Calling all art lovers! Take part in all of Proteus Festival with the All-Access Pass! Your pass includes entry to the New Plays Festival, Music Contest, Plan B Finale, and Creative Team performances-so you can experience all of Proteus, your way.
OCTOBER 3-12
COUNTDOWN TILL PROTEUS PARTY ON OCTOBER 12TH!
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Meet me at The Z for 2 full weekends of creativity!
Showcases of music, comedy, theater, kid’s entertainment, open mics, and interactive art projects take over our block of Town Center this October in the don’t-miss event of the season! Come see what The Z is all about-there’s no arts fest like Proteus!
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
All-Access Pass-oN sALE now
Oct. 2:
Meet me at The Z to get creative! Mix & mingle with fellow artists, sign up your creative team and kick off a week of creativity with the announcement of this year's prompt! All levels of experience are welcome. For ages 16 and up!
6-9pm: Arts Mixer
7pm: Announcement of Creative Prompt
Learn more about Proteus Creative Teams at https://thez.org/proteusteams/ Email our Community Engagement Liaison Heather Shannon with questions.
Oct. 3:
NEW PLAYS FESTIVAL: PEACE OF STILL
Peace of Still by Sherilynn Cherry
Directed by Leila Stephanie, Asst. Director: Maryanne Kiley
Bella, a Pullman maid in 1928 tries to find self-worth through an illicit workplace relationship but when that relationship ends she develops a toxic connection with the “magic” of a gun. Will this newfound sense of empowerment lead her on a downward spiral or be her path to finding her value from within?
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Studio Theater
The 2024 Proteus New Plays features four new works written in our Z Playwrights Lab. Join us for staged readings in repertory during Proteus Festival and vote for your favorite show. The winner of the Audience Favorite will get an extended workshop run in June 2025.
2024 Selected Plays are:
- Riding The Bubble Bus by Kendra Louka
- You Have to Hear What I Hear by Ernest A. White Jr
- A World of Flaws by Frederick Silvers
- Peace of Still by Sherilynn Cherry
Directors: Patrick Mullins and Leila Stephanie Assistant Directors: Jackie Adonis and Maryanne Kiley
Oct. 4:
NEW PLAYS FESTIVAL: RIDING THE BUBBLE BUS
by Kendra Louka
Directed by Leila Stephanie, Asst. Director: Maryanne Kiley
A doubtful high school graduate finds a magical crown which freezes time when he wears it, but as much as he wants to keep it on to stop his friends from moving away, he’s given keys to the open road.
BUY TICKETS
Studio Theater
The 2024 Proteus New Plays features four new works written in our Z Playwrights Lab. Join us for staged readings in repertory during Proteus Festival and vote for your favorite show. The winner of the Audience Favorite will get an extended workshop run in June 2025.
2024 Selected Plays are:
- Riding The Bubble Bus by Kendra Louka
- You Have to Hear What I Hear by Ernest A. White Jr
- A World of Flaws by Frederick Silvers
- Peace of Still by Sherilynn Cherry
Directors: Patrick Mullins and Leila Stephanie Assistant Directors: Jackie Adonis and Maryanne Kiley
PROTEUS MUSIC CONTEST
Friday, Oct. 4 at 7:30pm
Mainstage Theater
The Proteus Festival Music Contest is for emerging and early-career musical artists!
See performances from our five finalists at Proteus Festival, and watch as a winner is crowned by a panel of music industry professionals. The grand prize is a headlining concert in the Live at The Z Music Series and a recording package in The Z’s recording studio.
ENTER
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Oct. 5:
NEW PLAYS FESTIVAL: Studio Theater
On Oct. 5 see all 4 selected plays:
- 1PM: You Have to Hear What I Hear by Ernest A. White, Jr.
- 3PM: A World of Flaws by Frederick Silvers
- 6PM: Riding The Bubble Bus by Kendra Louka
- 8PM: Peace of Still by Sherilynn Cherry
Directors: Patrick Mullins and Leila Stephanie Assistant Directors: Jackie Adonis and Maryanne Kiley
Oct. 10:
NEW PLAYS FESTIVAL: You Have to Hear What I Hear
by Ernest A. White, Jr.
Directed by Patrick Mullins, Asst Director: Jackie Adonis
Studio Theater
The 2024 Proteus New Plays features four new works written in our Z Playwrights Lab. Join us for staged readings in repertory during Proteus Festival and vote for your favorite show. The winner of the Audience Favorite will get an extended workshop run in June 2025.
2024 Selected Plays are:
- Riding The Bubble Bus by Kendra Louka
- You Have to Hear What I Hear by Ernest A. White Jr
- A World of Flaws by Frederick Silvers
- Peace of Still by Sherilynn Cherry
Directors: Patrick Mullins and Leila Stephanie Assistant Directors: Jackie Adonis and Maryanne Kiley
buy tickets
The Proteus Festival Creative teams performance is a rush of creativity. Teams of playwrights, dancers, filmmakers, musicians, and visual artists create brand new works in just five days, all inspired by a shared prompt. Meet me at The Z for a showcase of art and creativity on the Main Stage.
Sign up here: https://thez.org/proteusteams/
Email our Community Engagement Liaison with questions.
Oct. 11:
NEW PLAYS FESTIVAL: A WORLD OF FLAWS
by Frederick Silvers
Directed by Patrick Mullins, Asst Director: Jackie Adonis
Studio Theater
The 2024 Proteus New Plays features four new works written in our Z Playwrights Lab. Join us for staged readings in repertory during Proteus Festival and vote for your favorite show. The winner of the Audience Favorite will get an extended workshop run in June 2025.
buy tickets
2024 Selected Plays are:
- Riding The Bubble Bus by Kendra Louka
- You Have to Hear What I Hear by Ernest A. White Jr
- A World of Flaws by Frederick Silvers
- Peace of Still by Sherilynn Cherry
Directors: Patrick Mullins and Leila Stephanie Assistant Directors: Jackie Adonis and Maryanne Kiley
Oct. 12:
PROTEUS BLOCK PARTY
Saturday, Oct. 12 from 3-7pm
FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Meet me at The Z for our annual Proteus Block Party! This season kickoff is the biggest don’t-miss FREE event of the season showcasing music, comedy, theater, kid’s entertainment, open mics, and interactive art projects. We’ll have our doors open wide for the community to come see what The Z is all about-there’s no arts fest like Proteus!
October 7 at 8:00pm
Studio Theater
Community-favorite Plan B Comedy hits the Studio Stage of Proteus for an evening packed with comedy! Our resident comedians of Plan B Comedy offer a raucous evening of Sketch, Improv and Stand Up to give you a sampler platter of what the Plan B season has to offer.
PLAY YOUR PART
PROTEUS FESTIVAL SPONSORED BY:
PROTEUS FESTIVAL is funded in part by the citizens of Virginia Beach through a grant from the City of Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission.
