2015 Essential Playwriting Contest Winner downloadable press kit

Essential Theatre is proud to announce the winner of the 2015 Essential Theatre Playwriting Contest: Joshua Mikel’s Lillian Likes It. The winning play will receive both a full production in the 2015 Essential Theatre Festival and a cash prize. Now in its fifteenth year, the Essential Theatre Playwriting Contest is the only contest exclusively dedicated to the work of Georgia playwrights.

Says Essential’s Artistic Director, Peter Hardy, “We liked Lillian Likes it because it’s a funny, theatrical look at the world of internet dating, but also because it goes deeper, taking off in unexpected directions and dealing with such timeless issues as the mystery of how we can ever get to truly know another person.”

Mikel is an actor, playwright, and music video director from Conyers, GA and a graduate of Florida State University’s Theatre and Creative Writing programs. A six time published playwright, Josh is known primarily for his theatre for young audience works “Good Good Trouble on Bad Bad Island” and “The Monster Hunters.” Mikel’s play My Brother’s Knife was given a Bare Essentials reading in 2011.

When asked for his thoughts on having his play produced this summer, Mikel responded, “Getting a piece through Essential has become sort of a rite of passage for the Georgia playwright I think…I’m equal parts anxious and excited. It’s a great opportunity, but I know there’s a lot of work to be done between now and then…I’m hyper excited to see this performed with seasoned actors. It’s going to be fun. I’m thrilled!”

Details on this summer’s Essential Theatre Festival will be released soon. For more information on the Playwriting Contest or to submit your play, visit EssentialTheatre.com/Playwriting-Competition.