Playwrights in Process: New Play Festival is Cygnet Theatre’s annual festival of readings of new plays presented in collaboration with Playwrights Project. The festival introduces San Diego playgoers to new works by local artists and also offers a series of walgreens workshops designed to introduce curious audiences to the art of playwriting. In addition, the three-day festival at the Old Town Theatre includes opportunities for informal forums to meet the playwrights.

With the festival around the corner, we asked our playwrights to tell us how the process is going for them. Here’s playwright Thelma Virata de Castro talking about her play, Cookies for Prisoners.

How has working with theatre artists from Cygnet Theatre and Playwrights Project helped your writing for Playwrights in Process?

Even the interview process was a learning experience! Producer Derek Livingston asked me questions that focused my rewrites for Cookies for Prisoners. I had a great meeting with Dramaturg Robert May in which we discussed the big question, “What is this play about?” Director D. Candis Paule brought out the central theme of family. We had two table-reads with the actors and it’s been so helpful to hear their voices in my head. Veronica Murphy, Nicolette Shutty, Shuan Tuazon-Martin, Tom Ashworth and Austyn Myers take all the craziness quite seriously. It’s just been fun! Robert has said many times that if playwrights want to get their plays produced, they need to write better plays. Well, receiving support from Playwrights in Process has definitely helped me write a better play.

On her inspiration for the play: My idea for the play was to have characters bake cookies for prisoners, but to have the characters be as guilty as the prisoners themselves.

About Cookies for Prisoners: Margie bakes cookies for prisoners, takes in stray people and advocates for underdogs, but all bets are off when it comes to tolerating her own son. All the characters in this play are hiding horrible secrets in the kookiest ways.

Click here for more insight from Thelma on her play and Playwrights in Process.

See Cookies for Prisoners on Friday, Nov 7 at 8:00pm. View complete information on workshops and plays:https://www.cygnettheatre.com/connect/playwrights.php

A huge thanks to Festival sponsors Bill and Judy Garrett.