A new festival at UC Davis will play a critical role in the development of upcoming plays and musicals.

The UC Davis Ground and Field Theatre Festival begins on Thursday with plays covering a wide range; from a play about cheerleaders contracting a mysterious illness to a musical about contemporary relationships.

Mindy Cooper is a veteran of Broadway shows as a director and choreographers. She explains what it takes to get a new show produced and what you can expect at the festival this year. You can read an article by Capital Public Radio's arts reporter Jeff Hudson on one UC Davis alumnus whose play will be produced at the festival.