April 24, 2008

10 a.m., noon and 7 p.m.

Young Playwrights' Festival
A Collection of Short Plays by Area Young Writers

The Coterie's Young Playwrights Roundtable features the city's best young writers in a bold and striking writing project. The rich and varied theatrical writings which emerge from a year-long process will be forged into an ambitious festival of script-in-hand stagings-utilizing the finest actors, directors, and designers to make this a special experience about quality writing by young people. A highlight in The Coterie season.

Most appreciated by adults, teens, and young people ages 13 and older

1:10 Approximate length daytime (10 a.m. and noon)
2:00 Approximate length evening (7 p.m.)

Curriculum Ties: Creative Writing/ Communication Arts (Social interactions and issues, writing inspiration) and issues such as peer relationships. For suggested
benchmarks, click here

For a complete list of festival readings click here

The Festival Readings
Following is a list of productions, the playwright and the playwright’s school:

Roster A Performing at 10 a.m., noon and 7 p.m.
The content in this collection is suitable for sixth grade students through adult.

Best of Thieves by Taylor A. Hopkins (Barstow School)…a robbery attempt goes south quickly—and comically.

Can't Leave Until It's Finished by Eli Purdom (William Chrisman High)…six mourners can’t quite get their corpse to die.

We Were Just Kids by Callie Tuck (Raytown High)…a teen looks back at a tree fort built during childhood.

Coffee? by Nate Baldwin (Mill Valley High) [workshop school F.L. Schlagle High]…Natalie gives him her number, but later wonders if he’s a psycho…or just a telemarketer?

One Mind, Voices Many by Becky Yi (William Chrisman High)…as the night wears on, a young teen writer has many influences as she debates whether to make that phone call, or not.


Roster B Performing at 7 p.m. (2nd half of the evening, paired with Roster A)
The content in this portion is for high school students and adults.

That Night by JoShenna Richardson (Sumner Academy)…by the time the night is done, Renee and Alex would like to retract an impulsive choice.

FamilyTree by Adavia Thornton (Cristo Rey)…the solitary voice of a family member feeling a tremendous loss.

Thesis Statement by Brian Snodgrass (Lansing High)…Eric can’t seem to write that paper, and his girlfriend and roommate offer him a "contrast" in styles.

Revelations by Ben Knight (Wyandotte High)…inside Jason’s mind, he is asked to make the most of his life—but can he live it without television?

The Coming Out Party by Andi Enns (Home schooled)…it's the eternal question, but with a twist: do you really have to be gay to be in the drama club?

Members of the 2007-08 Young Playwrights Roundtable
Eric Allen, Jr. (F.L. Schlagle High), Sara Bacon (Barstow School), Nate Baldwin (Mill Valley High), Kaci Bloss (Raytown High),Luke Bohannon (Lansing High), Madison Butler (William Chrisman High), Brian Dulle (Sumner Academy), Andi Enns (Home schooled), Tawana Evans (Wyandotte High), Rachel Ferencz (Trailridge Middle), Brianna Franklin (Raytown South High), Denise Garcia (Washington High), Jessica Goertzen (Lansing High), Elizabeth Golden (Notre Dame de Sion High), Savannah Haner (Iola High), Aniseto Herrera (Shawnee Mission North High), Taylor Hopkins (Barstow School), Ben Knight (Wyandotte High), Duncan Laner (Pembroke Hill High), Shelby Litchman (Shawnee Mission North High), Ali Morrow (Lee’s Summit West High), Mario Pecina (Raytown High), Eli Purdom (William Chrisman High), JoSheena Richardson (Sumner Academy), Darci “Jinx” Rodecap (Free State High), Tim Shedor (Shawnee Mission East High), Kayla Simpson (F.L. Schlagle High), Brian Snodgrass (Lansing High), Adavia Thornton (Cristo Rey), Callie Tuck (Raytown High), Allen Williams (Ruskin High), Chase Williams (Barstow School), Lee-Michael Williams (Raytown High), Becky Yi (William Chrisman High), Isabel Zacharias (Trailridge Middle).