On the Boards New Play Fest: “Jane Austen Ruptured My Spleen” + “Glaucman’s Syndrome”

LAVA’s third annual festival of new plays by (mostly) local playwrights will include new and developmental works by ten Massachusetts-based playwrights and five LAVA friends from further afield. Get a glimpse into the process of making theater, in this festival of readings of new works in several stages of development.

“Jane Austen Ruptured My Spleen”
written by James Anthony Merolla
directed by Jill Franks
performed Liza Manchester and Jayse Matrishon

A single modern woman, a former romantic, has been permanently soured, cynically ruined, by the frilly depths, the impossibly romantic notions, breathless whispers, and, ultimately, the empty promises of true love spilled into and out of her sensitive heart via Jane Austen novels she has read 100 times.

“Glaucman’s Syndrome”
written by Sam Rahman
directed by Glenda Cresto
performed by Harold Burnett, Jill Franks, Katie Hertel, Simon Huynh, Will Quale, and Nicole Winot

Married couple and doctors, Jolie and Scott plan to spend a weekend with Jolie’s brother Trevor, sister-in-law Stephanie, and mother Sally. The political moment gets in the way.