Open Mic Poetry Slam 2021

The final event of the season, Poetry Slam 2021, was conducted virtually this year. Attendees read poems by Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, A.A. Milne and Emily Dickinson as well as poems they had written themselves.

At the end of the event, the group collaborated to create their own version of "I Rise" inspired by the famous Maya Angelou poem. 

 I RISE (written by the Open Mic Participants 6-9-21) 

 I RISE with the sun waiting for the blessings of the day. My spirit is awakening, opening my heart to the coming hours, minutes, day. 

 I RISE with hopes of beauty for the day that is sunny and makes us all feel special. 

 I RISE because I must. I RISE because I can. 

 I RISE with arms outstretched, ready to embrace all that the day has to offer. 

 I RISE I follow my nose to the kitchen where pancakes release their aroma. 

 I RISE longing for my first cup of coffee and eager to write in my gratitude journal. 

 I RISE to create with others a bright new day with justice for all. 

 I RISE wishing for love and peace at home and in the world. 

 I RISE to be now, to sing to swing, to rap, to speak, to be part of what’s now, to embrace the new. Wow! 

 I RISE with joy and hope, for the morn, for the day, for the future, for the family, for the world, 

 for my dreams.

 I RISE to feed the cat and start a new day. 

 I RISE with good, warm, loving feelings that will sustain me through the day. 

 I RISE with readiness to say prayers of “Please”, “Thank you” , and “Wow!” 

 

 AND STILL I RISE.

ORIGINAL PLAYS FESTIVAL 2020 POSTPONED

Performances of this year's Original Plays Festival (originally scheduled for late April/early May) have been postponed. 

POSTPONED - On Account of Sex - a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment

PLEASE NOTE : THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED

Women's History Month Event - On Account of Sex - a staged reading celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment

In honor of Women's History month, the UFT Players proudly present ON ACCOUNT OF SEX on March 26th and 27th at 50 Broadway, 2nd Floor, 6 to 8 pm. ON ACCOUNT OF SEX is produced by Leona Ackerman and written and performed by UFT members.  The play enacts the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment which granted women the right to vote. Many historic figures from that time will be interviewed to recount the events leading up to the passage of that amendment. The UFT Players is a professional committee with the United Federation of Teachers in its twenty-second successful year of staging a wide variety of theatrical productions, including musicals and its annual Original Play Series. As always, the UFT Players warmly welcomes all teachers, fellow UFT members and the general public to enjoy our tribute to women in ON ACCOUNT OF SEX.  

        submitted by Jo-Ann Nicolosi        

                         

SAVE THE DATE - Story Slam 2020

hosted by Liz Fein & Allan Yashin

Tell a true story, 3-5 minutes long, 

prepared ahead of time or told extemporaneously. 

Friday, February 28, 2020 5pm-7pm

UFT, 50 Broadway, 2nd Floor New York, NY 10004

Submissions Now Being Accepted for 2020 Original Play Festival

This Year's Holiday Party has a Woodstock Theme!

Solo Shows 2019 (November 14th & 15th) - We Survived!

COMING SOON! Solo Performances 2019

Upcoming Event - HALLOWEEN HAPPENING 2019!

UFT Players - UPCOMING EVENT - Playback Theater Workshop

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

4:00 - 6:00 pm

50 Broadway, 2^nd floor

New York, NY 10004

Playback Theater is a unique form of improvisation in which members of the group share experiences or stories from their lives and actors from the group play the heart of the story back theatrically. Playback Theater is practiced worldwide as a tool for building community and effecting social change

This is an experiential workshop where we will get a taste of some of the basic forms used in this form of theater. Participants need not feel pressured to shape a true story or to be an actor but the invitation is there for anyone who wants to participate.

Tasha Paley, who is offering this workshop, is a longstanding member of the Executive Board of the UFT Players, and was a school social worker. She has acted in, taught and studied Playback Theater for many years as it is one of her major passions.

For more information, email Tasha Paley at tashapal@gmail.com

UPCOMING EVENT - Solo Performances 2019

Do you have a story to tell? Would you like to share it with an audience?

If you answered yes, consider participating in this year’s

Solo Performances - Journeys Into Self 2019

Please bring your story idea to the first meeting of the group that will help you “workshop” it into a performance-ready piece on

Friday, October 4^th from 4-6pm

at the UFT (50 Broadway, 2nd floor, Room D)

Additional Meetings (4-6pm) will take place on:

Thursday, October 10th

Friday, October 11th

Thursday, October 17th

Friday, October 18th

Wednesday, October 23rd

Thursday, October 24th

Wednesday, October 30th

Friday, November 1st

Wednesday, November 6th

Thursday, November 7th

Friday, November 8th

Please try to be available for as many of these dates as possible.

Performances will be on Thursday, November 14th & Friday, November 15th at 6pm. Dress and tech rehearsals are scheduled for Tuesday, November 12th & Wednesday, November 13^th.

Contact: Tasha Paley @ tashapal@jps.net
 or

Suzanne Lamberg @ mlamberg@verizon.net 

 for more information.

Please note: The final length of each performer’s piece will be dependent on the number of  performers participating but can not be longer than 12 minutes.

RECOMMENDED EVENT - NAWA 130th Annual Member Exhibition

130th Annual Member Exhibition

September 21 - October 2

One Art Space23 Warren Street
New York, NY 10007United States

Opening Reception: Thursday, September 26, 6-9pm (Award Ceremony: 7:30pm)

The exhibit features the work of 

UFT Players Executive Board Member Deborah Beck.

RECOMMENDED EVENT - Plays & Pizza Series Continues

Come to 

PLAYS AND PIZZA

at   

LUCKY JACK’s BAR & LOUNGE

129 Orchard Street 

(between Delancey and Rivington Streets)

 Monday, Sept 16  7:30 pm

 The BelAire Ballerina, by UFT Players Executive Board member Allan Yashin

and six other entertaining short plays will be performed.

Also enjoy the great piano of

Stormin Normin' Zamcheck 

and of course ... free pizza for all

$10 at the door....or in advance for $9 at

Plays.And.Pizza@gmail.com

Audition Call - Soho Playhouse

AUDITION CALL

Auditions: September 5TH & 6TH from 10am-4pm

by appointment only (email for appointment)

Callbacks: September 7TH

Pay: 650/week. September 16 until November 24th. Non union. Any applicants must email H/R to press@sohoplayhouse.com //Local NY only 

Description:

Games is a 2 woman show set in 1936, Berlin. When Jewish athlete Helene Mayer is selected for the Nazi Olympic Squad, she realizes she is fighting for much more than gold. Based on a true story, Games is a cautionary tale for our time. A multi-award-winning, sell-out success, the show won the Adelaide Fringe Weekly Award and received astonishing 14, five and four-star reviews in Edinburgh where it was called: 

***** "Breathtaking and powerful, Henry Naylor's Games is sharp, funny and poignant- a must see.

Character breakdowns:

Gretel Bergman: Gretel Bergmann's character in Games reflects the story of Gretel (Margaret) Bergmann, a German Jewish athlete during Hitler's 1936 Olympics. Gretel is full of vivacious energy and tenacity, all while embodying pride for her Jewish identity. She never once sacrifices her culture for her sport, yet uses who she is as fuel. She is humble, yet confident, and her positivity and passion let anything be possible for her She looks up to Helene Mayer, the only other Jewish athlete she has seen compete, and wants to pave the way for people like them in their sport. As the show continues we watch her journey in opposition to Helene as she struggles to keep her sport, identity, and human rights as one. (PLEASE NOTE: ACTOR DOES NOT NEED TO BE JEWISH).

Helene Mayer: Helene Mayer's character in Games reflects the story of Helene Mayer, a German Jewish Olympic fencer during Hitler's 1936 Olympics. Helene is grounded, contained, and does what she does for sport and sport only. Already having won the Gold in the 1928 Olympics, she is proud of her talents, works hard, and her only desire is to win the gold in Berlin. Throughout the show, we learn that Helene does not express her identity as Gretel does, she diminishes it. Helene wants to be known for her sport, and sport alone. As the story progresses, Helene is forced to embrace who she is, when sport was all she would ever want to be known for. (PLEASE NOTE: ACTOR DOES NOT NEED TO BE JEWISH)

Online: www.sohoplayhouse.com | Phone: 212-691-1555

In Person: 15 Vandam Street (Btwn. Varick St. & 6TH Ave.)

RECOMMENDED EVENT - Theater Festival at Nuyorican Poets Cafe

RECOMMENDED EVENT - Poetry Launch

Rain Mountain Press is announcing the launch of Eileen Brilliant's stunning collection In the Middle of Things, Begin. We’d like to invite all poetry lovers to celebrate with us on July 25^th / 5:30 p.m. at the Tompkins Square Library on 331 East 10^th Street in Manhattan. 

There will be readings, books, and biscotti.

http://www.rainmountainpress.com/books-in-the-middle-of-things-begin.html

FINAL EVENT of the 2018-2019 SEASON - Playback Theatre

UP NEXT - Open Mike Poetry

COMING SOON - Annual Evening of Staged Readings of Original One-Act Plays

The UFT Players

cordially invite you to the

16th Annual Evening Of Staged Readings

of

Original One-Act Plays

Thursday, May 9th

&

Friday, May 10th

6pm

UFT Building (50 Broadway, Manhattan)

2nd floor

Plays by: Ilene Bauer, Liz Fein, Minette Greenberg, Milton Polsky, Lee Schwartz, Allan Yashin