles.com.

Scott’s play Drain was an official selection of Rockford New Words 2021.

Keith Skaggs (he/him)

Keith Skaggs wrote his first play for the Rockford New Words Festival all the way back in 2014. Keith is thankful that the stars have aligned for the inclusion of his new ten minute play this year. Since 2014 he has designed Lego sets for the annual sock monkey festival at Midway Village Museum Center. He has performed stand up comedy around the rockford area. He’s acted in the biggest YouTube channel in Rockford, Notebook Entertainment. He’s hosted episodes of the Inner Groove at the Mendelssohn Club Radio station WBOM. He’s written over two hundred Power Pop songs that he is beginning to release to streaming services this year. With eager anticipation this Rockford native is excited to have his play presented by the West Side Show Room.

Keith Skaggs on Distrokid

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.

RNW STAFF

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Claudia Consuelos

PRODUCER
Epic Jones

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

Rockford New Words 2024