The PLAYGROUND EXPERIMENT: SEMI-FINALIST (Lisa Balderston)
New York City based company, The PlayGround Experiment, notifies the Semi-Finalists who submitted to their recent competition. Lisa Balderston’s Monologue, “Can I Buy You a Drink?” made the list.
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WINNER OF THE LAMPLIGHTERS THEATRE NEW PLAY FESTIVAL:
QUEEN OF LUCIA by LISA BALDERSTON
Synopsis: In Queen of Lucia, Jack and Elena, a married couple seeking respite from the
overwhelming demands of Elena’s Bipolar Disorder, retreat to a secluded cottage deep in the countryside. Jack hopes the peaceful surroundings will help Elena find balance, but her erratic behavior soon disrupt any chance of serenity. As Elena’s mental health deteriorates, her emotional abuse toward Jack intensifies, pushing him to the brink of collapse. Torn between his vows and the toll of being her caregiver, Jack must decide whether to stay in a toxic cycle or break free to save his own sanity. In this raw exploration of love, duty, and mental illness, both must confront the truth about their relationship. Can they find a way to navigate the storm of mental illness together, or will the isolation reveal irreparable fractures in their marriage?
VIDEO CLIP: Lamplighters Theatre New Play Festival – Video clip of Queen of Lucia (June 14, 2025)
LINK: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1966Lv-MmPAxOMkVWcJCcQeKTjMUX4hSa/view?usp=sharing
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The Trinity Theatre Company’s New Works Festival: The Trinity Theatre Company’s New Works Festival received 534 submissions this year! My play, The Art of Tolerance and Forgiveness, was selected as one of the Top 10 plays to receive a Stage Reading – April 25-27, 2025. The New Works Festival is a 3-day event of readings, discussions, and social events. Please support local theatre by joining us for a weekend of new and exciting voices in storytelling! (Details: TBA)
Synopsis: In The Art of Tolerance and Forgiveness, two loving Mexican families gather for a joyous dinner to celebrate the upcoming wedding of their gay sons. Their happiness is shattered when the young men are tragically killed. In the aftermath, the families struggle to rise above their profound grief. One mother buries herself in her floral business, refusing to confront the loss, while the other channels her pain into activism, fighting against hate crimes and advocating for stricter gun laws. Alongside them, a sister navigates her own path through the heartbreak. This poignant play explores themes of love, prejudice, grief, gay marriage, and resilience, shedding light on the challenges of being Mexican in a world where hatred and violence persist.
Meet the Cast of The Art of Tolerance and Forgiveness:
The cast during their Read-Through of The Art of Tolerance and Forgiveness:
Director – Carlos Silva (left) & Playwright – Lisa Balderston (right)
The cast before going on stage to perform The Art of Tolerance and Forgiveness during the Trinity Theatre Company New Works Play Festival on April 27, 2025 at 6:30 pm
On stage and performing to a Sold Out show!!
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NEW YEAR, NEW DRAFT: Lisa Balderston selected as a Finalist in the Loud Fridge Theatre Group’s
New Play Development Program – Let’s Chat
7:30pm February 12th, 2025 at The City Heights Performance Annex
Come celebrate the inaugural event of Loud Fridge’s new play development program, New Year, New Draft. Playwrights have been submitting their unfinished plays, and now we want to hear what you think. For our kick off, you’ll hear scenes from our ten finalists, and then you’ll get to vote on which play you want to see more of. The winning playwright will receive financial and professional support to develop their work, culminating in a reading of the completed play in the fall. Come support your local playwrights, and let us know what you want to see on San Diego’s stage!
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LOCAL FLAVOR PLAY READING WINNER, LISA BALDERSTON
Presented by the San Diego Playwrights, Partnered with Scripps Ranch Theatre
This heart-felt, thought-provoking play is about two women who lose their gay sons in a mass shooting. Once close friends while their sons dated, they drift apart after the funerals. Two years later, they run into each other during a late subway ride home. Initially, they exchange basic pleasantries to catch up on the latest in their lives. The conversation takes a turn when they reveal how much their lives have truly changed, filled with regrets and resentments. Will they ever come to terms with the pain of losing their sons? Will they ever find peace in their current lives?
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Lisa Balderston Wins 2nd Place with Play, The Death of Ryan, in the “24 Experiment” Competition Presented
by the Point Loma Playhouse
https://www.sandiego24experiment.com/
“24 Experiment” – a competition that calls for teams of actors, writers and directors to write, direct and perform 6 original short plays in 24 hours!!
My team won 2nd place with a play called “The Death of Ryan.” Fellow writers, Ken, Jacob and Bridget, were excellent creative partners during this crazy, collaborative ride.
The 6 plays are performed in front of a live audience and voted for favorite play, with awards presented by the “24 Experiment” in connection to the Point Loma Playhouse.
- Writers write a new play from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am
- Directors/Actors rehearse the play they’re given from 6:30 am to 5:00 pm
- Live performance in front of an audience from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Video from 11th Annual 24 Experiment: (Scroll to “The Death of Ryan”)
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THE SCRIPTEASERS OFFER STAGE READINGS FOR CONTEST STAND-OUTS
THE SUM OF SISTERHOOD: This short play gained recognition by The Scripteasers as an Honorable Mention winner during their annual Short Play Competition and was later performed by local actresses. The Sum of Sisterhood is about two sisters who desperately want the same college scholarship that covers the cost of tuition, room/board and, more importantly, a way out of their very questionable neighborhood. The banter between them can be intense, even brutal at times, but is also an interesting look at what a person is capable of doing in order to rise out of poverty when the alternative is grim.
The Sum of Sisterhood is about two sisters who desperately want the same college scholarship that covers the cost of tuition, room/board and, more importantly, a way out of their very questionable neighborhood. The banter between them can be intense, even brutal at times, but is also an interesting look at what a person is capable of doing in order to rise out of poverty when the alternative is grim.
LISA BALDERSTON 