Beginning May 18, the New Plays Festival, sponsored by UCSB’s Dept. of Dramatic Art and the Division of Dance, will run through May 26. The New Plays Festival features a variety of plays that are written, directed and acted by UCSB students.

According to senior dramatic art major Emily Scott, three playwriting professors: Ellen Anderson, Anne Garcia-Romero and Naomi Iizuka, selected the six plays out of approximately 50 submitted scripts.

When considering what audiences can expect from this year’s festival, “With Bill A, there’s ‘Cowgirl,’ which is my play, and it involves a lot of audience participation. It’s sort of ‘in your face’ theater,” Scott said. “There’s also a musical, ‘Tomorrowland,’ which is a blast. [‘8 Life Lessons From Mort and Mindy’ is] pretty avant garde. I don’t know much about the other bill, but people can expect to be entertained. The plays seem to be really fast-paced and fun – the plays that were chosen show people’s voices really well. You can hear the writer’s voice within the piece.”

The six plays in the festival are divided into two bills, Bill A and Bill B, and theatergoers may attend either or both bills. Bill A includes previously mentioned “Cowgirl,” written by Emily Scott and directed by Nick Robertson, “8 Life Lessons from Mort and Mindy,” written by Jackson Warkentin and directed by Claranne Despain and “Tomorrowland,” book and lyrics by David Largman Murray with music by Bobby Halvorson and directed by Beth Wynstra. Bill B features “Rice Pudding,” written by Jehan Izhar and directed by Krishna Narayanamurti, “Trivial Pursuit,” written by Amelia Harris and directed by Erin Phillips and “Tapie Pelota,” written by Jason Montgomery and directed by Carol Fischer.

Performances will be held in UCSB’s Performing Arts Theatre, and the two bills will be alternating through the end of the festival.

Besides these two bills, theatergoers may attend solo performances, May 18 and 25, in the UCSB Studio Theatre at 11 p.m. Solo performances include “Two Boys,” written by Emily Scott and directed by Rebekah Rentzel, “Pressure Cooker,” written by Nick Robertson and directed by Sara Rademacher. “Global Warming is the Reason I Can’t Get a Girlfriend,” written by Stuart Zinke and directed by Rebekah Rentzel, “Lua,” written by Haley Sims and directed by Sara Rademacher and “The Adam Easton Letters,” written by Hank Willenbrink and directed by Rebekah Rentzel. The last play of the solo performances is “Con Wuebos,” written by Jose Esqueda and directed by Sara Rademacher.

For further information and tickets, contact the box office (805)-893-3535. Tickets cost $13 for UCSB students, staff and seniors, and $17 for general admission.