VITAL THEATRE COMPANY is pleased to announce the fifth installment of “VITAL SIGNS,” the company's semi-annual festival of new one-acts and short plays, featuring the work of established and emerging playwrights from across the country. The festival will run Thursdays through Sundays at 7:00 p.m. from May 9th through June 30th.

Over the past three years Vital Theatre Company has created a home for theatre artists in its intimate venue on Theatre Row. Vital Theatre Company’s semi-annual new works festival is an opportunity for writers to stage new works submitted from outside sources as well as plays developed in Vital’s bi-monthly Playwrights’ Workshop. Past festivals have been hailed as being “a delightfully racy evening of high-energy fun, courtesy of ... talented emerging playwrights and Vital Theatre's engaging ensemble” (oobr) and for providing “the thrill of discovery of exciting new work and gifted new talent” (NY Theatre Experience). The complete festival schedule is as follows:

Week One – May 9th -11st

“Closing Costs” by ARLENE HUTTON, directed by Sharon Fallon; “Crash Bound” by NINA WALUSCHKA, directed by Julie Blumenthal; “Pumpkins for Smallpox” by CATHERINE GILLET, directed by Annie Levy; “Terminal” by CAROLINE JANE PRUGH, directed by Jonathan Carr and “When the Dodgers Left Brooklyn” by D. LEE MILLER, directed by John Steber.

Week Two – May 16-19th

“Assholes” by J. HOLTHAM, directed by Tamara Fisch; “Bethlehem” by SUZANNE BRADBEER, directed by Linda Keys; “Bucket of Moon” by SETH KRAMER, directed by Michele Travis; “The Ferry” by RYAN HILL, directed by Karen Sommers and “Madame Korsakov’s Letter to the World” by JANET BURNHAM, directed by Kim T. Sharp.

Week Three – May 23rd - 26th

“Backward Man” by TY ADAMS, directed by Emily Tetzlaff; “Fit for Feet” by JORDAN HARRISON, directed by Abigail Marateck; “Ice Floes” by AL SJOERDSMA, directed by Davis McCallum; “The Theory of Everything” by DOROTHY FORTENBERRY, directed by Nicole Ruskin and “Try, Try Again” by ROBIN ROTHSTEIN, directed by Thomas Cote.

Week Four – May 30th- June 2st

“The Disappearance Conundrum” by RACHEL AXLER, directed by Margie Lempert; “A Doctor’s Visit” by MARK LOWENSTERN, directed by Jason King Jones; “Looking for the Pony” by ANDREA LEPCIO, directed by Brooke O’Harra; “Manly Men Doing Manly Things” by SCOTT C. SICKLES directed by Andrea J. Testani and “Translation of Sign ” by CRYSTAL SKILLMAN, directed by Jerry Ruiz.

Week Five – June 6th– 9th

“Assholes” by J. HOLTHAM, directed by Tamara Fisch; “Crashbound” by NINA WALUSCHKA, directed by Julie Blumenthal; “Looking for the Pony” by ANDREA LEPCIO, directed by Brooke O’Harra; “Pumpkins for Smallpox” by CATHERINE GILLET, directed by Annie Levy and “Translation of Sign” by CRYSTAL SKILLMAN, directed by Jerry Ruiz.

Week Six – June 13th – 16th

“Bucket of Moon” by SETH KRAMER, directed by Michele Travis; “The Disappearance Conundrum” by RACHEL AXLER, directed by Margie Lempert; “Ice Floes” by AL SJOERDSMA, directed by Davis McCallum; “Manly Men Doing Manly Things” by SCOTT C. SICKLES directed by Andrea J. Testani and “Terminal” by CAROLINE JANE PRUGH, directed by Jonathan Carr.

Week Seven – June 20th – 23rd

“Bethlehem,” by SUZANNE BRADBEER, directed by Linda Keys; “Closing Costs,” by ARLENE HUTTON, directed by Sharon Fallon; “Fit For Feet,” by JORDAN HARRISON, directed by Abigail Marateck; “Madame Korsakov’s Letter to the World” by JANET BURNHAM, directed by Kim T. Sharp and “Try, Try Again” by ROBIN ROTHSTEIN, directed by Thomas Cote.

Week Eight – June 27th – 30th

“Backward Man,” by TY ADAMS, directed by Emily Tetzlaff; “A Doctor’s Visit,” by MARK LOWENSTERN, directed by Jason King Jones; “The Ferry,” by RYAN HILL, directed by Karen Sommers; “A New Religion,” by SHAWN HIRABAYASHI, directed by Jim Brichetta; “Theory of Everything” by DOROTHY FORTENBERRY, directed by Nicole Ruskin; and “When the Dodgers Left Brooklyn” by D.LEE MILLER, directed by John Steber.