4 August 2008
Ojai Playwrights Conference 2008
Posted by Lelah under: Arts; Ojai .
This week marks the 11th annual Ojai Playwrights Conference, a marvelous event held each year at Besant Hill School (formerly Happy Valley School) in the hills above Ojai’s East End.
Several playwrights workshop plays there for a week, which culminates in readings done by professional actors in the Zalk Theater for a paying audience. The atmosphere is informal, but magical, with actors simply sitting in folding chairs in street clothes and not much in the way of lighting, no props. The stage directions are also read. I’ve seen several readings there over the years and it is always surprising how fresh and spontaneous these unproduced plays feel, some of the words you are hearing just having been written a few hours before.
Tips for going: Buy tickets early. Wear shoes you can walk in, as it is a minor trek up a hill to get to the theater. Be prepared to see a few famous faces both on stage and in the audience. The Conference is well attended by LA theater types and local actors with ties to the Ojai community.
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