Christopher G. Smith's play The Violin Maker was a semifinalist for the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference and The American Blues Theater’s Blue Ink Playwriting Award. It was a finalist at the Dayton FutureFest and the 2021 Playhouse on the Square’s NewWorks@TheWorks Playwriting Festival. It received readings at both festivals. Painted Desert recently received a reading with the equity company of Peninsula Players Theatre and was a finalist at the Palm Beach Dramaworks where it received a reading. It was also a finalist for the Seven Devils Conference and Wordsmyth Theatre reading series. Packers was the winner of the Best Original Play competition at Jewel Box Theatre in Oklahoma City, OK and a 2022 second rounder in the Austin Film Festival’s playwriting competition as well as a finalist at Matchstick Theatre Company London, England. Checkout was a finalist for the B Street Theatre New Comedy Festival in Sacramento, CA. One Summer Night, a 10 minute play received a reading as part of the Midwest Dramatist Conference. Thirst for Eden had a 2021 equity company reading at Proud Haddock Productions in London, England.
Christopher’s work has been produced at the Rochester Repertory Theater and received readings through the Midwest Theater Network. His plays have been 1st runner up for the Panowski Playwriting Award and the SETC New Play Contest; Finalists at The Alleyway Theater, Mountain Playhouse, semifinalist for the Marvin Taylor Playwriting contest, McLaren Festival, Cleveland Public Theatre, Dayton Playhouse FutureFest, Florida Studio Theater and Mill Mountain Theater. He is a member of the Playwrights Center in Minneapolis and his plays are available on NPX.
Plays
For 300 years, the Mosel family has handcrafted violins of the highest quality. Now Karl Mosel, the last and only son, struggles after his father’s death to decide whether to continue the family legacy or let it go. His elderly grandfather, Wilhelm, convinces Karl to work with him over the summer and attempt to make a violin as homage to his father. Karl is soon joined in the shop by Angela Brunelle, a surprise summer intern. As they repair violins and learn the craft under Wilhelm’s guidance, they also find ways to mend their damaged lives.
2022 Semifinalist Blue Ink Playwriting Award
2020-21 Finalist Playhouse on the Square New Works @ The Works
Stage reading
2016 Finalist Dayton Playhouse FutureFest stage reading
2015 Semifinalist Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference
On the great American Painted Desert a charming convict battles with a lost and wondering preacher over the fate of a young runaway. As the play unravels the boy must choose between the real threat of violence or what appears to be the powerless appeal for goodness from the preacher.
2017 Palm Beach Dramaworkshop finalist. Company table reading at Read-a-Thon.
2015 Finalists - Wordsmyth Theater New Play Reading Series and Seven Devils Playwrights Conference
Little Lifeboats Tease -excerpt presented July 8th 2016
Comedy- It's the late 1980's. A widow attempts to boost business with a "big idea" promotion to capitalize on recent Elvis sightings. All is well until "the king" makes his final surprise appearance just moments before the event. It's a mad scramble with everyone trying to deal with an out of control situation.
“ I had the opportunity to read/hear this play through Playwright Center's Member Open Play. It reads aloud so easily — Warm and inviting — With big action that snowballs hysterically. At the center are Marge and Mavis — two delightful lead roles for women of an older generation. So refreshing! Writer Smith makes dialogue look easy in this lilting comedy stocked with compelling, sympathetic characters. Fun, too, to see a nostalgic small-town period piece set in recent era — The 1980's. This would be a fun show for a regional or community theater. ”Rachel Carnes NPX
Finalist B Street Theatre New Comedy Festival. Sacramento, CA
Finalist Theatre Victoria Playwriting Contest. Victoria, TX
Finalist Maxim Mazumdar New Play Competition Alleyway Theatre. Buffalo, New York
Finalist Mountain Playhouse International Comedy Playwriting Contest.
A working class family is caught on both sides of prolonged strike.
Each year the Murphys gather to watch the football game and enjoy a Thanksgiving meal. But this year is anything but simple. The company has issued an ultimatum. Striking workers must return or they will be permanently replaced, and most of the Murphy's are out on strike.
Winner Best Original Play Jewel Box Theatre. Oklahoma City, OK
2021 Second Rounder Austin Film Festival Playwriting Competition.
2020 Finalist Matchstick Theatre Company. London, England.
First Runner-up SETC New Play Contest. University of Alabama.
Finalist Annual Mildred & Albert Panowski Playwriting Award. Northern Michigan University.
Semifinalist Dayton FutureFest.
Stage readings Midwest Theatre Network.
At a final reunion between an aging writer and his son, both men are forced to deal with the nature of their relationship and the choices they made that shaped the direction their lives.
Produced at the Rochester Repertory Theatre
2021 Reading Proud Haddock Productions, London, England
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Successes
Painted Desert by Christopher G. Smith received a stage reading at the Peninsula Players Theatre direction of Artistic Director Linda Fortunato. It features veteran Peninsula Players Theatre actors Amy Ensign, Mark Moede, Lee Palmer and newcomer Kenneth Hamilton.
The Violin Maker by Christopher G. Smith was a 2022 Semi-Finalist for the Blue Ink Award at the American Blues Theatre.
Packers by Christopher G. Smith was a second rounder in the Austin Film Festival Playwriting Competition. It was in the top 20 % of 766 scripts.
Thirst for Eden by Christopher G. Smith received a reading at Proud Haddock Productions in London, England April 7, 2021.
The Violin Maker by Christopher G. Smith was a finalists for the 2020-21 Playhouse on the Square New Works @ The Works festival in Memphis, TN and received a staged reading.