Southwest Florida’s playwrights harness the art of storytelling
It’s in the unseen, quiet corners that theater first emerges — when the pen fills the paper and playwrights turn everyday moments and inspiration into stories that captivate and inspire audiences. Southwest Florida may be known for its beaches and breathtaking sunsets, but the local theater scene is also home to a growing collection of local playwrights who push boundaries and explore fresh ways to bring characters and plots to life.
Judy Weston: Lean into the plot
Judy Weston credits a 1973 Alice Cooper concert as the inspiration for becoming a writer. “Lights, drama, makeup, music, dance, horror, laughter, outlandish entertaining — you name it, that show had it,” she said. “From there, I pursued photography and found the work of Arthur Tress both fascinating and eccentrically appealing in an indescribable way. After a decades-long career as a journalist, I turned my thoughts to writing plays. It helped me keep avant-garde stories alive in a different way.”
Weston collaborated with longtime friend Carolyn “C C” Bronson, a Fort Myers native, actress and singer-songwriter, to publish a book of 10-minute plays that showcase voices that aren’t often represented in theater. The result is the award-winning “Diverse Dialogues: A Collection of 10-Minute Plays.”
“One of the most important aspects of our plays is the ability to address common concerns and emotions of everyday people that make up the fabric of our community, both locally and globally,” Weston shared…