by P.A.Wray
directed by Sharon Cook

When Frances, wife of General George Henry Thomas, a strategic winning general in the Civil War, finds out her now ailing and harassed husband has agreed to meet with a journalist with unknown motives, her protective instincts and suspicions go into overdrive, putting undue stress on her husband, and a bill at risk for passing. A bill that would protect the right to vote for Black Freedmen in the South – something her husband had fought hard to protect but failed.
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The Proteus New Plays Festival showcases community-driven staged readings of 4 scripts that have been developed in the Z Playwrights Lab or by Z Artist Members. The staged readings give the playwrights an opportunity to work with a director and a volunteer cast to see their script “on its feet” for the first time, and add the most crucial element to developing a play, The Audience!

Each reading is presented twice during the 2 weeks of Proteus Festival. Audiences are given the opportunity to rate the plays via a survey focused on the elements writing an engaging script and story. Ratings are averaged to select the PNPF Audience Favorite. The Audience Favorite receives a workshop production 2-week run in November, as the second Curtain Up! New Plays Series play of the 23-24 season.

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.

The Proteus New Plays Festival showcases staged readings of 4 scripts that have been developed in the Z Playwrights Lab or by Z Artist Members. The staged readings give the playwrights an opportunity to work with a director and a volunteer cast to see their script “on its feet” for the first time, and add the most crucial element to developing a play, The Audience!

Each reading is presented twice during Proteus Festival. Audiences have the opportunity to rate the plays via a survey focused on the elements of writing an engaging script and story. Ratings are averaged to select the PNPF Audience Favorite. The Audience Favorite receives a workshop production 2-week run in June, closing out our 24-25 Curtain Up! New Plays Series.

2 full weekends of creativity are back at The Z! 

Showcases of music, comedy, theater, kid’s entertainment, open mics, a silent auction, 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!

VIEW FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

GET YOUR ALL-ACCESS PASS TO GET TICKETS TO ALL EVENTS

Meet me at The Z for the FREE Proteus Block Party! Showcases of music, comedy, theater, kid’s entertainment, open mics, and interactive art projects take over Town Center this October in the don’t-miss free event of the season! Come see what The Z is all about-there’s no arts fest like Proteus!

• Main Stage:
  • 3:30 Kids Comedy
  • Video reels
• Studio:
  • 4:15 & 5:15 Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads
  • 4:45 Z PLaywright’s Lab
  • 8:00 PM Plan B Comedy Show
• Lobby & Terrace:
  • GSA Art
  • CTHR mingle
  • Games
  • Vendor tables
• Plaza Stage:
  • 3:30-5:30 Rotation of Open Mic performers
  • 5:30 Festival Awards
  • 6:00 Headliner Performance
• VIEW THE FULL PROTEUS LINEUP

The winner of the Proteus Music Contest performs live at The Z!

Recently at a show, a regular informed Chloe, that “Every time I hear you I think of a different word for your voice. …Velvet. Chocolate. Today’s is whiskey.” She is also frequently mistaken for having hailed from New York and has one of those faces that reminds everyone of someone they know. Having been told her whole singing career she sounds just like Norah Jones, Diana Krall, or Alicia Keys, she assumes that none of that can be true and the common denominator is she’s simply a girl who sings and plays the piano. For the first time in her musical career she will put aside the funk, rnb, soul, and jazz covers and do an entire set of her own original music with nods to all of those styles, written intermittently over a decade amidst college, city living, marriage, children, loss, heartbreak, joy, and faith. You may leave not knowing exactly who she reminds you of or where she’s from (she doesn’t know either, thanks to her military childhood) of but you will definitely have found yourself shedding a tear, grooving in your seat, and feeling free to share the experience with your grandma. This is as wholesome and funky as it gets, folks.

In partnership with: 

Dust off your sheet music, warm up those vocal chords, and step into the spotlight! Join your fellow musical theater enthusiasts for a night of songs from The Great White Way. Come and see the finest of Hampton Roads’ Broadway-worthy talent. Those looking to sing may sign up at the door. Limited spots! Performers at June’s Undiscovered will have the opportunity to be considered for our upcoming “New Musicals Cabaret”!

Artist Members have early access to sign up for performance slots via private link. Learn more about Artist Memberships here. 

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OPEN MIC SERIES: Step on stage and showcase your talents! Writers, comedians, musicians and performers of all kinds can test-drive works-in-progress, debut new pieces, or take the mic for fun in this welcoming, supportive environment. New talent starts here! 

In partnership with Virginia Musical Theatre, Fox Music & the Hurrah Players.