The three-day event, hosted by Lee’s Department of English and Modern Foreign Languages, will begin Tuesday with Dr. Lisa Neely and Amber Wood, who will speak about the collaborative process to the introduction to playwriting class from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.
On Thursday nonfiction writer, Rachel Held Evans, will speak to the capstone class about faith in the writing process (classroom TBA) from 2:35 to 3:50 p.m.
Evans, of Dayton, is an award-winning author and popular blogger. In October, Evans finished a yearlong experiment in “biblical womanhood” in which she attempted to follow all of the Bible’s instructions for women as literally as possible. That experiment will be documented in a book published by Thomas Nelson in 2012.
In addition to her writing, Evans has kept a busy speaking schedule across the country. Evans lectured at The Festival of Faith and Writing at Calvin College, Baylor University, Abilene Christian University Summit, Gordon College, Eastern Nazarene College, Hope International University, Big Tent Christianity, and The Southern Festival of Books.
Also Thursday, Evans will present from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Edna Minor Conn Theatre, or EMC, located in Room 305 of the Vest Building, on the corner of Church and 11th streets. This will be followed by a brief reception in the lobby, 8:30 to 9 p.m.
Friday at 4 p.m., associate professor Dr. Kevin Brown will read selections of his poetry in the EMC.
Brown said, “I’m excited to be part of the festival this year, to share in the excitement that a group of writers can generate when sharing their work over a compressed period of time.”
He continued, “We’re thrilled to represent three different genres this year: playwriting, creative nonfiction, and poetry. We want to show our students and our community the breadth of writing that writers in our area are doing. We hope to inspire them to explore different types of literature, both as readers and writers.”
Brown is an associate professor at Lee University and an MFA student at Murray State University. He has one book of poetry, “Exit Lines” (Plain View Press, 2009), one published chapbook, “Abecedarium” (Finishing Line Press, 2011), and another forthcoming chapbook, “Holy Days: Poems” (winner of Split Oak Press Chapbook Contest, 2011). He also has a forthcoming memoir, “Another Way: Finding Faith, Then Finding It Again” (Wipf and Stock, 2012), and a forthcoming book of scholarship, “They Love to Tell the Stories: Five Contemporary Novelists Take on the Gospels.”
Friday evening at 7 , playwright Stacey Isom will present a staged reading of her new play, “Dough & Cookies,” with guests Dr. Lisa Neely, Amber Wood, Kim Jackson and Phil Haynie.
Isom is an assistant professor of creative writing at Lee University. She received a master of fine arts in script and screenwriting from Regent University and in creative writing from Old Dominion University.
Isom anticipates another successful year, stating, “I hope we have around 100 people for each event. We want to fill up the spaces for the writers and artists who are coming to Lee to share with us. I think those that will attend will come away inspired, and our writing majors will learn that they can do this writing life, too.”
Isom’s plays include “Letters to John Lennon,” “Touching Aurora,” “Smokin’ Devils,” “California Dreamin’,” “On the 8’s,” and “Dough & Cookies.”
Isom has been honored by the Barter Theatre, the Pittsburgh New Works Festival, and Plays for the 21st Century at the Playwright’s Theatre, First Stage LA, Third Course: Theatre, and others. Isom has also been awarded fellowships at the Hambidge Center, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation of New Mexico. Most recently, her play, “On the 8’s,” was a semi-finalist at The O’Neill Center.
Dr. Lisa Neely, of Austin, Texas, is involved in theatre as a director, actor, teacher, and researcher. Neely was awarded best director by Portfolio magazine of Hampton Roads, Va., for her production of Medea. Among her most memorable theatrical experiences was time invested as artistic director of Red Clay Theatre in Cleveland. Neely’s scholarly focus is in theatre of hospitality as espoused by Eric Ehn. She teaches and directs at Concordia University Austin, Texas, continuing an initiative in theatrical hospitality.
Actor Amber Wood performed in many of Isom’s previous plays as well as award-winning short films “And One for the Organizer” (Adam Brown) and “Keeping Up With the Joneses” (Chris Hansen).
Rehearsals for the staged reading are open to students, and will be held Monday through Friday, 5 to 10 p.m., at Dixon Center. Please email to confirm at sisom@leeuniversity.edu.
The event is free and open to the public.
