ETC Continues Excellence with 2023 Playwriting Competition Winner "Both Hands"
The Jackie Demaline Regional Collegiate Playwriting Competition spotlights local young talent
This afternoon, Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati hosted a public reading of “Both Hands,” the winner of this year’s Jackie Demaline Regional Collegiate Playwriting Competition. Joyce Evelyn Deaton, a graduate of NKU, has crafted a two-hander set entirely in a vehicle. She manages to explore themes of love, sexuality, faith, and identity in this 70-minute one-act play. Using curated music as the backdrop, “Both Hands” is the story of two young women who rekindle a childhood friendship and discover as much about themselves as they do each other. It’s a solid first outing from this young playwright.
The reading featured actresses Rachel Kazee and Emmy Rice, both proficient and talented, as the two characters while the multi-talented Jared D. Doren (Programming and Events Manager) read the stage directions. The reading was directed by Lori Hiltenbeitel, who helped shape the piece and kept the pace moving.
I’m a big fan of these types of events; Doren promised more like it. Sign me up! There was a large audience present for the reading, and a diverse one at that. The supportive nature of the crowd made the energy pop in the room and the talent on display justified the excitement.
‘Twas a lovely afternoon of theatre.
Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati opens their season with “What the Constitution Means to Me” by Heidi Schreck in September. More information about that show and the entire season can be found here.