Jonathan Charles Fox (JCF): May I simply refer to it as ITW? More importantly, what is it?
Matt Lenz (ML): ITW is a “new works” festival where we nurture and develop new plays, musicals and cabaret acts.
JCF: I understand that this is a separate entity, and not a part of the regular Forestburgh Playhouse season. Forgive my ignorance, but what does “new works” actually mean?

ML: The criteria to be selected as a new work is that it has never had a commercial production. That means there has never been a performance where they sell tickets or fully produce it with costumes, lighting and sound.
JCF: How do you decide what to showcase during the three-day-long festival?

Franklin Trapp (FT): There are multiple things that come into play when we’re choosing what to showcase. There is an advisory committee that reviews all of the submissions. This year we received over 150 new plays and musicals that were sent to us in hopes of being included.
JCF: And out of that number, how many are selected?
ML and FT: Four.
JCF: What?
FT: So it’s a competitive process.
ML: Yes. The number of submissions has grown exponentially. We probably read 20 in our first year, because nobody knew what we were doing. In its third year, we received about 75, and this season that number has doubled. Word has spread in the writer/theatre/actor/director community, so people are seeking us out. In fact, we’ve already received a couple of submissions for next year!
FT: Playwrights and composers don’t have a lot of opportunities to get a week-long intensive with a cast, director and creative team to actually work on a piece that is being spoken out loud—so that becomes a veritable gold mine for them to develop the plays and musicals, make changes and restructure. ITW has become an exciting destination for them to submit their work for consideration.
ML: We pay everyone, we house everyone, and we feed everyone. And because of our close proximity to New York City, actors and writers can actually have agents and producers come to the playhouse and see the work. That is a huge benefit for them. Also, there’s a romance about coming to the Catskills and getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
JCF: Of course, the very nature of the environment helps to inspire, does it not?
ML: Another cool aspect of ITW is that it’s a community. There are multiple projects in rehearsal that inspire others who are all here for the same reason.
JCF: So here’s a two-part question: Do you see these creative teams actually tweaking the work and making changes during their time here? Secondarily, do you follow up on the progress made during that time?
FT: Yes and yes. We become connected to all of these artists and follow their progress. It’s evident that some are going places. “Bottleshock” [a musical in the works last season] had a regional premiere in California after being workshopped here.
FT: “Walking with Bubbles” is another great example.
ML: Right. By participating with ITW~ITW, the creative team behind “Walking with Bubbles” was able to see audience reaction that they had never experienced, so that, combined with the Q&A afterwards was very helpful. That in turn, gave them the confidence to hold a reading in the city and invite producers, which resulted in someone saying “We love this show and want to produce it off-Broadway.”
JCF: And then there’s “EL Otra Oz,” which I loved! It’s the bilingual reimagining of “The Wizard of Oz” as seen through the eyes of a young Latina. What happened with that?
FT: That show went on tour almost immediately after the first round here. Then we co-produced a second incarnation with a different cast the following year, which then led to an off-Broadway run—and now it’s being produced in Los Angeles at Center Theatre.
ML: Prior to that piece being worked on here, Frank and I had decided that we wanted to do a “Theatre for Young Audiences” piece every year, in addition to a musical and a play, as well as our “Off the Cuff” series of Q&A conversations with exciting guests. We’ve since added a solo-performer slot and of course, the Cab Lab, where performers are allowed an opportunity to hone new cabaret acts in front of a live audience.
FT: We’re excited that the creative team that brought us “Otra Oz” is coming back with “Roja”: a retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood,” which explores Mexican folklore. It’s very exciting.
JCF: The whole thing sounds fantastic, in my humble opinion. I understand there are different ways to attend the festival. Audiences can come for one day or all three, right? Folks can go online, check out the offerings and make an informed decision about what interests them, since there’s a little something for everyone.
ML: Yes, there are different “festival passports.” If you want to see everything, there’s a passport for that. If you choose to see two pieces in the works plus one special event, there’s an option for that as well.
JCF: What happens when I get hungry?
FT: We have grab-n-go wraps, snacks, cocktails and assorted beverages available all day long right here on campus.
ML: What’s become really gratifying about ITW is that we now have a community of people who understand what we are doing and we see folks are coming back year after year. That, combined with 50-plus performers and creators having a shared experience, it becomes a concentrated universe of creativity, and really helps to catapult them to the next level.
JCF: What would you say to the neophyte? Say, a person who has never been to the festival, and quite possibly has never been to the Forestburgh Playhouse?
FT: We can guarantee that they will experience beauty, creativity and powerful stories—all in a location that is inspired by the arts. That is the magic of the Sullivan Catskills.
For tickets and information, go to www.fbplayhouse.org/itw or call 845/794-1194.