THE COMMAND CENTER

Five apprentices at a high-profile regional theater known for its development of new plays are finally thrown a bone after working for a year. They get a coveted production slot in the summer season after one of the apprentices scores a commission from Hasbro to write a Power Rangers-based play. On the day of opening, the arrival of a Hasbro executive, a double-booked venue, cell phones that never stop ringing, and another awkward encounter with the Artistic Director Lindsay in their housing causes the day to head into a tailspin as emotional distress that has been repressed rises to the surface: dying parents, panic attacks, body issues, food scarcity, economic anxiety, and sexual tension. THE COMMAND CENTER explores how theater isolates people, how theater creates community, and how the theater industry… and Power Rangers exploit young people.

Read the current draft here.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY

THE COMMAND CENTER received a Works-in-Progress Workshop and Reading with ANDTheatre Company in New York, NY on October 29 & 30, 2018. The workshop was directed by Esther M. Cohen and produced by Kevin Thiel & Rebecca Schafer. The reading featured EmJ Nelson, Dana Cullinane, Nina Roy, Alizae Powell, Kate Berg, Katie Langham, Kayla Ryan Walsh, and Evan Moore-Coll.

THE COMMAND CENTER had an Artistic Residency with the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in December 2018.

THE COMMAND CENTER was named a semi-finalist for the 2019 Normal Ave NAPSeries.

THE COMMAND CENTER had a reading with the Eleventh Hour Theater Company at Otterbein University on April 14, 2019. The reading was produced by Daniel Kunkel, directed by Payton Tevis, and featured Savannah Schakett, Olivia Crago, Abby Messina, Maggie Ek, Sarah Simmons, and Madeline Norton with Ava Arkin, Lindsay Cernek, Greta Kremer, Emma Kate Lampe, & Logan Reeder.

THE COMMAND CENTER had a Virtual Workshop presentation on May 30, 2020, that hosted over 200 people live through Zoom & YouTube. The workshop was directed by Esther M. Cohen. The workshop featured Annie Fang, Amara Leonard, Nina Roy, Alizae Powell, Helen Fox, and Katie Langham with Danielle Truss, Talia Frank-Stempel, Ema Zivkovic, & Alyssa Fantel.

THE COMMAND CENTER was read virtually by Who What Where Theater Collective on April 17, 2022. The reading was directed by Rebecca Wahls. The reading featured Brittany Martz, Stephanie Fongheiser, Alizae Powell, Joan Milburn, Kate Berg, Madison McVeigh, Kayla Zanakis, and Henri Sudy.

THE COMMAND CENTER had a reading with the Cold Read Series on June 24, 2023, at the Dramatists Guild Foundation. The reading featured Giuliana Augello, Penelope Deen, Hope Johansen, Mackenzie Moyer, Megan Lomax, Jessica Toltzis, Vanessa Vivas, and Steph Miller.

THE COMMAND CENTER was read at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center as part of the 2024 Rough Draft Festival on March 16, 2024. The reading was directed by Andie Lerner. The cast featured Hope Johansen, Mahayla Laurence, Penelope Deen, Lida Darmian, Grace Guichard, and Emily Dayton Evans.

THE COMMAND CENTER was read at Radio Bean (Burlington, VT) produced by Historically Close Friends on July 6, 2024. Caitlin Durkin directed an ensemble of Leila Teitelman, Charlotte Looby, Athena Chi Mosenthal, Stacia Richard, Harley Winzenried, & Töve Wood.

Staged Reading at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (March 2024)

Staged Reading with Historically Close Friends at Radio Bean (July 2024)

Reading at DGF (June 2023) & Staged Reading at Shetler Studios (October 2018)