Archived entries for Young Playwrights Festival

NEWS RELEASE ▪︎ MORE THAN 50 ACTORS SET TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BLNK THEATRE’S 25th ANNIVERSARY YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

MICHAEL GRANT TERRY, JANINA GAVANKAR,
LENNY JACOBSON, JENNIFER STONE
AND MORE SET TO PARTICIPATE IN
THE BLANK THEATRE’S
25TH ANNIVERSARY
YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL
JUNE 1–25

More than 50 actors have been set to participate in The Blank Theatre’s 25th Anniversary Young Playwrights Festival, including Michael Grant Terry (Bones, NCIS, Grimm, CSI), Janina Gavankar (The Mysteries of Laura, The Vampire Diaries, Grey’s Anatomy), Lenny Jacobson (Nurse Jackie, Frequency, Big Time in Hollywood, FL), and Jennifer Stone (Wizards of Waverly Place). Twelve winning plays by young playwrights aged 17, 18, and 19 from six different states will be presented during this year’s festival at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood, running from June 1–25.

Other notable performers scheduled to appear are (in alphabetical order) Tess Aubert, Paris Benjamin, Luke Benward (Ravenswood, Good Luck Charlie), David Bloom (Wet Hot American Summer), Tor Brown, Elena Campbell-Martinez, Nick Cardiff, A.B. Cassidy, David Castaneda, Kate Connor, Kimberly Crandall, George Baron Dalton, Shannon Dang, Mark Daugherty, Cecile Del Rosario, Ming-Wei Cyprian Fasquelle, Lainnie Felan, Jessie Franks, Tim Gabriel, Evan Holtzman, Alyssa Jirrels, Tim Jo (The Neighbors, Glory Daze), Stephanie Jones, John F. Knight, Elizabeth Knoweleden, Bethany Joy Lenz (Dexter, One Tree Hill, American Gothic), Mallory Nakamura Low, Ross MacKenzie, Jamie McRae, Megan McGown, Madison McLaughlin (Arrow, Chicago PD, Modern Family), Kate McNeil (NCIS: Los Angeles, Mad Men), Jamie McRae, Eve Moon, Marguerite Moreau (Wet Hot American Summer, Parenthood), Toyin Moses, Kaori Neville, Gabriela Ortega, Lizzie Peet, Cait Pool, Hannah Prichard, Cameron Protzman, Laura Seay, Emma Shannon, Hojo Shin, Ben Stillwell, Wyatt Stromer, Debra Sullivan, Jack Terbush, Larry Van Buren, Roxy Wood, Jeff Witzke, and Bridger Zadina.

The Blank Theatre’s 25th Anniversary Young Playwrights Festival runs Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm, beginning June 1 and continuing through June 25 at the Stella Adler Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Boulevard (at Highland), in Hollywood. Each week’s program includes three plays. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for students. Festival Passes, which include one ticket for each week, are $80 for adults and $50 for students. Tickets may be purchased online at www.theblank.com 0r by calling (323) 661-9827.

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05-30-17

NEWS RELEASE ▪︎ THE BLANK THEATRE’S 25th ANNIVERSARY YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL CHOOSES WINNERS

THE BLANK THEATRE’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY

YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

CHOOSES WINNERS

12 PLAYS BY THE NATION’S BRIGHTEST YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS

WILL BE PERFORMED AT

 THE STELLA ADLER THEATRE IN HOLLYWOOD

JUNE 1 25, 2017

Young Playwrights Festival - 25th anniverary logoNow celebrating its 25th Anniversary, The Blank Theatre’s Nationwide Young Playwrights Festival has chosen 12 plays by playwrights aged 17, 18, and 19 from six different states and the District of Columbia. These plays will be presented by professional actors and directors in this year’s Festival at The Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood, June 1–25.

Said Daniel Henning, Founding Artistic Director of The Blank, “Each spring for the past 24 years, The Blank has found the freshest, most original voices in the American theatre, invited them to Los Angeles, and promoted their work during a month-long festival in June. This thought–provoking work, performed and directed by seasoned professionals, has 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.” Henning continued, “These are not only the voices of today’s theatre — they are the voices of tomorrow’s as well.”

This year’s winning plays are: CAROLINE’S GRAND FINALE by Madison Kiernan, Fernandina Beach, FL, Age 17; QUARTER CUP by Lani Kording, Costa Mesa, CA, Age 19; THE PRESENT IMPERFECT by Rachel Linton, Washington, DC, Age 19; LOADED by Trinity Goderstad, Engelwood, CO, Age 18; DEATH ROWS by Jasmine Sharma, Franklin Lakes, NJ, Age 18; TAKE IT WITH YOU by Jasmine Perry, New York, NY, Age 19; YOU’RE A BRAIN, THAT YOU ARE by Dana Hensler, Danville, CA, Age 19; THIS AMERICAN STRIFE  by Akela Munsey, Monrovia, CA, Age 17; THE SECRET LIFE OF BICYCLES by India Kotis, New York, NY, Age 19;THE AUGUST 22nd OF MY CHILDHOOD by Rayna Berggren, Santa Monica, CA, Age 18; OCEAN DEBRIS by Cassandra Hsiao, Walnut, CA, Age 17; and THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT by James La Bella, Marlborough, CT, Age 19.

A panel of theatre professionals chose from 241 plays submitted by young writers across the nation. Winning playwrights are next assigned a mentor, and then a professional director who will help them hone their scripts for four public performances with professional actors. This year’s mentors include Dave Holstein (Weeds, Raising Hope), Ellen Byron (Just Shoot Me, Wings), Gary Tieche (Medium), Kit Steinkellner (four-time YPF winner), Beth Bigler (The Real Housewives of Atlanta and three-time YPF winner), Bert V. Royal (Dog Sees God), Austin Winsberg (five-time YPF winner;The Sound of Music Live, Gossip Girl), Adam Lapidus, Robert L. Freedman (two-time Tony Award-winner for A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder), Shelagh McFadden, Jennie Webb, and Adam Belanoff (Major Crimes). This year’s directors are (in alphabetical order) Barbara Bain, June Carryl, Warren Davis, Rebecca Eisenberg, James Kerwin, Angela Oh, Christopher J. Raymond, Michael A. Shepperd, Laura Stribling, Richard Tatum, April Webster, and Stoney Westmoreland.

Over the past 24 years, The Blank has produced 284 plays by young playwrights.Eleven of those plays or playwrights have gone on to be presented on The Blank’s mainstage. Additionally, many of the plays have been nominated for LA theatre awards, including an Ovation Award for Best Writing—World Premiere, and an LA Weekly Award for Best One-Act Playwriting. Other alumni playwrights are populating the nation’s theatres and sound stages with their work. Many YPF winners have gone on to successful writing careers on Broadway, are filling regional stages, and have created network TV shows. Alumnus winner Stephen Karam has been a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and is a Tony Award-winner for Best Play of the 2016 Broadway season for The Humans.

This year’s YPF is made possible in part by The Bloomberg Philanthropies, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Los Angeles City Department of Cultural Affairs, The Rosenthal Family Foundation, The Plum Foundation, and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation.

The Blank Theatre’s 25th Anniversary Young Playwrights Festival will run June 1–25 at the Stella Adler Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Boulevard, in Hollywood. The performance schedule is Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm. Each week’s program includes three plays, and admission is $25 for adults and $15 for students. Festival passes, which are good for one ticket each week of the festival, are $80 for adults and $50 for students. Tickets may be purchased online at www.TheBlank.com, or by phone at (323) 661-9827.

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05-05-17

 

NEWS RELEASE — FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR THE BLANK THEATRE’S 24th ANNUAL YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

ANGELIQUE CABRAL, CHRISTOPH SANDERS,
JR BOURNE, SHARON LAWRENCE, SCOTT LOWELL, ANGEL PARKER,
LENNY JACOBSON, JESSY SCHRAM
AND MORE SET TO PARTICIPATE IN
THE BLANK THEATRE’S
24TH ANNUAL YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL
JUNE 2—26

Young Playwrights Festival 2016More than 40 actors have been set to participate in The Blank Theatre’s 24th Annual Young Playwrights Festival, including Angelique Cabral (Life In Pieces), Christoph Sanders (Ghost Whisperer, Last Man Standing), JR Bourne (Teen Wolf), Sharon Lawrence (NYPD Blue), Scott Lowell (Queer As Folk), Angel Parker (Lab Rats, American Crime Story), Lenny Jacobson (Nurse Jackie, Big Time in Hollywood, FL), and Jessy Schram (Nashville, Veronica Mars, Falling Skies). Twelve winning plays by young playwrights aged 16—19 from seven different states will be presented during this year’s festival at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood, running from June 2—26.

Other notable performers appearing in Festival plays are (in alphabetical order) Max Adler (Glee), Juliette Angelo, Cole Bernstein, Grace Bethany, Scarlett Byrne (Harry Potter, Falling Skies), Jake Cherry (Night at the Museum), Deborah S. Craig (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Paul Eiding, Jen Eldridge, Chase Ellison, Julie Ann Emery (Fargo, Better Call Saul), Elisha Henig, Eric Ladin (American Sniper, The Brink), Casey McCormick Leach, Ethan Lee, Mackenzie Lintz, Oliviana Marie, Austin Mincks, Amir Mitchell-Townes (Girl Meets World), Eric Nenninger (Wet Hot Summer, First Day of Camp, Generation Kill), Lily Nicksay (Boy Meets World, The Blank’s A Singular They), Tim Peper, Cait Pool, Hannah Prichard (The Blank’s A Singular They), Sarah Jo Provost, Jazz Raycole, Jordan Rivera, Will Ropp, Sloane Morgan Siegel, Ben Stillwell (Teen Wolf, Murder in the First), Jennifer Stone (Wizards of Waverly Place), Kitty Swink, and Joey Voccia.

The Blank Theatre’s 24th Annual Young Playwrights Festival runs Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm, beginning June 2 and running through June 26 at the Stella Adler Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Boulevard (at Highland), in Hollywood. Each week’s program includes three plays. Tickets are $20 for adults and $14 for students. Festival Passes, which include one ticket for each week, are $68 for adults and $48 for students. Tickets may be purchased online at www.theblank.com or by calling (323) 661-9827.

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05-25-16