About this Event
September 25 – September 28, 2025
A Festival of New American Plays
10 New Plays. 1 Bold Festival. ALL FREE. After an extensive nationwide search, Redhouse Arts Center will ignite its stages this fall with Babelfest, a four‑day celebration showcasing TEN boundary‑pushing new works by nationally acclaimed and Central New York playwrights. Theater‑lovers are invited to experience tomorrow’s classics today and to champion the bold voices creating them - all completely free.
September 25
🕑: 07:00 PM - 09:00 PM
STAGED READING: Silhouettes
Host: Jordan Ealey
Info: A staged reading of a new musical about two women who meet in a Chicago clinic and confront their fears, choices, and hopes around abortion, motherhood, and control over their own bodies.
🕑: 09:00 PM - 11:00 PM
The Community Babel
Host: Venue to be Announced
Info: Kick off BabelFest with networking, food, drinks, and the chance to connect with fellow artists.
September 26
🕑: 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM
SEMINAR: Foundations of Playwriting: Crafting Compelling Stories
Host: Charles Smith
Info: Aspiring playwrights are invited to join this incredible free seminar with nationally respected established playwright Charles Smith.
🕑: 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM
STAGED READING: The Plea
Host: Jason Zencka
Info: A staged reading of a new play where a young attorney tries to convince a younger client to take a life-changing plea bargain over the course of three meetings in a jailhouse legal visitation room.
🕑: 08:00 PM - 10:00 PM
An Untitled M**der Docudrama: A Vampire Cowboys First Bite
Host: Qui Nguyen
Info: Headlining the festival is a full production of a brand-new play by Qui Nguyen, the innovative mind behind She Kills Monsters, Vietgone, Alice in Slasherland, and Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon.
September 27
🕑: 02:00 PM - 04:00 PM
SEMINAR: Rewriting & Getting Produced: The Playwright’s Journey
Host: Crystal Skillman
Info: Aspiring playwrights are invited to join this free seminar with nationally respected established playwright Crystal Skillman.
🕑: 02:00 PM - 04:00 PM
STAGED READING: Silhouettes
Host: Jordan Ealey
Info: A staged reading of a new musical about two women who meet in a Chicago clinic and confront their fears, choices, and hopes around abortion, motherhood, and control over their own bodies.
🕑: 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
STAGED READING: The Plea
Host: Jason Zencka
Info: A staged reading of a new play where a young attorney tries to convince a younger client to take a life-changing plea bargain over the course of three meetings in a jailhouse legal visitation room.
🕑: 06:00 PM - 08:00 PM
An Untitled M**der Docudrama: A Vampire Cowboys First Bite
Host: Qui Nguyen
Info: Headlining the festival is a full production of a brand-new play by Qui Nguyen, the innovative mind behind She Kills Monsters, Vietgone, Alice in Slasherland, and Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon.
🕑: 08:30 PM - 10:00 PM
THE MINI-BABEL: Short Play Festival
Host: CNY Community Foundation Studio
Info: These emerging and established voices will share the spotlight with all-new short works by:
Mookey Van Orden, Johanna Keller, Alex Gherardi, Binaifer Dabu, Martikah Williams, Caitlin Friedberg, and Isaac Betters. All hailing from Central New York!
September 28
🕑: 02:00 PM - 04:00 PM
An Untitled M**der Docudrama: A Vampire Cowboys First Bite
Host: Qui Nguyen
Info: Headlining the festival is a full production of a brand-new play by Qui Nguyen, the innovative mind behind She Kills Monsters, Vietgone, Alice in Slasherland, and Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon.
🕑: 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM
THE MINI-BABEL: Short Play Festival
Host: CNY Community Foundation Studio
Info: These emerging and established voices will share the spotlight with all-new short works by:
Mookey Van Orden, Johanna Keller, Alex Gherardi, Binaifer Dabu, Martikah Williams, Caitlin Friedberg, and Isaac Betters. All hailing from Central New York!
🕑: 06:00 PM - 07:30 PM
THE MINI-BABEL: Short Play Festival
Host: CNY Community Foundation Studio
Info: These emerging and established voices will share the spotlight with all-new short works by:
Mookey Van Orden, Johanna Keller, Alex Gherardi, Binaifer Dabu, Martikah Williams, Caitlin Friedberg, and Isaac Betters. All hailing from Central New York!
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Redhouse Arts Center, 400 South Salina Street, Syracuse, United States
USD 0.00
