Theater at Monmouth to Offer PAGE TO STAGE & WRITE ON! this Summer

Theater at Monmouth will celebrate 45 years of arts education for young people throughout Maine with two arts learning programs: Page to Stage and the Write On! Student Playwriting Project. Each program provides students hands-on opportunities to explore their creative voices with professional artists. For grades pre-k to 8, TAM's Page to Stage Tour brings a world premiere adaptation of Ruth Stiles Gannett's My Father's Dragon to schools across the state. The second annual Write On! Student Playwriting Project invites students in grades 5 through 12 to make their voices heard by submitting their own original plays for a opportunity to be presented in TAM's 2014 Summer Season.

Since its founding, TAM has a brought classic literature to students across the state through education tours and in-school residencies. Each spring, TAM brings adaptations of classic literature to students through Page to Stage. Created for grades pre-k-8, Page to Stage deepens understanding of, appreciation for, and connection to classic literature for learners of all ages. TAM's Page to Stage program annually reaches more than 9,000 students from York to Limestone, Rangeley to Lubec.

Launched in 2013 with support from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation, Write On! integrates the art of playwriting into the middle and high school curriculum to enhance academic and culturally literacy, creative expression, and communication skills. Students learn the importance of language structure, grammar, and word choice as a means of clearly communicating their own thoughts, choices, and imaginations through the development of an original play. Write On! includes professional development workshops for teachers, curriculum guides, and classroom visits with professional teaching artists continuing TAM's mission to take learning in and through the arts to all corners of the state.

2014 Page to Stage Tour: My Father's Dragon

Ruth Stiles Gannett's treasured tale of a young boy's quest to rescue a baby dragon comes to life in TAM's world premiere adaptation by Dawn McAndrews. My Father's Dragon will tour to schools and community centers across the state from April 28 through May 24.

The beloved children's classic tells the story of Elmer Elevator's journey to Wild Island. When he hears about the poor mistreated baby dragon, he packs his knapsack with supplies and stows away on a ship headed for the faraway land. With the help of two dozen pink lollipops, rubber bands, chewing gum, and a fine-toothed comb, Elmer disarms the fiercest of beasts on Wild Island.

Company member, Ryan Simpson makes his TAM directing debut with My Father's Dragon. A graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University (BFA Music Theatre), Ryan is a member of the Chicago-based improvisational comedy troupe, GreenRoom Productions. Ryan has been a part of the company since 2011 and recently appeared in productions of Our Town and The Knight of the Burning Pestle.

My Father's Dragon features April Singley as Cat/Mouse/Dragon, Eric Lucas as Elmer Elevator, Kathleen Nation as Mother/Lion/Boar, and Max Waszak as Narrator/Gorilla/Captain. Set design by Stacey Koloski, costume design by Elizabeth Rocha, and lighting design by Jim Alexander.

For My Father's Dragon performance details visit www.theateratmonmouth.org or call 207.933.9999.

2014 Write On! Student Playwriting Project

Student playwrights from across the state are invited to make their voices heard by submitting an original 10-minute play (grades 5-8) or a one-act play (grades 9 - 12) to Theater at Monmouth's Write On: Student Playwriting Project. Plays are reviewed by a jury of professional theatre artists, and finalists receive a workshop and stage-reading of their play as part of TAM's 2014 summer season.

Student writers work with professional directors and dramaturges to edit and revise their scripts, participate in casting the roles, attend rehearsals offering feedback on their intentions, and sit on stage during the performance to place the spotlight directly on their work. One grand finalist receives a $500; second and third place finalists receive season tickets to the Theater; all selected playwrights benefit from the opportunity to have their original play produced at a professional theatre.

2014 Student Submission forms and guidelines are available at www.theateratmonmouth.org in Education. Student submissions must be received no later than May 1, 2014.

For more information on how to become involved in Write On! (as a teacher in the classroom or as an aspiring young writer) call 207.933.2952.