Westport Writers’ Workshop Returns to Westport Library for Pitch & Publish Conference
(L-R): Liz Matthews, Julie Sarkissian of Westport Writers’ Workshop. Photo contributed by Elizabeth Foley. Press ReleaseWestport Writers’ Workshop (WWW) announced their return to the Westport Library for their 2nd Annual Pitch & Publish Conference on Saturday, May 20, which will be both in-person and virtual. Pitch & Publish is the ideal opportunity for those seeking a literary agent, wanting to be educated about the industry at large, or looking to meet and be inspired by authors, agents, and editors. The keynote speaker is Courtney Maum, author of five books, including Year of the Horses, the groundbreaking publishing guide Before and After the Book Deal, and Touch, among others. The conference also includes a Friday night welcome party at WWW’s locale, followed by Saturday’s informative panels, one-on-one pitches, and a wrap party. Doors to the library open for light breakfast to sign in at 8 am, and the event begins at 9 am on Saturday morning. Individual tickets for the conference only are $350 each (walk-ins accepted) tickets for the conference plus two one-on-one pitches with literary agents are $600 each (early bird discount if registered by March 31), $675 each thereafter. Register here: https://www.westportwriters.org/pitch-and-publish-conference-2023.
The conference will include three interactive panel discussions: “Ask The Agent,” “The Road to Publication,” “Level Up your Writing Game,” moderated by Liz Matthews, Kate Schneider and Leigh Stein, respectively. In addition, there will be an inspirational talk, “Live the Process, Own the Process, Celebrate the Process,” and the keynote address by Courtney Maum.
Attendees who purchase “Conference with Pitches” tickets will have the rare opportunity to pitch their books in-person to two elite literary agents and/or small presses during one-on-one sessions. Writers with this type of ticket will be alerted to their individual meetings and the deadline for query letters prior to Pitch & Publish. The agents include: Nora Gonzalez (Gernert Agency), Sarah Landis (Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc.), Jaclyn Gilbert (Driftless Literary), Eloy Bleifuss (Jankow & Nesbit), Ayla Zuraw-Friedland (Goldin Lit,) Samantha Wilkenson (Thomson Lit. Agency), Betsey Lerner (Dunow, Carlson & Lerner,) Agents taking pitches remotely are Marin Takikawa (Friedrich Agency) and Michaela Whatnall (Dystel, Goderich & Bourret).
“Empowering writers in any and every way is what Westport Writers’ Workshop is all about, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining forces with the Westport Library, Courtney Maum, Leigh Stein, and so many other passionate literary citizens and publishing insiders to deliver a day full of education, inspiration and opportunities for our community. Westport has such a rich history of supporting the arts and we are so proud to continue that legacy,” said Julie Sarkissian, Westport Writers’ Workshop Instructor
Other highlights of the daylong event include an interactive writing experience, books for sale, goodie bags, refreshments, and a literary door prize gift basket. In addition, registrants are invited to the Friday night welcome party at WWW’s studio location at 25 Sylvan Road South/Suite J, Westport.
“I wanted to say how much I enjoyed the opportunity to be part of the conference this weekend. There was so much to appreciate: the honest, kind, and informed esteemed panelists, the range of topics, the encouragement and humor, the comradeship between volunteers, writers, agents — everyone. I walked away inspired and happy, as did so many. I loved the chance to root for my fellow writers and classmates on their pitch, and loved the partnership between two of my favorite intellectual and community hubs — WWW and the Westport Library,” said 2022 conference participant, Leila Shields
Westport Writers’ Workshop is an independent literary arts center offering enriching supportive creative writing classes, as well as free literary readings to the public. The organization provides free writing workshops to underserved populations in their own communities. For more information regarding Pitch and Publish or year round workshops, visit www.westportwriters.org.
Morning Weather Report
Today:
Rain and snow before 11am, then rain between 11am and 2pm, then rain and snow after 2pm. High near 38. Wind chill values between 25 and 30. Breezy, with a northwest wind 13 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Tonight:
Snow, mainly before 11pm. Low around 32. Wind chill values between 20 and 25. Windy, with a northwest wind around 26 mph, with gusts as high as 46 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Tomorrow:
Partly sunny, with a high near 43. Wind chill values between 20 and 30. Windy, with a northwest wind 26 to 29 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph.
Tomorrow Night:
Mostly clear, with a low around 28. Blustery, with a northwest wind 13 to 21 mph.
Governor Orders Partial Activation of Emergency Operations Center ahead of Winter Storm
Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is ordering the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to be partially activated effective at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, to monitor conditions from the winter storm that is anticipated to impact Connecticut.
Throughout the duration of the storm, the EOC will be staffed in-person with personnel from several state agencies, such as the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (including the Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security and the State Police), the Department of Transportation, the Department of Administrative Services IT support, and the Connecticut National Guard. Additionally, representatives of Eversource and United Illuminating will be on site. Staff from several other state agencies and the Red Cross and United Way 2-1-1 will be available on a virtual emergency operations center link to communicate instantly, if needed.
Governor Lamont’s office has been in contact with leadership of Connecticut’s utility companies, including Eversource and United Illuminating, and stressed to them the importance of having preparations in place and ready to employ well in advance of the storm should widespread outages occur.
“Different weather models are showing varying projections at the moment, however there is the potential that Connecticut will see quite a range in snowfall totals, with the greatest impact likely occurring in the northwestern and northeastern portions of the state,” Governor Lamont said. “The most concerning part about the forecast is how wet and heavy this snow may be, combined with its very strong wind gusts. These two factors together may bring down power lines and tree limbs, resulting in power outages. I strongly encourage everyone to have preparations in place in the event that you lose electricity, and particularly keep all of your mobile devices fully charged in case you need to call and report an emergency. I also encourage everyone to stay off the roads to the greatest extent possible throughout the duration of the storm.”
For winter safety tips and resources, visit the CTPrepares website at ct.gov/ctprepares or download the CTPrepares app on mobile devices at the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
Staples Players Presents Twelfth Night; “you can’t miss this show”
Press Release If you love Shakespeare, you can’t miss this show. If Shakespeare is not your thing, you can’t miss this show! Staples Players will win you over with this adaptation of Twelfth Night and composer/lyricist Shaina Taub’s kick-ass contemporary score. Excuse the language—this is a family-friendly show. But Taub brings an edge to her jazz-funk songs, peppy additives to Shakespeare’s ornate dialogue, that Co-Directors David Roth and Kerry Long, Music Director Luke Rosenberg, and Choreographer Rachel MacIsaac couldn’t resist. Pairing crowd-pleasing pop with the Bard’s iambic pentameter for a fresh take on this classic tale that even kids will eat up? Brilliant. Audience members of all ages will enjoy 90 minutes of fast-paced fun, feasting on the visual and auditory delights of this Twelfth Night smorgasbord. Performances are March 17, 18, 24, and 25 at 7:30 pm, and March 19 and 25 at 3 pm.
“We have been wanting to do a Shakespeare show for a while now—it’s a wonderful learning opportunity for the students,” says Roth. But with Covid reducing the number of musicals kids have been able to do recently, there was a thirst for another musical this winter. “We discovered Shaina Taub a couple of years ago and were enthralled by her inventive music—it’s catchy, it's clever,” says Roth. “When we heard the Twelfth Night cast recording, we knew we wanted to produce it at Staples. Although it's Shakespeare's story, written over 400 years ago, the themes are so relevant today. It's a comedy about identity, self-discovery and—that classic theme—love.”
Long comments, “When we first announced the show to the students we said, ‘Trust us. Listen to the music. You will fall in love with the show.’ Sure enough, two days later, the 4 building hallway was filled with kids belting out tunes.”
Taub actually came out to Westport and spent two hours with the cast, giving insight on the show and her career path as an actor-writer and gathering the kids around the piano for a spirited sing-along. Between those infectious songs and the two numbers the kids performed for the composer, it was clear this is not your gramma’s Shakespeare. “Anyone who thinks, ‘Oh Shakespeare is boring,’ need not be worried with this show,” says Long. “The music is jazzy, poppy, a little bit of funk thrown in. The scenes are from Shakespeare's script, told in his language. The songs are written in modern English. You'd think it wouldn't work but the two styles meld together well.”
The creative team was thrilled to see the students jump in with gusto to the challenges of Shakespeare. Nikki Sternberg (SHS ’23), who shares the role of Olivia with Madelyn Spera (SHS ’23), says, “I first prepared for my role by translating all my lines into modern English and then making sure I understood the Shakespearean language. We did a lot of table work to not only dissect the Shakespeare, but to map out our characters and create all of the many relationships that come to life on stage. Blocking the scenes was an important part of the process because blocking can help communicate what’s going on when the language might create barriers.” For Shakespeare-phobes, Sternberg reassures, “This show is full of so much life and color. The dancing, the costumes, the set, the hair and makeup, the lights, and all other aspects make the show a living, breathing thing. I think the music really separates our show from other Shakespearean performances and is a lot of fun to work with and watch.”
Henry Carson (SHS ’24), who plays Toby, saw Twelfth Night as a young boy and was taken with the show and how “the actors were able to convey the plot despite some audience members not fully understanding the language.” He is enjoying the challenge of playing laidback Toby—quite a change from Nathan Detroit, his role last fall in Guys and Dolls, and from himself. “I have to bring energy to the scenes but understand that this character goes through the world quite differently than I do,” says Carson. “What's so great about this production is that the Shakespeare has been morphed in some sections to make room for these great new musical numbers. The music keeps the pace quick and exciting, while the Shakespeare text is given plenty of time to thrive on stage. It's a perfect blend.”
Max Ardrey (SHS ’23) shares the role of Sebastian with Cameron Mann (SHS ’24). Sebastian is the twin of Viola, a role shared by Samantha Edwards (SHS ’24) and Quinn Mulvey (SHS ’23). You may have seen Twelfth Night posters around town, featuring the twin pairs. “Sebastian has been one to coast through life, overshadowing his twin sister Viola,” says Ardrey. “However in Illyria, he finds himself playing the supporting role in his own life when Viola essentially takes his place. It's really fun to put our own spin on these classic characters. I've loved seeing what parts of myself I can see in Sebastian, like his light-hearted and slightly oblivious nature.” Is Ardrey a fan of the Bard? “If I wasn't before, I certainly am now,” he says. “I've never performed Shakespeare on stage, and now I think just reading it doesn't do it justice.”
Kerry Long encourages patrons to bring the whole family: “It's short, it's colorful, it's fast paced, and funny. It's a great way to introduce your kids to Shakespeare without sitting through a three-hour play. This will give them a taste and also make Shakespeare not so daunting to understand.” If that doesn’t lure ’em, the taste of ice cream might: Kids 12-and-under get a sweet goodie bag at check in, including a coupon for a free ice cream cone, generously donated by our friends at Saugatuck Sweets, and a button to proudly announce their FIRST SHAKESPEARE!
Staples Players Presents Twelfth Night
A musical adaptation of William Shakespeare’s "Twelfth Night"
Conceived by Kwame Kwei-Armah and Shaina Taub
Music and lyrics by Shaina Taub
The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited
Production Team
Directors: David Roth & Kerry Long
Music Director: Luke Rosenberg
Choreographer: Rachel MacIsaac
Technical Director: Jeff Hauser
Set Designer: Jordan Janota
Costumes: Christie Stanger
Graphic Designer: Kerry Long
Performance Schedule
Friday and Saturday Evenings: March 17, 18, 24 & 25 at 7:30 pm
Matinees: March 19 & 25 at 3:00 pm
Run time: approximately 90 minutes (+ one 15-minute intermission)
Performance Location
Staples High School Auditorium
Tickets
Purchase tickets at staplesplayers.com or at the door, starting 30 minutes prior to performances (subject to availability). Click this link for the Double Cast Performance Schedule.