The cast of ENID’S MILL at our recent designer run. Photo: Ben Bagley
Hi! I recently gave leslie pasternack.com a refresh and lost a couple of blog posts in the process. So I’m here to share some news of my current directing projects, and toss in a few pictures of my recent mischief!
As I write, I’m in the thick of directing ENID’S MILL, by Martha Douglas-Osmundson, at The Players’ Ring, and it runs March 6 -22. I have worked with Martha as a dramaturg on this play on and off since 2020, so it’s a dream come true for both of us to stage the world premiere of it at the Ring! This is a warmly funny play set in 1979 in upstage New York during a blizzard, and it depicts a family pulling itself together after tragedy, while unearthing secrets and renewing broken ties. Come for the disco and the Easy Bake Oven, but stay for the lovely, detailed character portraits created by my amazing cast.
Then, in June, I’m helming MORNING SUN for theatre KAPOW. This three-actor play by Simon Stephens tells the story of one woman’s life, with two actors playing her mother and daughter, who also transform into a myriad of diverse characters of both genders. I’m thrilled to be directing for KAPOW, as I have admired them for years, participated in their training, and acted for them in last year’s ROMEO & JULIET. We’ll be presenting one weekend at the Bank of NH Stage in Concord, and one weekend at New Hampshire Theatre Project in Portsmouth. Stay tuned for updates when we get closer!
Meanwhile, I’ve been promoted to Director of the Ring-Works New Play Lab at the Players’ Ring, so we are in the midst of planning next season! Through the New Play Lab, I mentor two playwrights whose scripts have enormous potential but could benefit from development. We do two rounds of one-on-one revisions; I host a Zoom discussion with the Ring Readers club, who read the script and provide more feedback to the playwright; and then all this discussion feeds into a staged reading, which I direct. This will be my third season mentoring for this program, and now I am handling the administrative aspects as well. My role also includes facilitating talk-backs for the main stage shows, which we generally present after the first Sunday matinée of every production. I’m having a blast, and I’m deeply grateful to have found a niche where I can contribute to such a great theatre as the Ring.
Interestingly, I also performed for the Ring in two main stage shows last season. Both times, I played multiple characters . . . and both times, one of those characters was a dog. Silly, yes. But what a joy.
I hope to see you at the theatres this spring!
Below, Leslie as Homo the Wolf-Dog in THE MAN WHO LAUGHS, Players’ Ring, photo: Ben Bagley
The cast of the Ring-Works staged reading of Will Saxe’s BEAST OF EDEN, directed by Leslie.
