Plays
by Young Writers
January 15 - 25, 2009
The
work presented in our annual festival of Plays by Young
Writers springs from the imaginations of playwrights under age 19,
the winners of our California
Young Playwrights Contest. Scripts are evaluated in two age
groups - winners age 14 and under receive readings, while the others
work with Playwrights Project to stage full productions of their
scripts. The
older playwrights spend months on revision, guided first by writing
professionals and later by questions from the artists mounting the
plays.
Audiences of all ages enjoy weekend and evening performances, while weekday performances are reserved for school groups. Students are inspired by the teenage writers and intrigued by characters grappling with conflicts much like their own.
The
24th Season of Plays by Young Writers was produced
in association with Cygnet Theatre Company at the Old Town Theatre located at 4040 Twiggs Street in Old Town San Diego. |
|
Plays
by Young Writers
Our 24th season of winning plays from the
2008 California Young Playwrights Contest.
Download a promotional flyer.
Full Productions
The Stationmaster
By Jacob Axelrad
Age 16, Studio City
Directed by Chelsea Whitmore
Reminiscent of The Twilight Zone, a mysterious stationmaster, guides strangers onto trains headed who-knows-where.
If I Were Your Super Hero
By Laignee Barron
Age 16, Oak View
Directed by Liz Shipman
An independent teenager saddled with an alcoholic mother reluctantly befriends a talkative boy with autism.
A+B ≠ AB
By Colette La Pointe
Age 18, Hermosa Beach
Directed by George Ye
Lost on a road trip, a literate young couple struggles with their marriage and potential parenthood
Prom Night
By Emily Reit
Age 17, Coronado
Directed by Ruff Yeager
Absurdly over-protective parents go to drastic measures to thwart their daughter's plans for her prom night.
Readings
Directed by Lisa Berger
The Devil's Little Helper
By Enrique Hernandez
Age 12, Escondido
Butterflies
By Leah Salovey
Age 14, La Jolla
Tamovidion
By Julia Brekka
Age 12,
San Diego
A Case for Vegetarianism
By Benjamin Rose
Age 11,
Solana Beach
View production photos, taken by Ken Jacques
Read recent press about Plays by Young Writers:
San Diego Union Tribune Night & Day (Jan. 15, 2009), by James Hebert
Chasing a dream: “Plays by Young Writers” is just the most visible part of a project to spark creativity.
La Jolla Light Entertainment (Jan. 2009), by Diana Saenger
Winning Scripts in Young Playwrights Contest Take Center Stage
Gay & Lesbian Times (Jan. 22, 2009), by Jean Lowerison
Plays by young playwrights
SD Theatre Scene's Behind the Scenes (Jan. 22, 2009), by Jenni Prisk
Behind the Scenes
San Diego Weekly Reader (Jan. 25, 2009), by Carolyn Grace Matteo
Young Playwrights
SD Convis and SignOnRadio's Travel Like a Local (Jan. 23, 2009)
Host Darlynne Reyes Menkin interviews Playwrights Project's Managing Director Cecelia Kouma
Listen here (interview starts at about 13 minutes)
Playwrights Project is grateful to the underwriters of Plays by Young Writers
The City of San Diego's Commission for Arts & Culture
Mandell Weiss Charitable Trust
With additional support from
The Boys & Girls Foundation
Molly & Chuck Brazell
California Arts Council
Community Service Association of
San Diego Unified School District
County of San Diego, Community Enhancement Program,
District 4 (Ron Roberts)
Cygnet Theatre Company
Audrey Geisel / Dr. Seuss Foundation
Sheila & Jeffrey Lipinsky
Kiwanis Club of Old San Diego
Qualcomm® Incorporated
ResMed Foundation
San Diego County Employees’ Charitable Organization
We also thank the many theatre professionals and judges who helped critique the plays in this year's Contest.
Final Judges
Martin Benson
South Coast Repertory Theatre Artistic Director
Judith Dolan
Designer, Dramaturg, Director
Patti Saraniero
Arts Education Researcher |
Arthur Wagner
UCSD Dept. of Theatre & Dance Founder
Deborah Salzer
Playwrights Project Founder
Esther Emery
Director, Playwright, Artist |
|
