ICWP Women Playwrights Podcast: Centre Stage Podcast #8

Centre Stage Podcast #8 - With LaurA! Force Scruggs

Jul 3, 2021

My name is LaurA! Force Scruggs and I am a published, produced and commissioned playwright.

I am a Playwright in Residency at Three Cat Productions in Chicago, where I am writing a play about Jane Addams (and the impact of childhood upon her career and her work with children at Chicago's Hull House), which will tentatively be produced in 2022/23 (postponed due to COVID-19).

My play, "Punk Grandpa" (all about being yourself and the value of the grandparent/grandchild relationship) was formerly published by Chicago Dramaworks (before it shut down) and is now published/licensed by PlayScripts Online (https://playscripts.online/shop/punk-grandpa). It was originally performed as a one person show and has now also been performed with multiple characters. It’s been presented throughout Chicagoland as well as in New York City (at FRIGID NYC and Planet Connections Theatre Festivity).

My short play, "Bossy," (about teaching theatre despite the red tape of working at a big city government-run park system and a complicated relationship with a uniquely loving grandma) is in the process of being published and licensed by Stage-Write Plays, a new company out of Australia.

My play, "Heart of Fairy" (explores concepts of womanhood and motherhood through the unique lens of a fairy, challenging audiences to think outside the normal ideals of gender and identity) was produced as part of Three Cat's season in Chicago in 2019 and is published by Smith Scripts out of the UK (https://www.smithscripts.co.uk/product/heart-of-fairy-by-laura-force-scruggs/).

I have my B.S. in Elementary Education, with a Jr. High/Middle School Theatre endorsement and M.A. in Communication, Media and Theatre.

I taught theatre for about ten years (ages 18 months - senior citizens) in a variety of environments, from the Chicago Park District to a public middle school to a private high school and a Jewish community center. I was a Golden Apple semi-finalist in 2008, as a middle school theatre teacher in the inner city of Bellwood, Illinois.

I have been granted a writing residency with Write On, Door County for October 3rd - 10th, 2021.

I am also a member of The Dramatists' Guild, Playwrights' Center, New Play Exchange and International Centre for Women Playwrights.

Upcoming Works:

Punk Grandpa production at DavJasFran Entertainment/Dreamer's YOLO this Fall in Chicago

All of Jane's Children - Real and Imagined, working title - my play about Jane Addams' work with children and the impact of childhood upon us - will be produced with Three Cat Productions in Chicago, tentatively in 2022/23 - as part of my Playwright Residency at Three Cat

Website URL: https://https://lauraforcescruggs.com

Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/laura.scruggs.7/

Twitter

LaurA! SCRUGGS!

@LaLeezyScreezy

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/unclefunyouretheonedocumentary/

NPX Listing

https://newplayexchange.org/users/40322/laura-scruggs

Web page where works can be purchased.

https://www.smithscripts.co.uk/product/heart-of-fairy-by-laura-force-scruggs/