Lights Up! Playwrights Take the Stage

On November 7, The Neurosciences Institute hosted Playwrights Project for Lights Up! Playwrights Take the Stage.

The night began with a reception and was followed by Scenes from Our Programs and an Awards Presentation. A Playwrights Project ensemble of favorite actors performed in the Scenes, which was directed by Program Manager & Producer Chelsea Whitmore. The Scenes from Our Programs featured excerpts from these past scripts:

After the performance, Chelsea then announced the finalists and winners of the 2009 California Young Playwrights Contest, whose plays will be premiered at the Lyceum Theatre in Horton Plaza in Plays by Young Writers produced by Playwrights Project, February 18-28, 2010.

Winning Playwrights:
Picture on Left: (From L to R) Quinn Sosna-Spear, Katie Henry
Picture on Right: (From L to R) Enrique Hernandez, Chris Toth, Nachiketa Baru

Playwrights Project Founder Deborah Salzer with Award recipient Courtney Flanagan of The Bishop's School

Former winning playwright and Board President Lisa Kirazian then led the way into the Tribute, with The Bishop's alumnus Matt McKenna ('97), Playwrights Project Teaching Artist and The Bishop's Alumna Amanda Cooley Davis ('92), friend and colleague Gideon Rappaport, and Deborah Salzer giving voice to their heartfelt appreciation for Courtney. Students from The Bishop's School's Drama Club performed a hilarious improvisation to honor Courtney.

The final segment of the evening was the presentation of the second annual Deborah Salzer Excellence in Arts Education Award to Courtney Flanagan, Drama Teacher at The Bishop's School. The Award was given by Playwrights Project Founder Deborah Salzer.

Playwrights Project is grateful to the many advisors, sponsors, and supporters responsible for this sensational event.

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Playwrights Project on YouTube

In this 3 minute video you can see what Playwrights Project is about. The video gives you an opportunity to see our programs in action. We have samples of our Plays by Young Writers festival, WINS touring production, and photographs of our wonderful teaching artists in the classroom.

Click here to watch

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Telling Stories: Giving a Voice to Foster Youth

Thanks to The San Diego Foundation, foster youth in San Diego are shaping their real life experiences into theatre in
Telling Stories, a program created by Playwrights Project, in collaboration with LEAP (Leadership Empowers All Possibilities), a program of San Diego Foster Youth Initiative. Click on the title above to download a PDF and read all about it.

Contact Playwrights Project if you are interested in telling your story. Download a flyer from a recent performance and discussion of Files, our first Telling Stories script, dramatizing the real life stories of four amazing young women and their experiences in the foster care system.

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California Young Playwrights Contest

Winners to be announced in September

We are in the process of reviewing almost 250 scripts submitted to our statewide playwriting Contest. All Californians under the age of 19 are eligible to enter the contest. Next year's deadline is June 1, 2010.

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Donor Corner

We appreciate the support of each and everyone of our donors. Visit our Donor Corner for a listing of the phenomenal individuals and organizations who make our programs possible. Read the latest news about our current funding successes, including The San Diego Foundation's support of our newest program initiative Telling Stories: Giving Voice to Foster Youth.

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Playwrights Project In Action

Watch a 3-minute video of our programs for at risk youth
Our thanks to CTN and Joe Solazzo for the opening images of Step by Step and interview with James Monroe.

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Plotline Newsletters

Archives: Download our past Plotline newsletters

Plotline January 2008

• A review of our touring production Lifted
• Info on our last Plays By Young Writers
• SEEDS playwriting program links theater arts to the humanities
• Directly Speaking from Board President Gwyn Enright

Plotline Spring 2007

• Shop Talk with Edward Albee (includes insights from Annie Weisman)
• At-risk Teens Take Risks: A snapshot of three playwriting programs
• Are We Raising Barbarians? A chat with Superintendent Carl Cohn
• Directly Speaking from Board President Karen Ladner

Playwrights Project promotes literacy, communication skills and creativity through drama-based programs
with an emphasis on inspiring youth and seniors.

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