Playwrights Local

08/12/2025

Playwrights Local was the first and only company with the mission of supporting the dramatic writers of Northeast Ohio. Following our debut in 2015, we presented nearly 100 staged readings, 19 full productions, 7 festivals, and dozens of radio plays, workshops, and events. All told, we directly supported over 100 playwrights, along with many more indirectly through our free classes.

As an organization, Playwrights Local secured grants from 10 major funders and formal donations from over 125 documented supporters. We received national coverage from NPR, American Theatre, and The Dramatist, were featured in two major profiles in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, and won awards from local critics. We hosted outreach events, presented plays at schools and senior centers, partnered with nearly 25 other organizations, and received a special citation from the Cleveland Critics Circle.

Review our company history via the link below.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Isoz-gyCyKA9u972rNojeiCzj6-0w_Sg/view?usp=sharing

07/24/2022

Playwrights Local thanks BorderLight Festival for an amazing experience in 2022. We were so pleased to have presented Hey Siri - BorderLight Festival in this year's fest.

Thanks to Josy Jones and all the other BL staff we crossed paths with, most of whom only managed a first name as they raced from one duty to another.

Special appreciation to Dale Althea Heinen for her role in making this event happen. Staging an international theater festival during the late stages of a pandemic with all kinds of theater supply chain issues is no mean feat!

07/24/2022

Hey Siri - BorderLight Festival is a wrap! Thanks to everyone we worked with on this play!

PLAYWRIGHT
Mary E. Weems

DIRECTOR
Michael Oatman

CAST
Michelle Broome
Chelsea Anderson
Lynna Metrisin
Darryl Tatum

CREATIVE TEAM
Karen Cirino……Costume Designer
Maggie Hamilton……Sound Designer
Lexa B Walker……Lighting Designer
Paula S. Washington……Stage Manager
Lisa L. Wiley……Props Designer

INFO
http://www.playwrightslocal.org/hey-siri/

BorderLight Festival still has events today, Sun 7/24! Check out their schedule at https://www.dropbox.com/s/ftuvr6n4bf0iz8l/BL-ProgramGuideFull-r4-DL-updated.pdf?dl=0.

The photos of Lynna Metrisin as Elizabeth are taken by PL. Thanks to Grace McC Photography for all other images.

07/23/2022

Hey Siri - BorderLight Festival has its final show tonight, July 23 at 7pm. This new play is written by Mary E. Weems and directed by Michael Oatman, and features Michelle Broome, Chelsea Anderson, Lynna Metrisin, & Darryl Tatum.

"What happens when three isolated people turn to Siri, the voice of their iPhones, for something more than data? Hey Siri tests the value of this pervasive technology when these users start asking real questions."

Playwrights Local is pleased to present this play as part of the BorderLight Festival, and at the special venue of the Old Stone Church in downtown Cleveland.

Info: http://www.playwrightslocal.org/hey-siri/.

Tix: https://borderlightcle.vbotickets.com/event/Hey_Siri/74517.

Glad to finally have some pix of Lynna Metrisin as Elizabeth, taken by PL. Thanks to Grace McC Photography for all other images.

07/22/2022

Hey Siri - BorderLight Festival continues tonight and tomorrow night, July 22 and 23. This new play is written by Mary E. Weems and directed by Michael Oatman, and features Michelle Broome, Chelsea Anderson, Lynna Metrisin, & Darryl Tatum.

"What happens when three isolated people turn to Siri, the voice of their iPhones, for something more than data? Hey Siri tests the value of this pervasive technology when these users start asking real questions."

Playwrights Local is pleased to present Hey Siri as part of the BorderLight Festival, and at the special venue of the Old Stone Church in downtown Cleveland.

Info: http://www.playwrightslocal.org/hey-siri/.

Tix: https://borderlightcle.vbotickets.com/event/Hey_Siri/74517.

Thanks to Annie Nickoloff for this preview in cleveland.com! Check out Annie's coverage of BorderLight Festival and Hey Siri below!

https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2022/07/borderlight-sets-the-stage-for-five-days-of-theatre-and-fringe-performances-in-downtown-cleveland.html

BorderLight International Theatre + Fringe Festival will take place July 20-24 in downtown Cleveland.

07/21/2022

Hey Siri - BorderLight Festival opens tonight July 21! Runs through Saturday the 23rd with all shows in the evening. This new play is written by Mary E. Weems and directed by Michael Oatman, and features Michelle Broome, Chelsea Anderson, Lynna Metrisin, & Darryl Tatum.

"What happens when three isolated people turn to Siri, the voice of their iPhones, for something more than data? Hey Siri tests the value of this pervasive technology when these users start asking real questions."

Playwrights Local is pleased to present this play as part of the BorderLight Festival, and at the special venue of the Old Stone Church in downtown Cleveland.

Info: http://www.playwrightslocal.org/hey-siri/.

Tix: https://borderlightcle.vbotickets.com/event/Hey_Siri/74517.

Thanks to Grace McC Photography for the images.

Not pictured is Lynna Metrisin. However, Lynna is still very much part of this show!

07/21/2022

Hey Siri - BorderLight Festival opens tonight July 21, and runs through Saturday the 23rd. This new play is written by Mary E. Weems and directed by Michael Oatman, and features Michelle Broome, Chelsea Anderson, Lynna Metrisin, & Darryl Tatum.

"What happens when three isolated people turn to Siri, the voice of their iPhones, for something more than data? Hey Siri tests the value of this pervasive technology when these users start asking real questions."

Playwrights Local is pleased to present this play as part of the BorderLight Festival, and at the special venue of the Old Stone Church in downtown Cleveland.

Info: http://www.playwrightslocal.org/hey-siri/.

Tix: https://borderlightcle.vbotickets.com/event/Hey_Siri/74517.

Thanks to Mike Polk, Jr. and WKYC Channel 3 - Cleveland for the shout out on their "Spotlight" series.

https://www.wkyc.com/video/entertainment/mike-polk-jr-visits-borderlight-festival-in-cleveland/95-9b4bec8f-418b-49fd-8e91-d4d488ecca7c

The event features 140 performances on different stages across the city, with local and international acts.

07/20/2022

Hey Siri - BorderLight Festival is this weekend, with shows July 21, 22, and 23. This new play is written by Mary E. Weems and directed by Michael Oatman, and features Michelle Broome, Chelsea Anderson, Lynna Metrisin, & Darryl Tatum.

"What happens when three isolated people turn to Siri, the voice of their iPhones, for something more than data? Hey Siri tests the value of this pervasive technology when these users start asking real questions."

Playwrights Local is pleased to present Hey Siri as part of the BorderLight Festival, and at the special venue of the Old Stone Church in downtown Cleveland.

Info: http://www.playwrightslocal.org/hey-siri/.

Tix: https://borderlightcle.vbotickets.com/event/Hey_Siri/74517.

Thanks to Annie Nickoloff for this preview in Cleveland.com! Check out Annie's coverage of BorderLight Festival and Hey Siri below!

https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2022/07/borderlight-sets-the-stage-for-five-days-of-theatre-and-fringe-performances-in-downtown-cleveland.html

BorderLight International Theatre + Fringe Festival will take place July 20-24 in downtown Cleveland.

07/19/2022

Hey Siri - BorderLight Festival is this coming weekend, with shows July 21, 22, and 23. This new play is written by Mary E. Weems and directed by Michael Oatman, and features Michelle Broome, Chelsea Anderson, Lynna Metrisin, & Darryl Tatum.

"What happens when three isolated people turn to Siri, the voice of their iPhones, for something more than data? Hey Siri tests the value of this pervasive technology when these users start asking real questions."

Playwrights Local is pleased to present Hey Siri as part of the BorderLight Festival, and at the special venue of the Old Stone Church in downtown Cleveland.

Info: http://www.playwrightslocal.org/hey-siri/.

Tix: https://borderlightcle.vbotickets.com/event/Hey_Siri/74517.

Thanks to Grace McC Photography for the images.

Not pictured is Lynna Metrisin. However, Lynna is still very much part of this show!

07/18/2022

Hey Siri - BorderLight Festival is this coming weekend, with shows July 21, 22, and 23. This new play is written by Mary E. Weems and directed by Michael Oatman, and features Michelle Broome, Chelsea Anderson, Lynna Metrisin, & Darryl Tatum.

"What happens when three isolated people turn to Siri, the voice of their iPhones, for something more than data? Hey Siri tests the value of this pervasive technology when these users start asking real questions."

Playwrights Local is pleased to present Hey Siri as part of the BorderLight Festival, and at the special venue of the Old Stone Church in downtown Cleveland.

Info: http://www.playwrightslocal.org/hey-siri/.

Tix: https://borderlightcle.vbotickets.com/event/Hey_Siri/74517.