Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative (CPI) announces its new slate of officers: 

President:  Alan Jozwiak has been a member of CPI for ten years, and served as its Treasurer.  His plays have been produced in the Cincinnati and Indianapolis Fringe Festivals, as well as Madlab Theatre and Sundog Theatre in NYC.  He recently was awarded a City of Cincinnati Individual Artist Grant to write/produce a play on cutting and self-injury.

Vice President:  Pauline Smolin is a founding member and past President of CPI, has written comedies, dramas and history plays which have been produced in NYC, Taos, NM and of course in Cincinnati. 

Treasurer John Howland writes poetry and children's books; Secretary Sandi Kivkovich writes poetry and children's books.

CPI and Cincinnati Arts Association ends the 2007-08 New Voices Series of staged readings at 7:30 p.m. June 17 with musical “Teachers Left Behind,” performed earlier this year in Fairfield and Hamilton.

 

Book, music and lyrics are by Bridget Ossmann of Fairfield (“home of the award winning Fairfield High School Drama Department. Fairfield High School was one of four high schools in the nation asked to premiere "Phantom of the Opera"!”)

 

Ossmann writes her first play on the topic of the state of education in the U.S. -- "You might as well laugh about it!" “Teachers” deals with state testing, No Child Left Behind, funding, curriculum, parents, administrators, and of course, students, through the eyes of an aging, meddlesome, retired teacher. 

It all started 15 years ago, says Ossmann. “I performed at a roast for a retiring administrator.  I read a poem about him and his educational experiences. The poem went over so well, I was asked repeatedly to do other events. So I did. I began collecting stories from fellow educators and even had parties at my home where the discussions centered on happenings in others' classrooms.  I would perform stand-up routines with these poems at various functions.  Again, they were all very well received.

“I decided to take a play writing class at the Fairfield Community Arts Center initially thinking I would perfect my stand- up.  Pat Davis, the instructor and Fairfield High School retired teacher and director, encouraged me to put the stories in the mouths of characters.  But it was my daughter who pushed me over the edge when she said, "Write about the things you know best, teaching and being old!"   And with that “Teachers Left Behind” was hatched.

“This play is my love note to teachers.  Although the play is fictional, the story is built on the actual experiences of teachers.  As I listened to their stories over the last 15 years, I felt a renewed love for the dedication of these wonderful human beings who choose teaching as a profession. 

Ossmann says she can’t wait to write more and has already started on a new play, “Ramps,” inspired by a wheel chair bound actor. “I also plan to write a sequel to Teachers Left Behind because I have had so many Virginia Budge fans who want to know what the next chapter is.”