about us
mission
Playwrights’ Round Table develops original theatrical works year-round through monthly workshops, staged readings, and productions of select plays. These activities support the development and artistic growth of area playwrights and introduce local audiences to new voices of the American stage.
history
In 1997, PRT launched as a playwriting support group focused on growing and developing local writers. In its first year, PRT established a monthly playwriting workshop where actors read works from both established and emerging playwrights. Many of these plays went on to be produced by PRT and/or submitted nationally. In its existence, PRT has presented over 500 new plays by over 100 different playwrights, and remains the only theater in Central Florida producing new work year-round.
programs
Today, PRT produces three ten-minute play festivals and one full-length play every year, bringing emerging talent to the Central Florida region while also celebrating and developing our local playwrights. We also issue a fifth script call for five-minute plays produced in cooperation with Valencia Community College. Through these endeavors, we have built a reputation among playwrights as a theatrical organization willing to take the risks and accept the challenges of creating and presenting new works for the American stage. We also provide an opportunity for local actors, directors, and students to engage with new works in a welcoming, accessible setting. Special opportunities, such as the Black History Month showcase encourage underrepresented writers to submit their work for performance.
who we are
our board of directors
Chuck Dent, President
Chuck Dent is a native son of West Virginia who has enjoyed exploring the country while pursuing his passion for theater. He has worked throughout the Midwest and Southeast and seen many a mile in between. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting/Directing from Marshall U. (Go Herd!)
Calling Orlando home since 1994, he has been involved in several award-winning Orlando Fringe shows including Who Murdered Winthrop Carlson, Mystery and Shakespeare's Ghostbusters. He has been involved with PRT since 2000, and became President in 2008. He has had a number of his own plays produced, including "Love in Falling" and "Jésus Saves", and acted in and directed many of PRT's shows, including the award-winning Miss by William Newkirk.
Katherine Riley, Vice President
Kat is a former NYC-based actress. Since moving to Orlando in 2016, she has been an active member of PRT. You may have seen her performing at Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, Orlando Fringe and other Central Florida locations. She is also the resident Art Integration Specialist for UCP of Central Florida, where she is dedicated to making theatre accessible to children and young adults with disabilities.
Gary Norris, Treasurer
Gary started with PRT as an actor in a short play over 17 years ago. Since then he has appeared and directed a multitude of PRT shows and joined the board over 3 years ago. Retired for the last 20 years, he divides his time between trading stocks on the computer, sitting in front of the T.V. and exemplifying the art of being a layabout. He finds time to spread bliss, harmony and vitriol throughout Central Florida.
Susan White, Secretary
Susan was introduced to PRT as an actor reading plays in the Second Sundays Workshops in 2014. She is an actor and a medical simulation performer with Advent Health.
She loves science fiction, guinea pigs, RPGs, yoga and fashion. She could do without spam phone calls, mosquitos, bumper stickers and air potato vines.
Avis-Marie Barnes, Diversity
Avis-Marie Barnes is originally from Montclair, New Jersey, and is an alumnus of Howard University. For the past 28 years in Florida, she has directed her share of plays - about five of them with PRT. She also films and coaches actors through auditions in the Orlando area. As well, she builds and maintains small business and entertainment websites. On weekends, she works at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. Theatrical roles: Orlando Shakes 2015's 'The Best of Enemies', 'Oedipus', The Last Days of Judas Iscariot’ and 'A Raisin in the Sun’. Television roles include: 'Lodge 49' on AMC as recurring guest star Anita Jones, 'Oprah Winfrey's series 'Greenleaf', as recurring guest star Misty Williams on OWN, and has appeared as characters in the television shows 'Doom Patrol', 'Stranger Things', 'Atlanta','The Purge','The Quad' and 'Bloodline'. Film roles included the horror film 'Jeepers Creepers’,Netflix's 'The Dirt', 'Before I Wake', HBO's 'Confirmation', and 'Waves'.
Aaron Babcock, Technical Production
Aaron came to PRT via a cloak and dagger kidnapping and now suffers from Stockholm Syndrome. Nope. Actual former positions Aaron has held: Technical Entertainment Supervisor Universal Resort Orlando, President Board of Directors Theater Downtown, Technical Director Valencia College, Technical Director Theater Downtown, Technical Director/Building Infrastructure Bay Street Players, and Pyrotechnics/Special Effects Technician Universal Resort Orlando. Aaron truly enjoys helping PRT bring new works to the stage.
Jeremy Wood, Board Member
Jeremy has been involved in theater for over forty years, and has been directing and producing stage productions professionally for over twenty years. He is a founding member of Orlando's Howler's Theatre, and is a 10-year veteran of the Orlando-based Phantasmagoria troupe. His productions include "Jesus Caught The A Train", "A Behanding in Spokane", "Mr. Marmalade", "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot", and "Hunter Gatherers". He most recently starred in PRT's hit production of "Jigsaw" at the Orlando Fringe Festival. Jeremy fervently and passionately believes that theater is one of the most beautiful ways that human beings have found to express ideas to each other.
frequently asked questions
Where do you perform most works?
Most performances will take place at the Santos Dantin Studio Theater in the Orlando Shakespeare Center (812 E. Rollins Street, Orlando). However, due to remodeling, we will be performing shows at the ME Theater, Imagine Theater and other locations in 2024.
Where are the monthly second saturdays workshops hosted?
Playwrights' Round Table will be returning to live, in-person workshops in January 2023!
PRT will host its monthly playreading workshop series at the Renaissance Theater, located at 415 E. Princeton St. Orlando