Formerly musicals-only licensor Theatrical Rights Worldwide has launched a plays division: TRWPlays. Their debut slate includes Zombie: The American, Barbecue, Antebellum, and Mankind by Robert O'Hara; America's Sexiest Couple and On the Farce Day of Christmas by Ken Levine; and Yes, Virginia and Right Before I Go by Stan Zimmerman.
The new division will be headed by Executive Director Lysna Marzani, a move from her former role as TRW's director of professional and international licensing.
"It’s not a question of whether theatre will come back, but what it will look like when it does," says Marzani. "Without delay and in an unprecedented fashion, TRW will ally with communities of all kinds, in an ongoing celebration of our country’s wealth of perspectives and cultural diversity, in ways only live performance can. This exciting new role is an opportunity to leverage decades of experience to reset some buttons and install systems that values inclusivity."
"Having fielded years of requests from writers, agents, schools, [and] community and professional theatre groups regarding play properties, I always envisioned starting a play licensing division," says TRW Owner and CEO Steve Spiegel. "TRWPlays houses plays featuring riveting, timely subjects from culturally diverse writers. I’m elated to appoint TRW's Lysna Marzani to the role of executive director of TRW Plays. Lysna has lived the world of theatre throughout her career and is an authority on stage play licensing. One of the most highly respected executives in the industry, Lysna possesses an incredible reservoir of relationships, knowledge and experience that immediately has TRW Plays handling exciting, meaningful, and inspiring titles."
Also joining the inagural TRWPlays catalog are A Beautiful Day on the Banks of the Greatest of Great Lakes by Kate Benson, Distance Learning by Carey Crim, Teen Dad by Adrienne Dawes, How to Steal a Picasso by William Missouri Downs, The Binding by Tyler Dwiggins, Jacked! by Idris Goodwin, Material Girls, Promapocalypse, and Vampire Valedictorian by Michael Griffo; Julio Ain't Goin' Down Like That by C. Julian Jiménez, Sagittarius Ponderosa and Sensisitve Guys by MJ Kaufman, College Colors by Stacie Lents, Blessings From the Pandemic by Rich Orloff, Thrice Upon a Midnight Clear: A Triptych of Three-Actor Trysts by David Overton, Howards End by Douglas Post, #Hashtag and The Acts of Life by Jonathan Rand, Red Bik by Caridad Svich, Mrs. Harrison by R. Eric Thomas, 8 Minutes, 20 Seconds by John Yearley; ad The Brightest Thing or the Squonk Play, and A Dark Sky Full of Stars by Don Zolidis.
More titles are currently in preparation for release.
