Arts and Entertainment

Faculty member's play to be part of festival in New York

A play written by a Penn State faculty member will make its debut with three showings in New York City later this month.

“An Evening with Aphrodite,” written by Pamela Monk, a senior lecturer in the College of Communications, will be performed Aug. 12, 15 and 17 during the Thespis Theatre Festival. 

The play -- about a goddess who warns her devotees of the dangers and terrors of getting what they want, even though she knows the information will not quench their desire -- will be performed at Roy Arias Studio II, located at 300 W. 43rd St. Show times have been set for 8:45 p.m. Aug. 12, 9 p.m. Aug. 15 and 4:30 p.m. Aug. 17.

Tickets cost $20. More information about the play, the festival and ticket purchases may be found online.

The festival is organized to bring the never-before-seen work of playwrights, directors and actors to the stage in a way that may lead to future performances.

Monk, a member of the faculty since 1999, began her continuing career as a freelance writer and playwright in 1983. Before joining Penn State, she spent 25 years in public education teaching writing and general science.

At Penn State, she teaches courses in both the journalism and English departments, covering creative writing (fiction and nonfiction) and magazine writing. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Newsday and The Philadelphia Inquirer, as well as in local publications in State College and in Ithaca, N.Y., where she lived before moving to State College.

Monk serves as faculty adviser to Phroth, the Penn State humor magazine; Valley Magazine; and PSNtv, the student television network. In addition, Monk is a juried artist for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. In this capacity she has conducted playwriting residencies and freelance writing workshops in a variety of Pennsylvania public schools.

Her plays have been produced in New York and Pennsylvania. She is also the creator of Pamelapolis Productions, an independent production company. Her service to the State College community includes work on arts boards, including Galaxy Arts in Education, the State College Community Theatre and, most recently, The State Theatre. Her current projects include producing and performing in the personal narrative storytelling series Muriel’s Repair and the annual satire Forbidden Valley.

Pamela Monk's latest play will be performed three times during August in New York City. Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

Last Updated June 2, 2021