Cassandra Lewis

This postcard was created by artist Lindsay Moore. Please note Dustin Charles replaced John Dalmon and Sean Boat was the set designer.

I want to thank all of my friends and family for making last weekend the best time of my life. My play, Marked, a dark comedy that explores the connection between love, insanity, and social responsibility, made its world premiere at The American Theatre of Actors in the Chernuchin Theatre, a 140-seater in midtown Manhattan, on Saturday, February 16th.

It was an honor to participate in the Strawberry One-Act Festival. The festival is a competition where the audience votes for the best play and the plays with the most votes receive additional performances. Thanks to my brilliant actors and director, Marked made it to the finals!

Marked was one of the final six and received four performances. While we just learned that the play was not chosen to perform at the Award Ceremony today and will not be awarded the grand prize, I am ecstatic that we made it this far and I am very proud that Vanessa has been nominated for Best Director and Suzan has been nominated for Best Actress.

I am eternally grateful to my remarkably talented actors, Suzan and Dustin, and to Vanessa, for her impeccable instincts and creative guidance. I have never experienced such elation as I felt while witnessing their work. They truly brought the play to life in ways I never imagined possible.

On top of this excitement I got to see my wonderful family and friends and revel in the nostalgic bliss of being back in New York.

My play, American Family was produced as part of Sheherezade, a ten-minute play festival presented by Playwrights’ Center of San Francisco.

Over eight years, Playwrights’ Center of San Francisco has staged an annual festival, Sheherezade, named after the Arabian Nights storyteller who stalled her execution by telling 1,001 stories to her new husband, who had the habit of murdering his wives after the honeymoon.

Sheherezade VIII was performed at The EXIT Theatre in San Francisco on February 7,8,9. It was directed by Erin Blackwell and Soumyaa Kapil. I was amazed by the remarkable caliber of actors, not to mention the originality and high quality of the other plays.

I have had the honor of having my work presented in this festival for three consecutive years. With the theme year in review, the plays are always very imaginative and different.

In my play, American Family, public school teacher Ouida People shows up at the home of Mr. Senate and Mrs. House to confront the negligent parents about their troubled sons, and after attempting to reason with the family she decides to conduct a citizen’s arrest during which George is dragged off stage.

Thank you to Drew, my friends, and family for all of your support and to Playwrights’ Center of San Francisco for this wonderful opportunity.