Celebrating two decaades of Playworks

In a black-box theater with dark walls, bright lights, and an empty stage, student actors relied solely on their voices and expressions to bring a series of 10-minute plays to life at UC Riverside's 19th Playworks event.

Covering topics ranging from the impacts of ICE and AI to experiences with grief and love, the stage readings took place in the Studio Theatre of the Arts Building. A small stage surrounded on three sides allowed the audience members and actors to observe each other in an intimate setting.

"I think the students get a lot of joy and excitement being so close to the audience," said Johnny Macias, assistant production manager. "When the audience responds, they feed off that energy."

Nearly 20 years ago, Playworks began as a student project spanning multiple nights of staged plays. Today, the annual event showcases short plays written by undergraduate and MFA students, with around 60 to 70 students and faculty taking on the roles of writers, actors, directors, and stage crew. Without props, costumes, or set design, the readings focus on the dialogue and the actors' skills.

Erith Jaffe-Berg, a professor of theatre, film and digital production (TFDP) and artistic director for Playworks, has overseen the play selection process since 2007. This year, she will step down as artistic director, passing the reins to Daphnie Sicre, an assistant professor of TFDP.

Every winter quarter, Jaffe-Berg has reviewed submissions alongside Paige Goodwin, lecturer for the Department of Theatre, Film and Digital Production and University Writing Program. Once the plays are chosen, Jaffe-Berg designs the program around the audience's experience and the themes presented in the stories.

"The 10-minute format is a great challenge for students because you can accomplish the investigation of an idea in a compact way and bring your audience along with you in a thought experiment to see how they respond," Jaffe-Berg said.

At the end of each evening, collaborator Aaron Henne, artistic director for the LA-based performance ensemble theater dybbuk, provides playwrights with feedback. Henne's advice and the audience's reactions are helpful for the students as they reflect on their work and improve their scripts.

"It's not often you get to hear something you've worked on coming to life in front of a crowd," Macias said. "It's an exciting chance for emerging playwrights to have that experience and take their writing to the next level."

Students can also submit their work to the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, a national theater program showcasing student plays. According to Jaffe-Berg, many playwrights have had their plays produced in Washington, D.C.

"We've had many people who have achieved recognition as writers," Jaffe-Berg said. "I also want to recognize that a lot of people who participated in Playworks went on to law school or became teaching professionals. So, I think that says something about the flexibility of the tools generated from Playworks, and how applicable they are for careers in theater and beyond."

Among the 21 plays presented across two nights in May, the effects of the current political environment on relationships were one of the recurring themes.

"I'm fascinated with how students are reflecting on social and political forces that are influencing their lives," Jaffe-Berg said.

"The King Cobra," written by Giara Naomi Lopez and directed by Lance Mack, is about a teenage snake-human hybrid confronting his best friend about the prejudiced views she develops after listening to anti-hybrid rhetoric from a presidential candidate.

Lopez, a Mexican American creative writing student, used the play to mirror the current administration's language and its impact on relationships.

"While it's a sad story, it's an honest one," Lopez said.

"Feels Like Home," written by Sebastian Ocampo and directed by Jocelyn Gordillo, is about a mother and son who have an emotional conversation about whether to leave a restaurant or stay once they hear that ICE is patrolling the area.

Ocampo based the story on a real-life conversation and expanded it into a play with encouragement from Kimberly Guerrero, professor of theatre, film, and digital production.

As Jaffe-Berg closes her two-decade chapter as Playworks' artistic director, she's reminded of the power of storytelling.

"As life experiences come to me, I'll remember certain lines from a play, and they'll stay with me," Jaffe-Berg said. "And this is a beautiful way in which my students teach me. I love that, and I'm so grateful to have been a part of Playworks."