New Comedy Project Winner Selected

June 29, 2008 -- The winner of the New Comedy Project has been announced. The winner is Vicki Riba Koestler of Alexandria, Virginia for her comedy Decked. A staged reading will be presented Saturday, August 16th at 7:30 pm at the Playhouse. Barbara Pettis will direct. Admission is free.

Decked is a family comedy that takes place in Barton Plotkin’s home. It is a scene of happy celebration—his mother is turning 80; his son has just gotten into Harvard; he and his wife have fulfilling careers; the Plotkins are the toast of family and friends.  All in all, the house is filled with smiles and good feeling. But things are different out on the deck....

The New Comedy Project is a contest for new full-length comedy scripts. Scripts submitted had to be unpublished and not have had a previous production or performance. The contest drew 41 scripts from all over the country.

In addition to the first prize winner, Decked, Second place went to John Mclindon of Northampton, Massachusetts for Saving Grace. Third place was a tie between Steve Wisniewski for Big Criminals and Robert Lynn of Dubuque, Iowa for Friends to the End.

The judges for the New Comedy Project were Kay Carter Blaha, Ninette Cummings, and John Shanahan.