NEW NOISES STUDIO
For students ages 10th grade - College
Wednesday, June 11 - Saturday, June 21

The nation's premier workshop for young writers, NEW NOISES STUDIO is a ten-day, writing intensive constructed as an in-depth exploration of writing for the stage. NEW NOISES STUDIO is dedicated to encouraging young playwrights through the hands-on guidance of professional playwrights, composers and lyricists. Students take master classes with award-winning professionals, as well as have the unique opportunity to observe the step-by-step development process of new works in the professional division of the New Works Festival.

As a NEW NOISES STUDIO participant, students will develop their ideas and concepts through a series of dramatic theory exercises including characterization, dialogue, dramatic structure, and the business of writing. Special emphasis on the individual voice and vision of the playwright is encouraged. Each student will develop a one-act play of approximately 20-30 minutes in length. Previous writing experience in other genres (screen, prose, poetry) is welcome but not required.

Admission and Costs

New Noises Instructor Bio:

Henry Fonte is a playwright and director. His new play, EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, has had workshops at Florida Stage, the Coronet Theater in L.A. with Timothy Busfield and Sharon Gless, and in Manhattan, under his own direction, at Cap 21. It was later presented as a fully staged production at the Hartt School’s inaugural New Play Festival. CINDERELLA, THE TRUE STORY, his new musical (with Lee Ahlin and Victoria Halloway), was performed at American Stage, and has been recently published by Samuel French, Inc. His adaptations of four Chekhov’s farces, THE MARRIAGE PROPOSAL, THE BOAR, ON THE HARMFULNESS OF TOBACCO, and THE WEEDING, were presented in New York under the title of THE DOCTOR’S LIGHTER SIDE. The focus of his directing career has been on the development and presentation of new work. He has developed new plays and musicals in a variety of theatres, both regional and off-Broadway, as well as at many developmental institutions, such as The New Harmony Project; working with writers such as Eric Bentley, Larry Kramer, Don Nigro, Karen MacDonald, and many others. He is currently the Founding Director of New Play Development at The Hartt School (University of Hartford), where he is on faculty. This program is firmly committed to the development of new plays and musicals, and has produced over twenty new works for the American Theatre since it’s inception, seven years ago. Mr. Fonte has served on the New Works Panel of the National Alliance for Music Theatre. For the last three years, Mr. Fonte has directed at Dallas’ Out of the Loop Festival, hosted by WaterTower Theatre, where he recently staged the world premiere of Dave Johnson’s new play, BAPTIZED TO THE BONE. He has been a professional director for over twenty-five years; having directed over sixty Equity productions, working in theatres such as Indianapolis Starlight, where he directed Judy Kaye and Sally Mayes in KISS ME KATE and Roz Ryan in AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’; and Capital Rep, where he directed TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and Jean LeClrec in Stephen Deitz’s adaptation of DRACULA. Off Broadway, Mr. Fonte’s work has been seen at The Cherry Lane (among other theatres) where he staged the world premiere of INSIDE OUT with Ann Crumb, Jan Maxwell and Cass Morgan. Mr. Fonte is also a director of opera, most recently, the world premiere of Pulitzer Prize laureate Roger Reynolds’ JUSTICE, in 2002. This work was commissioned by the Library of Congress, and was performed in its Great Hall. At the Mannes Conservatory of Music in New York, he has directed Offenbach’s ORPHEUS IN THE UNDERWORLD and Charpentier’s rarely performed LA DECENDE D’ORPHEE AUX ENFER.