Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Local Plays To Compete for Shelly Garrett Award

By Wendell Hutson | September 30, 2014 6:02am
 Shelly Garrett, creator of the 1986 stage play "Beauty Shop," will present prizes to three winners at the 2014 "A Taste of Theatre" competition.
Shelly Garrett, creator of the 1986 stage play "Beauty Shop," will present prizes to three winners at the 2014 "A Taste of Theatre" competition.
View Full Caption
Shelly Garrett Entertainment

ALTGELD GARDENS — A community event will allow residents to watch one scene from 12 local plays and vote for three winners whose prizes will be presented by award-winning play writer Shelly Garrett.

"A Taste of Theatre" runs from 6:30-9:45 p.m. Oct. 10-11 at Carver Military Academy, 13100 S. Doty Ave. The winners will be announced at 10 p.m. Oct. 11 by Garrett, creator of the 1986 hit play "Beauty Shop." General tickets are $10 and VIP tickets are $30, which can both be bought online or at the door.

Victor Gulley, president of the for-profit organization, said the purpose of the event, which was last presented in 2012, was to expose residents to different plays.

"Just like movie previews or trailers provide the public with insight about the movie they intend to see, 'A Taste of Theatre' does the same thing for live theater allowing playwrights to give you a taste of their play," Gulley said. "I have been to great plays but they were empty, and I have been to not so good plays that had a full audience. The difference is a lot of small plays are not marketed as much as big plays so people never know about them."

Gulley said he chose Carver on the Far South Side over other theaters because "it has a wonderful facility."

The Garfield Park resident added that the first-place winner would receive the Shelly Garrett Award and have their play broadcasted on the All Nations TV cable channel. The second-place winner will get a certificate to attend a playwright awards gala in September 2015 in San Antonio, Texas, and third place will receive a certificate to attend a March playwright workshop by Garrett in Atlanta.

For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here: