The Student Playwrights for Innovative Theatre, or SPIT, will be hosting the Spit It Out Play Festival on Saturday and Sunday in Jerome Richfield.
SPIT is a group created by students for students that are interested in playwriting and other aspects of theater, said Susana Marcelo, an instructional student assistant at the Learning Resource Center.
“It was started in 2005 with help from professor Rick Mitchell from the English Department,” Marcelo said. “He wanted to give student playwrights the opportunity to interact with one another outside of class, as well as to receive funding to produce and promote their plays as a stepping stone for professional life.”
Every year, SPIT hosts a festival that showcases five undergraduate and graduate student plays. Anyone interested is welcome to send in a submission.
“We hold a schoolwide call for submissions and look for budding talent and theatricality,” Marcelo said. “The (SPIT) officers decide but they welcome input from the most active members.”
Once the five submissions are chosen, students prepare their 10-minute plays for the festival. This year’s festival features five student plays that are as diverse as their writers.
Jennifer Bergus’ “101 Conversation Starters” offers an inside look at a father and son’s awkward dinner conversation. Bergus is a double major in English and gender women’s studies.
Marcelo’s “Who Are You?” explores the relationship of a mother and daughter who are more alike than they ever imagined. Marcelo is an English M.A. student and works as a freelance editor and writer.
Erin Neel’s “Forgiven” follows Presbyterian minister Daniel and parishioner Anika as they confront their shared past. Neel is a graduate student in the theater department.
Alejandra Lucero’s “Deciding Point” delves into the complex relationship of two women involved in the tennis world. Lucero is an English M.A. student interested in human relations and bi-cultural border crossing experiences.
Hudit Simonyan’s “Red, Hot, Chilly Dreams” recounts a former waitress’ nightmares about a Mexican restaurant she used to work at. Simonyan studied Teaching English as a Second Language in Armenia, received a B.A. in English and French from Indiana University and has been studying creative writing at CSUN since 2010.
Marcelo said that the festival is an opportunity for everyone to experience student-produced creative work and discover new talent at a reasonable price: free.
The show will begin at 7 p.m. in Jerome Richfield, located near the Sierra Center, in room 319.
