Double Fault by Hank Kimmel

On Sept 14, 2024, at 7:30 PM, we'll present a staged reading of Georgia playwright Hank Kimmel's DOUBLE FAULT. It is FREE for anyone to attend our staged readings, though we do accept donations that help us keep our vibrant arts programming alive in our community.

ABOUT THE PLAY

Rita is a top-tier junior tennis player who is on the cusp of greatness. Prodded by her father Pauly, a former boxer from “the old country”, Rita has reached the final of the Rolex Junior Championship where she has to make a split-second line call that will affect the rest of her life. In that split second, she flashes back to every element that brought her to this moment – the obsession, sacrifice, pain, and joy. The result of this call will not just affect Rita – but also her father Pauly, mother Wanda, brother Jared, opponent Samatha, agent Kiki and first coach Herb Foster whose message about the transcendent nature of tennis will be finally understood.

ABOUT OUR STAGED READINGS

At our staged readings, the dialogue and stage directions are read aloud so that the audience can hear what the play will sound like. Each of our staged readings has benefited from different levels of movement and physicality to paint a mental picture of what the full show will look like. The performance helps the playwright spot potential areas for strengthening their work in the future.

After the performance, there is a brief intermission followed by an optional moderated talkback. The audience has an opportunity to answer some simple questions about the show, as well as provide their general feedback on the show. This process is essential for new play development! Now is your chance to be a part of creating new art!

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT

Hank Kimmel's two passions are tennis and playwriting -- so having "Double Fault" developed by Pumphouse Players delightfully brings together these two worlds for him. Along with being a founding member of Working Title Playwrights and a board member of the Alliance for Jewish Theatre, Hank has been a long-time certified tennis pro with the United States Professional Tennis Association. He once beat Patrick McEnroe (okay, Patrick was 7 and Hank was 12 -- fortunately, Patrick got over it), and one of his life's highlights was delivering contact lenses in person to Arthur Ashe at the 1974 U.S. Open. in 2022, Hank had the delightful experience of having his play Reporting 1-0-1 developed by Pumphouse. More about Hank's playwriting can be found at https://newplayexchange.org/users/2311/hank-kimmel or www.hankkimmel.com

Host or Publisher Pumphouse Players