Cheers to 23! (LAArtsOnline.com)

^{23rd Annual Young Playwrights Festival at The Blank Theatre. Photo Courtesy of The Blank Theatre}

Cheers to 23!

By Ken Werther

Now celebrating its 23rd Anniversary, The Blank Theatre’s Young Playwrights Festival will present 12 plays by young playwrights aged 12—19 from seven different states at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood June 4—28. This is a truly remarkable event that throughout its history has produced 260 plays by young playwrights.

Noah Wyle, Artistic Producer at The Blank, says, “The Blank finds the freshest, most original voices in the American theatre, invites them to Los Angeles, and promotes their work during our month-long festival. These thought-provoking works, performed and directed by seasoned professionals, have entertained thousands of audience members over the years. While these authors are often as different as the states from which they come and the subjects with which they deal, they share something truly improbable. They’re teenagers.” Wyle continued, “They are the voices of today’s theatre — and of tomorrow’s as well.”

Many of the plays presented in the Festival have been nominated for multiple LA theatre awards and several alumni playwrights are populating the nation’s theatres and sound stages with their work. Many winners have gone on to successful writing careers and one has even been a Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. I cannot urge you strongly enough to check out this year’s YPF!

For all the details on The Blank Theatre’s Young Playwrights Festival, click here.