Young Playwrights of Delaware Seek Truth

DELAWARE YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

Back in Action at Delaware Theatre Company

March 19, 7:00-9:30pm

The Delaware Theatre Company (DTC) is excited to bring back the Delaware Young Playwrights Festival which has been on hiatus since 2008.  Sixty-six high school students from 7 participating schools  & their teachers took part in an interactive playwriting workshop.  They were provided with a study guide, lesson ideas, and a writing rubric to help them shape their plays based on this year’s theme of seeking truth.  50 plays were written and inspired by a quote from Arthur Miller’s All My Sons, which opened the theatre company’s 33rd season: “Every man does have a star. The star of one’s honesty. And you spend your life groping for it, but once it’s out it never lights again”- Dr. Jim Bayliss.

Six finalists were chosen from the submissions by the DTC’s Department of Education.  These six finalists have the opportunity to showcase scenes from their 5-10 page two character plays in which one or both characters discovers trueth or experiences a pivitol moment in their lives.

Alexander’s Last Battle by Sarah Gianakon, Charter School of Wilmington
The Last Canvas by Sanjay Pelinski, Newark High School
A Late Night Dance of the Exhumed Truth by Katy Wicks and Hillary Marinelli, St. Elizabeth High School
The Lost Cause by Alexander Cook, Cab Calloway School of the Arts
One Truthby Heather McAdams, Charter School of Wilmington
Thoughts on My Brother by Lillian Kairis, Charter School of Wilmington

For several weeks leading up to the event on the 19th the playwrights work with professional theatre artists from the Delaware Theatre Company.  Through a series of workshops they refine their writing for the stage.  Working directly with the student playwrights are professional actors from all over the Philadelphia metro are.  They’ve been employed to take these students works from page to stage. On March 19th, the 2011-2012 Delaware Young Playwrights Festival will culminate in a showcase of scenes from these plays. An awards ceremony for the playwrights will follow and a winner will be selected. This event is open to the public and free of charge.

 According to Director of Education Charles Conway, “The community’s overwhelmingly positive reaction to the re-launch of the Delaware Young Playwrights Festival has been very gratifying.   DTC has used the two-year hiatus of the program to better align it with the Theatre’s mission as well as Delaware’s educational standards.  We are well pleased with the results.” Students, teachers and the greater community couldn’t be more pleased with this program and DTC anticipates an inspiring evening of brand-new work from the next generation of playwrights.

If you go:

What:    Delaware Theatre Company’s Delaware Young Playwrights Festival

When:   Monday, March 19, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.

Where: Delaware Theatre Company, 200 Water Street, Wilmington Riverfront

Price:     Free and open to the public

For Info: 302.594.1100 or DELAWARETHEATRE.ORG

Delaware Theatre Company’s Delaware Young Playwrights Festival is partially funded by a grant from the Delaware Humanities Forum, a state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities. DYPF is additionally made possible by generous support from its sponsors: Wilmington University and Bank of America. Programs are made possible, in part, by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency committed to promoting and supporting the arts in Delaware. The Delaware Division of the Arts provides technical and financial assistance to artists and arts programs and serves as a clearinghouse for information on the arts.

Delaware Theatre Company, Delaware’s premier professional theatre, is located at 200 Water Street, on Wilmington’s Riverfront. Delaware Theatre Company is a member of the League of Resident Theatres, Theatre Communications Group, the Wilmington Arts Coalition, the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia, the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce, and the Wilmington Convention & Visitors Bureau.

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