December 10, 2020 11:00AM
America’s scars of racism run deep – both North and South of the Mason-Dixon Line. Hear from playwrights Rachel Lynett and Kenneth Jones about their works in progress, tackling America’s history of division and inequality with undeterred honesty. Lynett’s play, Carry Me, based on real events, centers on two wealthy Black Suffragists from Philadelphia who face a challenging decision about the politics of progress. Jones shares about his play, Last Call at the Old Slave Quarters Lounge, a bold new work set in a popular Mississippi restaurant steeped in unsettling history. When long-buried secrets are unearthed, they challenge the status quo of three generations of a family of restaurateurs, revealing conflicting views on heritage, community and responsibility.
ABOUT RACHEL LYNETT
Rachel Lynett is a queer Afro-Latinx playwright. Her recent credits include Apologies to Lorraine Hansberry as a semifinalist for the O'Neill Theatre Conference, Rich B*tch as a semifinalist for the Bay Area Playwrights Festival, and commissions with Theatre Lab and Florida Studio Theatre. Her plays have been featured at Barrington Stage Company, Theatre Lab, Theatre Prometheus, Unicorn Theatre, Jobsite Theatre, Laughing Pig Theatre Company, Capital Repertory Theatre, Teatro Espejo, the Kennedy Center Page to Stage Festival, Theatresquared, Equity Library Theatre, Chicago, Talk Back Theatre, Stage Left, American Stage Theatre Company, and Orlando Shakespeare Theatre.
ABOUT KENNETH JONES
Kenneth Jones’ play Alabama Story was a 2016 nominee for the Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award and a 2014 Finalist in the O’Neill National Playwrights Conference. By Fall 2020, it will have been seen in at least 34 cities around the nation since its 2015 premiere by Pioneer Theatre Company. Other plays: Two Henrys (two-time Semi-Finalist in the O’Neill NPC, developed by Pioneer Theatre Company, Hudson Stage Company, Red Mountain Theatre, Pacific Resident Theatre); Hollywood, Nebraska (developed in Off-Broadway’s NewTACTics New Play Festival; Lab Series at Actors Theatre of Indiana; Wyoming Theater Festival); Circa 1976, or Somewhere in the Suburbs of a Swing State Shaped Like a Mitten (O’Neill NPC Semi-Finalist); and Ten Minutes on a Bench. Musicals: It Happened One Christmas, co-conceived with Karen Azenberg (Pioneer Theatre, 2015); Naughty/Nice, with composer Gerald Stockstill (published by stagerights.com); Voice of the City, with composer Elaine Chelton (developed by York Theatre Company and Human Race Theatre Company). He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, BMI and The BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop (Advanced). He writes about his work and advocates for other theater makers at ByKennethJones.com.
ABOUT THE MODERATOR
Rachel Moulton (Associate Artist) This is Rachel's 7th season at FST. She has performed in 10 productions on the Mainstage and in Stage III, including 4 world premieres. Notably, Grounded (2017 Handy Award-Best Actress),The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Heisenberg, Honor Killing, Jericho, and Alabama Story. Other select regional theatre work at Pioneer Theatre Company, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Virginia Stage, Syracuse Stage, and Florida Rep. This is Rachel's first season as an Associate Artist and Development Associate at FST. Graduate of Syracuse University, B.F.A. and Interlochen Arts Academy. Proud member of Actors' Equity Association for 14 years and SAG-AFTRA. rachelmoulton.com
This FST Forum will be held exclusively online. After registering, you will receive an email the day before the event from Florida Studio Theatre containing information about joining the online Zoom event. This will be a separate email from your confirmation email. If you have any issues with registering or accessing the conversation, please call the FST Box Office at 941.366.9000. You will need to download the Zoom mobile or desktop app to participate in this event.
