TELLURIDE – The Telluride Playwrights Festival, now in its fifth year of providing a summertime laboratory setting for actors, playwrights and directors to network and nurture new work that seeks to inspire and engage, will bring a full production of a new dark comedy by William Missouri Downs called Forgiving John Lennon to the Sheridan Opera House July 14-17.

Part of the University of Wyoming’s Summer Theatre Program, the play explores a clash of cultures in a world where, as Lennon once said, “nothing to kill or die for” might not be so easily imagined.

As with all TPF productions, feedback from the audience after the performance, is a valued step and assuredly there will be plenty of discussion after this thought provoking play.

In addition to Forgiving John Lennon, TPF will continue its staged reading series this year, as well as work on new plays by established Colorado playwrights, presented free to the public.

Plays germinated at TPF are now blossoming all over the country, in larger locales, including Phantom Killer, Jan Buttram’s 2009’s TPF dramatic staged reading (also produced Off-Broadway last year at the Abingdon Theatre, in New York City) and Tracy Shaffer’s (W)Hole, a staged reading at the Paragon Theatre in Denver. This summer, Drew Larimore’s Out of Askja will be in a New York City theatre festival, and next spring, James Still's Love Me Some Amnesia, a TPF 2010 staged reading, will be produced in Chicago, at the American Blues Theatre.

TPF welcomes community actors, playwrights and interns who want to learn and work with professionals. Call Jennie Franks at 970/728-6290 for more information.