The MAC is proud to announce that the year-long MAC Theater Playwrights Incubator (MTPI) will conclude with a performance of the Attorney-in-Fact, a new play by Philip Ardell. The play was honed over the course of the 2025-2026 season with the playwright and two mentors – Harvey Ussach & Tony Ferreira.
Mr. Ardell’s play was selected from over 60 submissions and resonated with the mentors. Both mentors have extensive experience in theater. Mr. Ussach has experience as an adjunct professor in both writing and public speaking, as well as publishing and producing his own plays. He notes “Working with Tony Ferreira on Philip Ardell’s script was rewarding. Words have more effect, characters become more real and dimensional, and stage action works better.”
Mr. Ferreira is an actor, director, stage manager and dramaturg. When asked about his experience in mentoring and then directing this play he said “I learned that a good play could become a great play by developing a positive and constructive relationship with the playwright. I also discovered how fluid a play can be, where even a little tweak could make an entire scene’s perspective change. I also gained a much better appreciation for playwriting and the difference between a great play and a mediocre play.”
After a playwright is selected for the incubator program, the playwright works with two mentors over the course of 6-9 months to workshop the script. A staged industry reading is then planned, where theater professionals attend and give constructive feedback. Mr Ardell notes “The industry reading comments [during the] talk-back made me think of ways of strengthening the internal logic of the play, by making sure that actions were not only plausible within the laws of New York City but also within the psychological makeups of the characters. I also realized from the reading and comments that I’d missed opportunities for improving the characterizations, and I set about revising the play again – I think for the better.”
Jodi Stevens, the Executive Director of the MAC says “This is the fourth year the MAC has staged a production through the MTPI program, and the quality of the work is exceptional. It’s exciting to see how each team – playwright and mentors – participate in this process. It’s also a great chance to bring fresh ideas and a unique theater experience to the community. Audience members learn about the process of creating a play and have the chance to provide valuable feedback for the playwright.”
The Attorney-in-Fact will be performed with full staging on May 8, 9, 10 with curtain at 7:30 pm on Friday and Saturday and a 2:00 pm curtain on Sunday. There will be a talk back post-show with the playwright, creative team, and cast. Tickets are $10 for members and $15 for nonmembers. The MAC’s Anne Braitmayer Webb Theater is located at 80 Pleasant St. Marion. More information and tickets at marionartcenter.org/events. This is an ArtWeek SouthCoast event.