My First NNPN Showcase NYC
April 24, 2024 | By Sofia Lugo
Hey there, fellow theater enthusiasts!
It’s me again- Sofia✨
And, guess what?!
I recently had the opportunity to experience an unforgettable adventure at the National New Play Network (NNPN) Showcase + celebrating the ✨25th anniversary✨ of NNPN in none other than:
🎶New York! Concrete jungle where dreams are made of, there’s nothing you can’t do- Let’s hear it for New York!🎶
What an incredible journey of firsts! Going to Queens Theatre for the Showcase as a PIR reppin’ Studio Luna (what, what!!) Flying from my sunny barrio in East Los Angeles to the Big Apple was a big deal for me- like…LITERALLY!
Okay, to start off…
I am not a fan of flying🛩️. Like, at all.
I am absolutely TERRIFIED of heights and being high off the ground just sets my alarms all the way off!🚨
Breathe.
Though my anxiety was through the roof, I put on my big girl choonies, got the bendiciones from my family and buckled up for the adventure!😪
Yeah... To sum up my roundtrip flights- and to give a bit of grace to those who also get anxious before flights- remember to take care of yourself. Breathe. Take it slow. Take a calm gummy- Olly helped me so much!! For the flower lovers- cbd’s are chef’s kiss. Use the bathroom before boarding. Call up your loved ones. EAT SOMETHING. And big girls can in fact cry!
Above all: I freakin’ did it!! I am proud of taking that leap!
Touching down in La Guardia Airport, I was hit with that famous New York ✨chill✨ – quite the change from sunny California! After navigating through crazy New York traffic, I finally made it to the hotel. First night there, I cried, I’m not going to sugar coat it, I missed my bed and my emotional support animals. It was so relieving to cry; it helped me sleep like a baby after!
The next morning I woke up super early. It was Showcase day!!
My View from the ✨7th✨ Floor of the Hotel.
Every Theatre professional met in Queens Theatre and we kicked off with the schedule for the rest of the weekend, an orientation and pitch session on day 1, setting the stage for what was to come and must read plays!
We were treated to excerpts from groundbreaking plays like 'The Invisible Hand of God Touched Me in a Bad Place' by David Davila, 'Homeridae' by AZ Espinoza, and 'Close to Home' by Sharifa Yasmin. And like..these were some really cool plays by super talented playwrights! There was so much diversity and creativity!
Each performance left me in awe of the sheer creativity and depth of storytelling. Each was a journey of its own, exploring themes of identity, belonging, and resilience. Such a beautiful experience to witness! Each performance was a testament to the power of storytelling and left a lasting impression on me (I just love theatre!!)
Oh and the best-est part of this day? ✨The Food✨! Day 1 introduced the cultural diversity of cuisine in New York and oh my was it all delicious! There was Mexican food, there was Argentinian food and Caribbean food! The taqueros hooked me up with the tacos- oh yeah! Doubled the meat and hid extra tortillas at the bottom with a head nod while handing me my platito! Delicious and so different from the tacos from East LA- instead of the usual small chopped carne or pastor- these were larger chunks of carne!
Going onto the Argentinian vendors I was presented with a yummy chorizo patty sandwich called a choripan- it was mouthwatering. The creamy chimichurri sauce enhanced the overall flavor of the choripan- it was a nice earthy kick! Because I was so lost in my own world enjoying these two plates- I unfortunately missed my opportunity to try the carribean cuisine!
Day 1 ended with connected laughter as Alex Meda, Maya Malan-Gonzalez, Dañel Malan, Lesli Ishii and I were in a faancy(Tesla, and first time in one) Uber X vehicle lost in the middle of a park in Queens- PITCHED BLACK BY THE WAY- and we all were slowly accepting the fact that we were probably not going to make it back to our hotels! We were so tired and cracking jokes- our driver joined in our humor- and we all collectively guided our way out of this ✨unusually big ass park✨! I mean I felt like it was a 30 minute run around when our hotel was literally 10 minutes away! But at last we made it!
Day 2 of Showcase also left a lasting impression!
It was a Whopping 14 hour day and honestly it happened so fast majority of the day was a blur.
Day started off with breakfast- I had a muffin and orange juice. I then met up with my fellow PIR cohort as we were getting ready to start our day in a beautiful discussion! ‘New Perspectives on New Play Producing’ Featuring ✨Us✨ A very heartfelt discussion I would say! You had to have been there to experience the energy in the room. Overall, we discussed the future of theatre from sustainability, artist and producer care, human centered processes, and dreams toward a new model in theatre.
Our official Cohort Photo!!
I just want to say how proud I am to be surrounded by intelligent and passionate individuals! I am utterly grateful to be a part of this years cohort!
After the discussion, I decided to take a break and have a bit of me time and explored Queens Museum and the surrounding park.
It was so beautiful outside! I found moments of solace in exploring for a bit! Being surrounded by nature grounded me and seeing the little animals do their thing was so entertaining to me!
I came back to the theatre for lunch and to bond some more with my cohort. I would say the highlight wasn't just about the plays – it was in between the showcase- the connections forged and the conversations that ✨sparked✨ throughout the entire showcase weekend.
Connecting with fellow theatre professionals we delved into discussions about the future of theater, from sustainability, to our passions and dreams and everything in between. It was a time of warmth, emotional sparks, and excitement – a true testament to the power of ✨community✨.
It was amazing.
It was healing.
By the end of it all, I was drained. And I am Super grateful for this experience.
As the showcase came to a close, I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude. It was so much more than just a professional event – it was a journey of connection and growth.
All in all, it was a weekend filled with laughter, learning, and a whole lot of theater magic.
So yeah, if you are ever curious about NNPN Showcase- go check it out! You never know what adventures await.
