How did I not know about this before now? Elevator plays? Like, plays, in an actual elevator? Wicked cool I say, wicked cool.

After sold-out and nearly sold-out runs in its first two years, Louisville’s favorite festival of “very short plays for very small spaces” returns for its third straight year with all new plays, taking audiences to places they had never imagined possible in an elevator…til now.  The historic Hertz Starks Building, at 4th and Muhammad Ali in downtown Louisville, will once again host Specific Gravity Ensemble’s signature event this year entitled Elevator Plays3  January 30 through February 22, 2009.   This year SGE is venturing out of the traditional elevator “cube” into a whole new territory. 

18 plays were selected from 108 submissions, from playwrights scattered all over North American and the United Kingdom.  Artistic Director Rand Harmon summarizes the Elevator Plays3 line-up as “Great fun.  Mostly humorous and hysterical, but with a few lovely thought-provoking pieces to keep the philosophical edge that Elevator Plays audiences have loved in past EPs.”  Of these, 12 plays were written by female playwrights, and of the 11 playwrights involved, 6 are returning playwrights, having had one or more selections in previous years.  A particular triumvirate of multi-talented women, all very active members of the Specific Gravity company, Christie Baugher, Barb Harmon and Carolyn Biggs, penned an astounding 10 of the 18 plays.

Elevator Plays3 runs January 30 – February 22 in the Hertz Starks Building at 4th and Muhammad Ali.   Performances run Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays at 8 pm and Sundays at 5pm.  Tickets are $15 ($12 w student I.D.)  Mondays Jan. 9 & 16 are “Pay what you wish” ($8-$20 suggested.)  Please email SGETix@gmail.com or call (502) 384 2743 (2SGE) to make reservations.  Cash, check, MasterCard/VISA are accepted.  For more information: www.specificgravityensemble.com

Tickets are on sale now.  Patrons are encouraged to purchase tickets to Elevator Plays3 early, since this event has a history of sold out performances. 

Elevator Plays3 contains adult situations and adult language and may not be appropriate for children.