THEATER FESTIVAL AT THE SHEEN CENTER FOR THOUGHT & CULTURE JULY 8 & 9, FEATURING SIX SHORT PLAYS BY CATHOLIC PLAYWRIGHTS

The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture will be showcasing the thought-provoking and socially relevant work of six emerging artists, as it has been doing since it opened its doors two years ago, for the first annual Sheen Center Theater Festival: Readings of New Short Plays by Catholic Playwrights . On July 8 & 9 the Sheen Center's Black Box welcomes six Catholic playwrights, representing a diverse range of voices and styles, including the works of four women and two men, including a Jesuit Brother

The program consists of ten minute readings from Daniel Damiano, Kelley Nicole Girod, Laura Pittenger, Emily C.A. Snyder, Kimberly Kalaja, and Joe Hoover, SJ. These artists explore the themes of recovery, romance, technology, and the activism of Dorothy Day, weaving a contemporary journey through the Catholic imagination with stories that speak to the spirit of the times and hearts of the American people

"We are proud to give these six playwrights a platform to display their talents. You may be hearing work by the next John Patrick Stanley or Brian Friel during this event," William Spencer Reilly, Executive Director of The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture

Admission is free. Follow the link for reservations: sheencenter.org/shows/festival/

The Program will include the following Plays:n

The Lepers by Daniel Damianon
At the dawn of a new year, Vin and Vanessa get together after their AA meeting in an attempt to bond while in the early stages of their recovery

Miss Ruby by Kelley Nicole Girodn
Two respectable white women in the South share a secret they can't face

The Drill by Laura Pittengern
City Hall Park in NYC on June 15, 1955, the day of the state's annual Operation Alert civil defense drill, conducted in case of a nuclear attack. Dorothy Day, noted Catholic anarchist, leads a protest against the drills and, in the process, meets a young stranger

More Human by Emily C.A. Snydern
In the near future, an Android turns itself in to the police, claiming to have allowed its owner to die. But can a human die if they never really lived?

The Shooter by Kimberly Kalajan
Convinced that God has abandoned her, and overwhelmed by the violence that has become the 'new normal' across America, a young woman buys a gun to protect herself. But will fighting back be enough to give her the comfort and connection she needs to cope in a changing world?

Amends by Br. Joe Hoover, SJn
A comedy about a man and woman having an illicit relationship and the qualms of conscience that lead to a surprising announcement

The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture is a project of the Archdiocese of New York that seeks to advance the Good, the True, and the Beautiful through the arts, in a forum that encourages dialogue and encounter with the culture at large. The Sheen Center is located at 18 Bleecker Street in the East Village.