UKIAH, Calif. – The Mendocino College Theatre Arts Department will present the 14th annual Festival of New Plays on Friday, May 18, and Saturday, May 19, at 7:30 p.m. in the College’s Little Theatre, Room 710, on the Ukiah campus.

This festival is a beloved Ukiah theatre tradition, and producer Reid Edelman is thrilled to be bringing the festival back this year after a one-year hiatus.

This year's festival features eight new plays by local playwrights. Each play is approximately 10 minutes long and will be presented at both performances.

Some of the plays were developed in full-time faculty Jody Gehrman’s writing classes; others were submitted by writers from throughout Mendocino and other nearby counties. Gehrman is also the production’s dramaturge, helping develop the scripts.

The plays are directed by Mendocino College directing students and acted by students in the college conservatory cohort group as well as other local actors, under the guidance of theatre professor Reid Edelman.

The short plays cover a wide range of topics and performance styles. The festival also features original lighting designs by students in the college Stage Lighting class, under the direction of Technical Director Steve Decker. Music and sound effects created by college Theatre Technician and Media Specialist David Wolf help sustain the high energy spirit of the production.

According to Edelman, “This annual festival is one of the college theater program’s most exciting projects, and this year’s line-up of plays is a delightful mix.”

Tickets are available in Ukiah at Mendocino Book Co., the Mendocino College Bookstore, and online at www.ArtsMendocino.org. This production is recommended for ages 12 and up.

Admission is $10. This production is expected to sell out quickly, so audience members are encouraged to purchase tickets soon.

For more information, call Reid Edelman at 707-468-3172. ​

The Mendocino College Ukiah Campus is located at 1000 Hensley Creek Road, Ukiah.