O'Neill Theater Festival: Along the River Road" by Candace Perry
O'Neill Theater Festival: Along the River Road" by Candace Perry
The O'Neill Festival of New Works returns for its fourth year, once again devoted to the development of new dramatic works by Cape Cod playwrights.
The festival is produced by Margaret Van Sant, Producing Artistic Director of Provincetown Dramatic Arts, and named after Eugene O'Neill, the Nobel Prize–winning dramatist who launched his career in Provincetown with the original Provincetown Players.
A New Theatrical Approach on the Outer CapeInspired by the creative community that fueled O'Neill more than a century ago, this year's festival will workshop new works by four Outer Cape playwrights. Each playwright works with a director and dramaturge throughout the process, and all public presentations are followed by audience discussions led by the dramaturges.
Staged Readings with TalkbacksAll performances are staged readings — actors perform with scripts in hand and minimal blocking, bringing the plays to life while keeping the focus on the writing. Each reading is followed by an audience discussion led by the dramaturge, giving audiences a rare chance to participate in the development of new work. Between weekends, playwrights incorporate audience feedback and present revised versions at their second reading the second weekend.
- MARGARET VAN SANT is a playwright, theater director, festival organizer, educator, and the Artistic Director of Provincetown Dramatic Arts (PDA). The O’Neill Festival of New Works is the most recent production of PDA.
She also wrote: Goody: The Witch of Eastham, part of the O’Neill Festival of New Works 2024; “Pulse”, one of four plays in “Quickies”, which performed in Provincetown and International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival; Wartime in Provincetown, commissioned by Tennessee Williams Festival 2009; The Test, read at Theater J, Washington, DC, 5X5 program in response to The Disputation; The Pennimans, historical play about Cape Cod whaling family developed for radio broadcast on WOMR; and Cha-Cha-Changes, environmental play about monarch butterflies presented at Cape Cod National Seashore.
She has directed at Virginia Stage Company, Long Wharf Theater, Arena Stage, Yale University (National Conference on Portuguese Theater), Yale Cabaret, Berkshire Theater Festival, University of Massachusetts/ Dartmouth, City Studio Theater, Payomet Center for the Performing Arts, and Provincetown Theater.
She is a member of the Stage Directors and Chorographers Society and a proud Trustee of Helltown Players.
In 1811 Louisiana, 500 enslaved people, led by Charles Deslondes, revolt against brutal sugar cane plantations, marching toward New Orleans for freedom. This largest North American slave revolt was erased from history by slave owners. In 2026, Beth Sanders, a Black woman from the River Road, returns to tell their story. Using her wealth, she buys and restores a plantation to give tours from the enslaved perspective. Facing resistance from politicians, family, and the community, Beth’s journey intertwines past and present, exploring the revolt’s legacy and the country’s struggle to confront its history.
One sentence summary:
In 1811 Louisiana, a major slave revolt led by the enslaved Charles Deslondes is forgotten by history, while in 2026, African-American Beth Sanders fights to reclaim and share this hidden legacy amid opposition.
Bio:
Candace Perry is a writer, teacher, and social justice activist who holds the audacious hope that theater can change the world. Over fifty of her short plays have been produced in the US and Ireland; her five full length plays have had readings, workshops and productions in New York and Cape Cod theaters; and a dozen of her short plays have been produced online. Her short stories have been published in Ms. Magazine, The Sun, Best of THE SUN, Cape Cod Review, Cape Cod Women, Roanoke Review, and Summer Home Review. She was commissioned by the Four Square Theater Collaborative to develop her play, Along the River Road, and is delighted to have the opportunity with the O’Neill Festival to develop the play further. More info at www.candaceperryplaywright.info (http://www.candaceperryplaywright.info/).
The O'Neill Festival of New Works returns for its fourth year, once again devoted to the development of new dramatic works by Cape Cod playwrights.
The festival is produced by Margaret Van Sant, Producing Artistic Director of Provincetown Dramatic Arts, and named after Eugene O'Neill, the Nobel Prize–winning dramatist who launched his career in Provincetown with the original Provincetown Players.
A New Theatrical Approach on the Outer CapeInspired by the creative community that fueled O'Neill more than a century ago, this year's festival will workshop new works by four Outer Cape playwrights. Each playwright works with a director and dramaturge throughout the process, and all public presentations are followed by audience discussions led by the dramaturges.
Staged Readings with TalkbacksAll performances are staged readings — actors perform with scripts in hand and minimal blocking, bringing the plays to life while keeping the focus on the writing. Each reading is followed by an audience discussion led by the dramaturge, giving audiences a rare chance to participate in the development of new work. Between weekends, playwrights incorporate audience feedback and present revised versions at their second reading the second weekend.
- MARGARET VAN SANT is a playwright, theater director, festival organizer, educator, and the Artistic Director of Provincetown Dramatic Arts (PDA). The O’Neill Festival of New Works is the most recent production of PDA.
She also wrote: Goody: The Witch of Eastham, part of the O’Neill Festival of New Works 2024; “Pulse”, one of four plays in “Quickies”, which performed in Provincetown and International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival; Wartime in Provincetown, commissioned by Tennessee Williams Festival 2009; The Test, read at Theater J, Washington, DC, 5X5 program in response to The Disputation; The Pennimans, historical play about Cape Cod whaling family developed for radio broadcast on WOMR; and Cha-Cha-Changes, environmental play about monarch butterflies presented at Cape Cod National Seashore.
She has directed at Virginia Stage Company, Long Wharf Theater, Arena Stage, Yale University (National Conference on Portuguese Theater), Yale Cabaret, Berkshire Theater Festival, University of Massachusetts/ Dartmouth, City Studio Theater, Payomet Center for the Performing Arts, and Provincetown Theater.
She is a member of the Stage Directors and Chorographers Society and a proud Trustee of Helltown Players.