James Anthony Tyler, young playwright, presents a staged reading of his work-in-progress, Talkin’ to This Chick Sippin’ Magic Potion, a funny and provocative play set in a Harlem penthouse, where an African American lesbian couple must navigate the complexities of modern romance amidst an angry teenage daughter, a confused ex-husband, the pressures of academia, and the unconventional career challenges of a “professional cuddler.” The play also features a deaf character, and the reading will incorporate sign language. The event is part of the Writers Institute’s “Authors Theatre” series, which features staged readings of original plays-in-progress, and gives audiences an opportunity to share reactions and participate in the creative process. James Anthony Tyler, a recent graduate of Julliard’s playwriting program, is the recipient of the 3rd Annual Horton Foote Playwriting Award, and an inaugural winner of a grant from Audible’s Emerging Playwrights Fund. Laura Savia is the Associate Artistic Director of the Williamstown Theatre Festival, where she has directed world premieres of James Tyler’s Artney Jackson, and Lucy Thurber’s Once Upon a Time in the Berkshires.