Urbanite Theatre's Modern Works Festival returns Thursday, Sept. 17, after drawing a record number of submissions from women playwrights.
The seventh annual festival, which champions new work by women in theater, received more than 300 submissions this year. Town Chronicle reported 308 entries; WGCU put the count at 315. Either way, it is a record for the 65-seat theater at 1487 Second St. in downtown Sarasota.
Festival expands to 11 days this year
The festival also expands this year, running 11 days through Sept. 27.
The first week spotlights new works. The second focuses on play development.
'Tea Time' opens the festival Thursday
Headlining the opening stretch is "Tea Time," a one-woman show by Erika MacDonald. The play debuted at the 2025 Cincinnati Fringe Festival and appeared at the 2026 Orlando Fringe. It runs five performances Thursday through Sept. 20, with a Saturday, Sept. 19, matinee. Producing artistic director Summer Wallace told WGCU the show explores tea rituals while diving into depression and mental health.
Three finalists to receive staged readings
Three finalist playwrights will each receive two staged readings, a $1,500 stipend, housing, travel and about 15 hours of rehearsal time with a director and professional actors. The finalists are:
- "The Longest Walk" by Stacey Isom Campbell, about two former U.S. Marines navigating PTSD a decade after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Campbell was also a 2025 finalist.
- "Conversations by the Beach" by Mantra Radhakrishnan, following three women across 20 years and five beaches as they navigate grief and a nontraditional family.
- "Spectres" by Sarasota playwright Joz Vammer, a mystery thriller about two college freshmen investigating the legend of a ghostly Woman in White.
"Joz is also a local playwright, so it's exciting to have a local playwright in the mix," Wallace told Town Chronicle.
Closing weekend features lecture, roundtable
Staged readings of the three finalist plays run Friday, Sept. 25, through Sunday, Sept. 27. A kickoff party for artists and pass holders opens the second week on Thursday, Sept. 24. The festival closes Sunday, Sept. 27, with an audience roundtable and celebration at 4 p.m.
Yale Prize-winning playwright Jacqueline Goldfinger delivers a guest lecture at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25. Goldfinger's work is familiar to Sarasota audiences: her plays "Backwards Forwards Back" and "Babel" have been staged at Urbanite and Florida Studio Theatre. Goldfinger has been commissioned to write a new play for Urbanite, Wallace told Your Sun.
Past finalists have reached full productions
The festival has a track record of launching full productions. Last year's winner, Jenny Stafford, wrote "Ahoy-Hoy," which will receive its world premiere at Urbanite from Oct. 30 through Nov. 29 as part of the National New Play Network's rolling world premiere program.
Tickets and festival passes are available at urbanitetheatre.com/mwf.
Coming up in Sarasota
- Thursday, Sept. 17: "Tea Time" opening night, Urbanite Theatre
- Thursday, Sept. 24: Modern Works Festival kickoff party, Urbanite Theatre
- Friday, Sept. 25: Jacqueline Goldfinger guest lecture, 7:30 p.m., Urbanite Theatre
- Friday, Sept. 25, through Sunday, Sept. 27: Staged readings of three finalist plays, Urbanite Theatre
- Sunday, Sept. 27: Audience roundtable and closing celebration, 4 p.m., Urbanite Theatre
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