About Sandy Asher and Jesse and Grace and much more

He everyone,

My old friend and colleague, SANDY ASHER, was featured the other day by Dramatic Publishing in their Author Spotlight and I don’t want to rush by that honor too quickly. It has meaning because it’s based on a lifetime of outstanding work. Here’s a link about the spotlight: Here’s a link to see the announcement. https://mailchi.mp/dpcplays.com/sandra_asher?e=9a4b9c5da And here’s a sample of her recognitions listed in the opening lines of her honor.

Sandra Fenichel Asher's plays have been produced nationally and abroad. A Woman Called Truth, In the Garden of the Selfish Giant and Jesse and Grace: A Best Friends Story have all been honored with the AATE Distinguished Play Award. Across the Plains was selected for the Kennedy Center's New Visions/New Voices Symposium. Walking Toward America and Mariposa/Butterfly were chosen for development at New York University's New Plays for Young Audiences workshop and symposium at the Provincetown Playhouse.

AATE stands for American Alliance for Theater and Education and I’m always proud to know that one of Sandy’s three AATE Distinguished Play Awards was for JESSE AND GRACE, based on the verse novel that she and I wrote together. We have yet to find a home for it with a book publisher but given the story’s success as a play, we know it’s a matter of time before we find the write book editor.

Congratulations, Sandy. Proud to know you, Sent with love and admiration

Playing around

Hi everyone,

I received my royalty statement from Dramatic Publishing the other day. I have two entries in their catalog, both thanks to my multi-talented friend SANDY ASHER. In 2004, she wrote SOMEBODY CATCH MY HOMEWORK, a play inspired by various poems from my work, both published and un-. A few years later she and I teamed to write a long story in free verse, JESSE AND GRACE, A BEST FRIENDS STORY, also published by Dramatic.

JESSE AND GRACE has done well and Sandy won two coveted awards for it — AATE Distinguished Play Award and The Charlotte B. Chorpenning Playwright Award. It wasn’t produced during the past six reporting months but SOMEBODY CATCH MY HOMEWORK was. I was pleased to see in this new statement that it has recently appeared in Missoula Children’s Theatre (Missoula, Montana), Oak Farm Montessori School (Avilla, Indiana), and Saint Thomas More High School (Milwaukee, Wisconsin).

Think of a story about a new girl in a 4th grade class that has a lot going on. It’s sort of like a musical (really does have music) but when kids stop to perform, my poems come out of their mouths instead of songs. Is that cool? I think so!

Winding down the week

Hi everyone,

The week has been busy and pleasant. Made good progress on the manuscripts I’m tweaking. Had an excellent meeting yesterday with my editor for one of them. May have found a publisher for my autobiography, which I’ve nearly finished writing.

Yesterday, Dramatic Publishing sent out an eblast featuring some selected plays. I’m delighted to see JESSE AND GRACE, A BEST FRIENDS STORY, is one of them. SANDY ASHER wrote the play based on the story in verse that she and I wrote some time ago. We haven’t found a book publisher yet but the play has been honored with the AATE Distinguished Play Award and The Charlotte B. Chorpenning Playwright Award. Here’s a link: https://www.dramaticpublishing.com/jesse-and-grace-a-best-friends-story?utm_source=DPC+Featured+Titles&utm_campaign=4d1cdb2918-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_05_07_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_fd61998ed8-4d1cdb2918-241983649

If nothing happens, I expect to finish the last of the revisions by the end of next week. By then I hope to see some sketches from an old friend and widely known artist with whom I may collaborate on a new, speculative book.

New production of SOMEBODY CATCH MY HOMEWORK

Hi everyone,

SANDY ASHER sent word that a new production of SOMEBODY CATCH MY HOMEWORK is coming up in Indiana. Details to follow. Of the many projects that Sandy and I have tackled together over the years, this play has been the most enduring. Our other play together is JESSE AND GRACE, A BEST FRIENDS STORY.

Somebody Catch My Homework

By Sandra Fenichel Asher. Inspired by the poetry of David L. Harrison. Optional incidental music by Ric Averill.

• One-act Play
• Comedy
• Cast size: 2m., 2w., 1 either gender. Expandable to 13 roles, plus extras as desired.
• Livestream and Record & Stream Rights Available
• Awards: The Charlotte B. Chorpenning Playwright Award

Synopsis

A light-hearted, high-energy look at one eventful day in the life of fourth-grader Samantha, the new girl in town, who has lost her beloved cat, Corky. At the bus stop, Samantha meets three wacky new friends who welcome her into their class, which just happens to be studying the animal kingdom. Their search for essay topics takes them from a dinner table’s chicken thighs to the pasture of a bull not pleased to see visitors. A wayward wad of bubble gum, tuba practice and a sticky baby sister later, the busy day finally peaks with the rescue of Corky. Nineteen humorous—and sometimes serious—poems by David L. Harrison are woven into the script as dialogue. Instead of bursting into song, the characters break out into poetry! Incidental music composed especially for this play is available. Highly tourable by five actors. Somebody Catch My Homework also offers creative opportunities for a larger cast and/or audience participation.

Good news about Jesse and Grace

Hi everyone,

Yesterday Sandy Asher learned from Marjorie Bicknell,
Philadelphia Regional Rep for the Dramatists Guild of America, that we’ve been accepted to present a reading of Jesse and Grace, A Best Friends Story, (adapted for ZOOM reading
or radio by two actors of any age) as part of a project called Footlights Readings. A total of eleven readings will be presented between February and July. Ours will lead off the schedule on February 9. All readings will be on Zoom. They are free and open to the public. More details as we get them. We have a director and have rehearsed twice during the process of honing the manuscript down to meet time requirements. There’s more work ahead but it’s all good and I look forward to the event.