LIVED EXPERIENCE: A CONVERSATION WITH RACHEL CROWL AND NATALIE SYMONS [ANPF Sep. 26, 2019]
Rachel Crowl and Natalie Symons are unapologetically kicking ass and taking names. In this week’s ANPF Play4Keeps conversation, theatre creators Rachel and Natalie talk about the importance and thrill of new play development, the value of lived experience, creating better art by casting transgender actors for transgender roles, telling difficult stories with humor, and the intense urge as an audience member to yell out during a theatre performance. This conversation left us wanting more! We hope you feel invigorated and inspired by it, too.
LOCAL SHOWS WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IN 2020
THE PEOPLE DOWNSTAIRS [American Stage; March 11 - April 5]
"Natalie Symons is a local playwright hero, and I'm waiting for that description to change from "local" to "national." She's that good. Her past works--THE BUFFALO KINGS, LARK EDEN and NAMING TRUE--show so much promise, passion, heart and ballsy quirkiness (or quirky ballsiness) that certainly connected with me. She's a major voice, and THE PEOPLE DOWNSTAIRS, set in a Buffalo funeral home, looks like it can't miss. Featuring the beloved Matthew McGee and Allen Fitzpatrick, the latter giving one of the best performances of recent years in the Asolo Rep production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street last year."
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SYMONS TO TEACH MASTER CLASS
Natalie will conduct a master class in playwriting at American Stage, Monday evenings, January 27-Mar 16, 2020.
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THE PEOPLE DOWNSTAIRS World Premiere March 11, 2020
Natalie's latest work will receive a WORLD PREMIERE production at American Stage Theatre in St. Petersburg, FL, as part of their 2019/2020 season: An American Dreamscape.
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Announcement Video
SYMONS MONOLOGUE SELECTED AS BEST OF 2019
A monologue from Natalie's NAMING TRUE has been selected to be published in Smith & Kraus' BEST WOMEN'S MONOLOGUES OF 2019.
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The People Downstairs
by Natalie Symons
American Stage
January 6, 2019
THE PEOPLE DOWNSTAIRS part of 21st Century Voices New Play Festival
Natalie's latest play THE PEOPLE DOWNSTAIRS is part of American Stage's 21st Century New Voices New Play Festival, and was given a public staged reading on January 6th, 2019 at 2:00pm. Directed by Chris Crawford, and starring Don Walker, Meghan Colleen Moroney, Matthew McGee, and Susan Haldeman.
THE PEOPLE DOWNSTAIRS - review by hm.lehrer 1.6.2019
"Art plays a pivotal role in educating both the old and young. Theater, in particular, can be a powerful tool in an attempt to expose and normalize humanity at its highest and lowest points. Natalie Symons exemplifies..."
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THE PEOPLE DOWNSTAIRS - email to author 1.19.2019
"Dear Ms. Symons,
My name is {....}. I found your email through your website. I live in Chicago where I regularly attend the theatre. While in St. Petersburg a few weeks ago, after reading the delightfully quirky and bittersweet description of your play, I decided to attend the reading..."
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Natalie Symons
Author / Playwright