Something old, something new has been Holly Leveque’s mantra since she became artistic director of the Long Beach Shakespeare Company (LBSC) two years ago.
In addition to its de rigueur Shakespeare plays, LBSC is set to stage its third annual New Works Festival at the Helen Borgers Theatre, 4250 Atlantic Ave., featuring more than a dozen new plays and shorter works over three months beginning in May, some related to Shakespeare with others ranging from comedies to psychological thrillers.
A writer and actor herself, Leveque said it was a tough decision to select from among this year’s record amount of submissions. A committee of the theater’s company members, two board members and an advisory board member selected shows that would appeal to a variety of audiences, ending up, she said, with a “dynamic mix” of stories that “need to be told at this moment in time.”
“I often look for the female voice or voices that are often silenced, especially in this day and age,” she said. “I look for what character I relate to the most or I would love to play, even if it’s the polar opposite of my ‘type’ as an actor — I want our actors to feel that kind of excitement.”
Among the play submissions were three musicals based on Shakespeare and his work, Leveque said, but the committee could only choose one, selecting a rock musical about the Bard himself.
“I wish we could have done them all this round, but I know that ‘Ever Will: The Early Years and Final Days of William Shakespeare,’ a play with music and songs, will be a draw for musical-theater fans,” she said.
The past two years of LBSC’s New Works Festival have successfully shown audiences the theater’s commitment to literacy, creativity and community, Leveque said.
“Telling stories in the classical realm and beyond about communities that may not always get brought to the forefront of theater has been a huge draw,” she said.
Rena Patel’s “Pyar Aur Coffee,” a hit from last year’s New Works Festival, may be a case in point. The show had a sold out run, and even an extra show that the theater could squeeze in sold out within a few hours, Leveque said.
“It was a dynamite team that brought so much creativity and love to our stage, and you could feel that spread to the audience,” she said. “Love, friendship, pressures from family and the love-lives of the characters’ journeys in the play were so relatable. Especially the idea of how powerfully and completely someone’s chosen family can change their life when their own family can seem so out of touch.”
Patel herself noted that having her play featured in LBSC’s New Works Festival proved beyond anything she’d imagined.
“The LBSC team really banded together to give my show the full production it deserved and didn’t shy away from the quick timeline or the tech-heavy demands of the show — Bollywood dance-number included,” Patel said. “I’m forever grateful to them for opening their doors to my work and my voice.”
Patel’s positive reaction is part of what Leveque aims for in producing the New Works Festival each year.
“There is something so special about helping bring artists’ work to the stage,” Leveque said. “As a writer myself, I know that not every storyteller gets to see their work on stage or even spoken aloud by actors in their lifetime. So to have the honor of peeking into someone’s creativity and getting that trust is not something I take lightly.”
Here is this year’s New Works Festival lineup, with performances beginning this weekend:
Student Shakespeare Shorts, May 10, 8 p.m.
A trio of staged readings of new plays by local university student:
In “Film Study” by Zachary Scrima, what looks like a typical college film studies class is actually a deep dive into the hit 2000s song “Stacy’s Mom.”
In “Ripples on a Blank Shore” by Stryder Larsen, a mother goes to visit her estranged father, sharing a difficult conversation with him as he struggles with terminal illness in a hospice-care facility.
In “Stage Exit” by Grady Monroe, members of an acting class and their teacher struggle to free themselves from the room in which they are trapped.
“On Such a Winter’s Day,” May 16 at 8 p.m. and May 17 at 4 p.m.
This play by Deanne Stillma is a series of monologues for women, each with its own name, and each reflecting their desires and longings, fulfilled and not, revolving around California as ground zero of the American Dream.
“Ever Will,” May 17 at 1 p.m. and May 18 at 2 p.m.
In this play with music by Pamela Gilbreath Kelly, an exhausted William Shakespeare retires from the Globe Theatre in London and returns to his hometown of Stratford to rest on his laurels and die; instead, he must confront the ghosts of his past.
Double Feature: “Coming & Going” and “Dairy Girls,” May 17 and 18 at 8 p.m.
Inspired by Shakespearean comedies where love blossoms amidst mistaken identities, “Coming & Going” by Jaymie Bellous follows Orlando, a hopeless romantic navigating the chaos of modern dating. With the help of Betty Zatop, a vivacious drag queen eager to play Cupid, Orlando sets out to meet his elusive soulmate.
“Dairy Girls” by Julianne Holmquist is a historical comedy about a botched proposal and a blowout sister-fight that ends up saving the day.
“Department,” May 23 at 8 p.m. and May 25 at 1 p.m.
This radio play by Chris Bucca Taylor is set in Zavier’s Department Store, which has 26 floors, each of which houses a department named for a letter, such as “A” for apparel. Floor “Z” is Mr. Zavier’s office, whose father built the store from the ground up — with one floor hiding a secret from his past.
“The Tomb,” May 24 at 2 p.m. and May 25 at 4 p.m.
Two children trapped in a mysterious rocky tomb must do everything they can to survive in this staged reading of a play by Darren Nash.
“Double Barreled,” May 24 and 25 at 8 p.m.
This staged reading of a play by Glenn Kelman finds Sherlock Holmes in the American “wild west” circa 1900, traveling across the country to the estate of the mysterious Mrs. Stillman.
“The Lives to Come,” June 21 at 2 p.m. and June 22 at 8 p.m.
In this staged reading of another play by Darren Nash, a pair of unlikely star-crossed lovers must stay alive long enough to find a cure for a mysterious illness that plagues one of them.
Double Feature: “The Apollo Waltz” and “Death Takes a Vacation,” June 21 at 8 p.m. & June 22 at 4 p.m.
In “The Apollo Waltz” by Steve Treuting, the second wife of a famous writer makes the tragic mistake of trying to mediate the ugly, emotional terror games he plays with the daughter of his first wife.
In “Death Takes a Vacation” by Chris Callard, Shelly and George have an unexpected houseguest when Death shows up one day. The reason for the visit, though, is not part of his normal routine.
“Speak I Will,” June 20 at 8 p.m. and June 22 at 1 p.m.
This play by Charissa J. Adams is a collection of fractured Shakespeare monologues that rearranges and recontextualizes Shakespeare’s words to find fresh meaning in his texts.
“The Life and Undeath of Lucy Westenra,” Oct. 5, 29, 30 and 31 at 8 p.m.
Jumping to Halloween month, in this play by Cara Sanchez, Lucy Westenra knows something evil has claimed her life. While alive, she was a vision of Victorian chastity and poise, a kind-hearted friend and a dutiful daughter. Now she’s at the mercy of scattered memories and nightmares.
Long Beach Shakespeare Company’s New Works Festival plays will perform at the Helen Borgers Theatre, 4250 Atlantic Ave. Tickets are $25 for general admission and $15 for students. For tickets and information, call the box office at 562-997-1494 or visit LBShakespeare.org.