Barbour Playwrights Award 2025

Mon, June 16, 2025 — 7:00 PM

About this event

In June, EAG is partnering with Rising Sun Performance Company for our annual Barbour Playwrights Award! Together, over the course of three weeks, we will present readings of three new plays, with one writer being awarded a prize of $500.

Monday, June 9th

Radio Eulogy by Kati Frazier

What do you do with the memory of an abuser? How do you tell the story of your trauma when you don’t get to triumph in the end? When closure becomes unattainable, how do you close the book on your pain? Radio Eulogy grapples with what our fathers owe us, what we owe them, and the insurmountable distance in between.

Kati Frazier is a playwright, artist and administrator. Born and raised in North Carolina, Kati is a former Brooklynite who now makes their home in St. Louis, Missouri. Their plays explore non-linear timelines and liminal spaces while queering traditional structure. Their work has been produced across the U.S. (and one time in the UK!) with organizations large and small. Their plays include: 'Radio Eulogy,' 'Untitled Calamity Jane Play,' 'Patronage,' 'a sex thing (or, a bunch of liberals get uptight about the sociopolitical implications of their desires),' 'Virtue Of Fools,' 'The Last Year,' '15 Feet: A Story Told From A Distance,' and 'The Couch.' Their work has been seen at 14th Street Y, Rising Sun Performance Company, Astoria Performing Arts Center, Quantum Egg Theatre, Oracle Performing Arts, City Arts, Greensboro Fringe Festival, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, The Players Theatre, Brooklyn's The Brick, and Random Access Theater. Their short plays 'Girlfight' and 'My Emotions Are Too Big For This Room' were published by Smith & Krauss.


Monday, June 16th

The Armando Project by Orlando F. Rodriguez

Class of ’06 cabrones!! Raised in Southwest Texas, shit’s been rough for this straight vato who hates sports and monster trucks, but loves wine coolers. After getting cast in some play called “The Laramie Project,” has he found his place, or should he just stick with the homies? How long can he remain in the middle?

Orlando F. Rodriguez is a graduate from the University of Texas at El Paso, and has a degree in Theater Tech and Design. He is currently living in NYC to further pursue his career, and his new found love of writing. Playwright: Angustias, Spring Cleaning for Mrs. J (an excerpt from Rising Sun's The Rites of Spring), The Legend of The Beast in That Place with the Woods (an excerpt from Rising Sun's HollowStream), and The Armando Project. Theatre: Voice 1 in Betty's Summer Vacation, Greta in Bent, Barrosa in a staged reading of Itzel the Pirate Queen Film: Ben in Cleo y Los Cabrones, Jimmy in Exponential, King Ralphy in Placed. He would like to thank his family, his wife, and fur baby for their continuous love and support.
 

Monday, June 23rd

Lashkmi Counts Her Arms and Legs by Holly Hepp-Galvan

An Indian child born with eight limbs may be the reincarnation of a goddess or just a sick child.  Either way, she will test the beliefs and faith of everyone she encounters.

Holly Hepp-Galvan is a playwright, book writer and lyricist living in New York City. Her plays and musicals have been presented at, or developed with Lincoln Center, New York Performing Arts Library, Project Y Theatre Company, New Perspectives Theatre Company, Core Artist Ensemble, New Circle Theatre Company, The Bechdel Group, and more.  She also has written over twenty plays for young audiences that have been produced at theatres around the country.  www.hollyhepp-galvan.com

 

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In 2007, EAG established this special award to honor the legacy of actor, playwright and EAG member Thomas Barbour (Arthur, Great White Hope) whose support for emerging artists was an inspiration to many. The Barbour Award was established and endowed by Janet Barbour Carhart, Alison Barbour Fox, and from a portion of the gift left to EAG by Mr. Thomas Barbour’s estate. All proceeds from the staged readings of the Barbour finalists’ plays go directly to supporting future Barbour Awards.

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The Episcopal Actors' Guild (EAG) (est. 1923) provides emergency aid and support to professional performers of all faiths who are undergoing financial crisis. We are also dedicated to helping emerging artists advance their careers through scholarships, awards, and performance opportunities. For over 100 years, we have been a safety net, providing crucial services to ensure the well-being of NYC's vital community of individual performing artists. ​www.actorsguild.org

Rising Sun Performance Company is an award-winning theatre company dedicated to fostering a nurturing and safe artistic home while creating innovative theatrical experiences in NYC​. They are committed to the principle of ensemble process and performance through the collaboration of a resident company built of theatre artists, including actors, directors, playwrights, designers, and producers. Rising Sun Performance Company's (RSP) mission is to advance the vitality and diversity of American theatre by nurturing artists, encouraging repeatable creative relationships, and contributing new works and revitalized pre-existing work to the national canon. Rising Sun Performance Company realizes this goal by providing a safe artistic home which stimulates risk-taking without limits of genre or agenda. www.risingsunnyc.com

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EAG's Covid Safety Rules: Masks are strongly recommended but no longer required in Guild Hall. Please stay home if you are sick or if you have tested positive for covid. For more details, please visit www.actorsguild.org/covid-safety-protocols.

Directions: The Episcopal Actors’ Guild (EAG)/Guild Hall is located at 1 EAST 29th STREET, NYC 10016 (midblock between Madison and Fifth, between #3 and #9 East 29th Street) on the second floor of the Church of the Transfiguration (aka the Little Church Around the Corner). We are NOT the big church on the corner of Fifth Avenue; that's Marble Collegiate. When you arrive at the Little Church, enter through the main gate and go through the garden to the door marked Guild Hall (between the main doors into the church and the door to the parish office).

Getting Here: The closest subways are the R/W or 6 at 28th Street or the B/D/F/M or N/Q/R/W at 34th Street/Herald Square. If you are arriving by bus, take the M1, M2, M3, M5, M6, or M7.

Lobby: Guild Hall does NOT have a lobby or waiting area. You are welcome to enjoy the Little Church’s garden (weather permitting) if you arrive before the house opens.

Accessibility: Guild Hall is not a fully ADA-compliant venue. However, we do our best to accommodate all patrons. Guild Hall is located up one flight of stairs (20 steps). There is no elevator; however, a stair chair is available for those who need assistance making it up to or down from Guild Hall. EAG’s staff will be happy to assist you upon request.

Late seating: We cannot guarantee late seating.

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